Greetings to my readers. Please accompany me on this journey toward phronesis—that is, practical wisdom, driven by wide-ranging observations that aim to understand reality, embrace values, and foster prudential service to society.
As implied in this Substack’s title, “Phronesis in Pieces,” I believe the pursuit of phronesis is a lifelong, step-by-step movement. It’s been a motivation of mine, sometimes bearing fruit and sometimes not, but I learned the word not long ago. I see “phronesis” happens in pieces, which one hopes will fall into place. In today’s society, which desperately needs all the qualities of the word as described above, I fear that many efforts to build a phronetic infrastructure have crumbled into pieces; we must build safe spaces for sharing our phronesis!
Please join me, confident that this journey will bring a sense of meaning and joy, take us down many winding roads at once, and can benefit society at large, not only its pilgrims. My approach is via an endless range of brainstorms, questions, and perceptions of reality. Outbreaks of possible insight, delighted discovery, attention-deficit curiosity, and wit will occur.
You’ll see below a basic template I have developed to categorize various aspects of my approach. I will strive to make the categories channels of ideas which ultimately flow into a pool of worthy contemplation-in-action. Much of the information will come from links to digital resources for learning more.
You’ll see things I have heard and thought about, but I am not presenting these points as a journalist would; this journey does not allow time to tell whole stories or verify all data. This is a quick collection of pieces I’ve picked up. It is how my mind works, and it is how I’m pursuing contributive understanding of these complicated days. God writes straight with crooked lines. We approach knowledge through both answers and questions, both successes and errors. I’ll aim to do those things here.
Please enjoy and add to the conversation, allowing this Substack periodical to grow into whatever it should be. I hope those who join in these travels will find the grist for mills of inclusive discussion, reflection, and benefits of heart and mind.
Chewing on This – something to ponder from the media
Music is an art form, really an experience, that is immune from rational criticism. It represents something essential about life, which is full of patterns and rhythms. Whereas painting represents images, for example, great music can be said to represent essentials of life. It packs a wallop and unites people. A musical masterwork takes time to get to know, and in a sense it must be known on its own terms. From a YouTube video of Jordan Peterson and Columbia U linguist John McWhorter in conversation. Peterson offered a quote but not its origins: “All art aspires to the condition of music.”
A Question
Are all white people racist? Jordan Peterson had three answers to that in conversation with McWhorter: Yes, no, and you’re asking the wrong question. (I’m paraphrasing.)
A Phronetic Reflection
Life consists of a thousand things besides the racist component of a typical person’s life. One can assume that individuals, who are awesomely complex, might have some racist thoughts or instincts; we all have some tribalism built in, but largely not in a manner that causes direct harm in people’s lives. (This drawn from Jordan Peterson and John McWhorter discussing McWhorter’s book, Woke Racism.) There’s so much else inside a person. My thought: Every person is broken and weak in various ways. Those are the cracks through which our empathy and God’s forgiveness can enter; to identify and chastise such cracks is proper, but we should consider both fairness and frankness—the background of circumstances and destructiveness—when focusing punishment on the racism in some souls. See the rod in our own eyes before we remove the rod in another’s.
Word’s Worth – a word I heard
I begin with Phronesis. It’s something which we should include as a primary goal of life, at least if we aspire to leadership. The kind of excellence it prescribes gives a reason to pursue deep and broad truth, as well as understanding of big contexts for ourselves and others. This kind of excellence, as a mission statement, gives reason to follow God and transcendent truths, to build a relationship with Christ as the way, the truth, and the life.
That’s the Spirit – an experience of God
God places us in particular situations for our own good, which in inextricably linked to the good of others in ways we can’t fathom.
Infokeeper – something from current affairs worth pondering
Gallup finding: Roughly 20 percent of Gen Z identify as LGBT+. Roughly 10 percent of millennials. Roughly 5 percent of Gen X. Roughly 3 percent of Boomers. (By the way, sociological analyst Mark McCrindle has been credited with naming a new generation that might now be aborning—Generation Alpha.) Every succeeding generation in the US is producing significantly more people who identify as LGBTQ+. Is this happening around the world? Are these surveys taken around the world?
Just kidding – some witty thought waiting to be used
My friend said this in regard to my recent geographical move with my wife: I’ve heard of husbands who moved to be closer to their kids. You’re the first husband I’ve heard of who moved to be closer to his in-laws!
The image of community used above is found at the Clip Safari collection of Creative Commons designs.