The Odd, Interesting and Disturbing, Lewis Carroll: A Conservative, Creative

Lewis Carroll was the pen name of Charles Lutwidge Dodgson. He was a mathematician and the author of Alice in Wonderland and other interesting and wonderful works.

Lewis Carroll

Described as being somewhat awkward and stiff in his movements, Lewis Carroll was also deaf in one ear and suffered from a stammer when he spoke. As you may imagine, Carroll was often teased about these things, while he was growing up, which was, of course, pretty mean behaviour! But luckily for Carroll, he was also clever and entertaining. He was a sharp-witted player of games like chess and billiards and an inventor of his own magic tricks and games of logic.  

As a collector of oddities and gadgets, Carroll possessed a mechanical toy which flew about called Bob the Bat, which was a mechanical walking, furry bear toy. He also opened exploding paper pistols and collected pencil sharpeners and fountain pens. When he travelled, Carroll always took a bag with him, filled with puzzles and games and medicines and even music boxes.  

Drumming Bear automaton

Seeming to relate better to children than adults, Carroll would lose his stammer when in the presence of his young friends. Although Carroll denied that the Alice, of his Alice in Wonderland book, was based on a "real" child, his literary career did begin after one boating trip, when he told a story to a young girl named, Alice Liddell, and she begged him to write it down. This story, was, of course, Alice in Wonderland. 

Lewis Carroll was an eccentric, shy and yet, an interesting man. He was sociable, he was also precise, conservative, hardworking, and yet, rigid and highly creative. A man of contradiction and contrasts. He was ordained as a deacon but he rejected ever became an ordained minister. He seemed to view himself as being a "sinner" and he saw mathematics as a way to block "unholy thoughts, which torture with their hateful presence, the fancy that would fain be pure". Carroll once wrote, "I am fond of children (except boys)." His photography of various young girls, however, raises eyebrows today. Carroll never married but left us his wonderful works of literature to pore over and enjoy. And yet to wonder.

"Alice Pleasance Liddell as a beggar girl."

Beatrice Sheward Hatch was one of a few children that Lewis Carroll photographed nude. These paintings are based on those photographs.

Nazi Germany and Yoga

Research by the German author, Mathias Tietke, presented in his book, Yoga in National Socialism, outlines how Germany had already developed a German interpretation of yoga, through the lens of philosophers like Schopenhauer and Nietzsche and Theosophists like Helena Blavatzky, before the Nazis came to power.

Then along came Jakob Wilhelm Hauer, founder of the German Faith Movement, During the Third Reich, who was a member of various National Socialist organisations, including the SS and the NSDAP [1]. Hauer was a yoga expert and he recommended a particular Aryan form of yoga, as part of "the healing path" for the Nazi military.

The fourth chapter of the Bhagavad Gita was the main source of fascination, not only for Hauer but for Heinrich Himmler; the Reich Leader (Reichsführer) of the SS. He carried the Gita about with him from 1941 and saw the Gita as being a "sacred" book. Himmler identified himself and the SS with the old Indian Kshatriya caste and its attitude of warrior-like killing for a "higher purpose".” Himmler and Hauser and other members of the Third Reich also saw their purpose, not only as part of a fighting machine but one that also had a higher spiritual purpose. 

 

The Kshatriya caste of Hindu society saw themselves as sitting at the pinnacle of the four Hindu social orders, operating in society as the ruling and military elite. This concept matched the way that the Nazis viewed themselves. The Nazis also saw themselves as descendants of the "Aryans" — the original Indo-Europeans. 

The delusions of humanity never cease to amaze. 

 

Hauer, in his 1939 book, Aryan Warrior God, presented the Vedic god Indra as a role model for the Nazi military soldiers, being the embodiment of discipline and control of feelings, readiness to sacrifice and obedience. Interestingly, the word svastika is of Sanskrit in origin and means “conducive to well-being.” The swastika is, as we know, part of much older traditions and symbolism, having been found at the ancient Greek city of Troy, in Germanic and Viking cultures, and of course, the Indian subcontinent, as well as East Asia and Southeast Asia cultures.

Wanting To be Rich, Young and Famous is Making You Miserable

Have you noticed the film footage showing people from poor countries who are smiling and happy looking? Whilst many people who live in first world countries, appear to be depressed and claim to feel empty and pessimistic, a lot of the time, at least. Well, lots of research is indicating that something called Affluenza is mostly to blame.

Affluenza has been described by the writer and economist Richard Denniss, as “that strange desire we feel to spend money we don’t have to buy things we don’t need to impress people we don’t know”. Author and psychologist, Oliver James, describes Affluenza as a virus. You can check whether if you have Affluenza by taking various tests in James' book, which is simply called, Affluenza. You may agree with some of the following statements if you are suffering from Affluenza:

• I would like to be a very wealthy person.
• I would like to have my name known by many people.
• I would like to successfully hide the signs of ageing.
• I would like to have people comment often about how attractive I look.
• I often compare what I own with what others own.
• Shopping and thinking about what to buy greatly preoccupy me.
• I'm less concerned about what work I do than what I get for it.
• I like to keep up with fashions in hair and clothing.

TV shows like Keeping Up With The Kardashians exhibit conspicuous consumption and materialism. The Kardashian narcissism is offered up proudly. And sadly, we all see young women about town trying to make themselves into Kim Kardashian clones, even when they are blonde and blue-eyed and naturally as white as a ghost. These women gush about their thrill at buying a Kardashian brand handbag and swap ideas about how they can make their flat posterior as prominent as Kim's. These young women are stuck in a hall of mirrors, believing that true love entails getting a ring more expensive than a house and beauty involves injections and operations that turn you into the right product. Whatever happened to Oscar Wilde's words of wisdom "Be yourself; everyone else is already taken."

Affluenza is not only making us sick, but it is also harming the planet, as many of those clothes bursting from your wardrobe are made from petroleum, a finite resource. And all that stuff you buy from food to plastic toys is responsible for around 60% of global greenhouse gas emissions and between 50 to 80% of land, material, and water use. So whilst you may think that giving up on Affluenza means giving up on the good life, it is evident that it is Affluenza that may bring about the loss of the potential of a good life for us all.

Cleopatra: Talk About Inbred!

The famous Egyptian queen, Cleopatra, is renown for her romantic liaisons with Julius Caesar and Mark Antony but before this, Cleopatra married both her brothers. Even more stunning is the fact that both Cleopatra's parents were most probably brother and sister. And many of her ancestors had also married cousins and siblings in order to maintain the "purity" of their blood and to ensure that the power to rule remained in the family.

John William Waterhouse - Cleopatra

Cleopatra, who was born in about 69 BC, was the last member of the ruling dynasty, the Ptolemies, who ruled Egypt for nearly 300 years; the Ptolemies were descended from a Macedonian general who had served under Alexander the Great. Although much is said about Cleopatra's beauty, it seems that she was clever and charismatic too. She could speak many languages and she was well educated for the times.

Whilst still a teenager, Cleopatra had ruled the Egyptian kingdom jointly with her father. However, after Cleopatra's father, Ptolemy XII Auletes died in March 51 BC, Cleopatra married her brother, Ptolemy XIII, as was the custom. As her brother was only 12 years old at the time, Cleopatra acted more as a sole ruler, which led to her brother's advisers conspiring against her and forcing her out of the kingdom.

Rome at this time was the great and growing power in the world, and so, Cleopatra worked out a plan to introduce herself to the powerful Julius Caesar. Cleopatra had herself wrapped up inside a carpet and delivered to Caesar, who was about 30 years older than Cleopatra. After successfully seducing and forming an alliance with Caesar who was already married, Cleopatra then ceremonially married her younger brother, Ptolemy XIV, in order to cement her authority.

After Julius Cesar was assassinated in 44 BC, Cleopatra employed theatrical strategy again, to enable her introduction to Mark Antony. Arriving dressed as Aphrodite on a golden barge, rowed with silver oars and billowing purple sails, Antony was enchanted by Cleopatra. Of course, as was common in days of old, Mark Antony also believed himself to be the Greek god Dionysus, in human form.

Cleopatra had given birth to Julius Caesar's son, Caesarion, and later, she delivered twins by Mark Antony. There were no children from the marriages with her two brothers.

By this time, the Roman Senate was outraged by the entanglement of Mark Antony with Cleopatra and war was declared on Egypt. This led to Mark Antony committing suicide and Cleopatra famously invited an asp, a kind of poisonous snake to bite her. Thus ending her life in a way that was theatrical to the last.

Caesarion, Cleopatra's first son, was declared pharaoh of Egypt by his supporters. Soon, however, he was killed by Roman orders and Egypt became a Roman province called Aegyptus.

American Accents: Where Did They Come From?

American English accents differ though out that vast country. One of the major points of difference is related to the use of non-rhotic pronunciation. Or, in other words, the use and pronunciation of the "R" sound in words like hard or park. But before discussing the non-rhotic Boston accent and New York accents (Noo Yawk) compared to the many California rhotic accents, with their exaggerated “R” sound, we have to travel back to England and look at the origins of rhoticity in English.

English, traditionally, included the “R” sound and the early English speakers in colonial American, as well as the English Navy, mostly spoke using the hard and pronounced “R”. Back in England, however, things were changing, as the upper classes around London and the English south, began to change their speech in a way that separated them from people they perceived to be of lower status, as well as those people who lived in the north of the country and Scottish and Irish speakers.

Non-rhotic pronunciation became a sign of prestige and so it was adopted and cultivated by the upwardly mobile, the class-conscious, the cultured and educated. With the establishment of the American colonies, certain places with firm associations with England, like Boston, New York, Charleston, and Savannah, tended to adopt non-rhotic pronunciation. California, however, exhibits some very pronounced rhetoric speech styles, as Californians, mostly, clearly pronounce the “R” sound in speech.  In fact, many Californians put a lot of stress on the “R” sound in certain words, like “rrrreally!”

Wikimedia Commons

Of course, America has had a great many language influences with much diversity coming from the Dutch, Germans, Irish, West Africans and Spanish, just to name a few. Those who speak in the St. Louis dialect, for example, may pronounce the words far and for in a similar way: “what did you do that far?” Whilst in places like Chicago, Detroit, Buffalo, Rochester and Cleveland accents have undergone what may be called the “Northern Cities Vowel Shift” so that speakers tend to elongate the vowel sounds of words like pot, bit and bat. In Virginia, in the south, a drawl is characteristic and it may result in people pronouncing the word pet, as PAY-et.

Believe it or not, many non-Americans may be unaware of the diversity of accents in the USA, as many actors may speak in a standard American accent style, which is regarded as neutral. This accent is often taught in acting schools as American Theater Standard.  

Aussie Animal Giants and More

Australia is a continent known far and wide for its interesting and weird, and sometimes, lethal animal life.  Alas, animal life in the Great Southern Land used to be much more interesting and weird, as 37 million years ago, various animal giants evolved there roaming the place and even living alongside the Indigenous people for around 17,000 years.  

The fossilized remains of the Australian mega-fauna are found right across the country; such as specimens of 8-foot kangaroos with human-like faces, which weighed about a 1,000-pounds and 2-ton wombats, the size of small cars, some with babies in the mother’s pouch.  

Musee d'Histoire Naturelle, Paris/Wikipedia

Some mega-fauna still exist like the Red Kangaroo, Emu, and Estuarine Crocodile, on land, And the Blue Whale and Giant Squid in the sea. However, such examines pale in significance when the Megalodon, meaning "big tooth”, is taken into consideration. This extinct species of giant shark reached lengths of 59 feet, preying on whales, seals and giant turtles. Just take a look at the picture of a Megalodon jaw below.

Gunnar Ries Amphibol/Wikipedia

Comparing the sizes of the megalodon with the whale shark, great white shark and a human. wikipedia.org

Mega-fauna, which simply means giant animals, have been found on the other continents as well and they still exist in many places, just think of elephants, giraffes and whales.  However, a great many have been driven into extinction, helped along by humans and climate change. One such amazing extinct animal is the Argentavis magnificens (magnificent Argentine bird) which was one of the largest ever flying birds, with a wingspan of around 16.7 to 19.9 feet. Just cast your eyes at the picture below, which is the stuff of nightmares.  

National History Museum of Los Angeles/Wikipedia