My Own Private Confessional

2004-05-27 - 5:06 p.m.

So, I'm reading "The Challenge of our Time", a radio broadcast spoken and transcribed by E.M. Forster in Two Cheers for Democracy...

"[Economic planners] assure us that the new economy will evolve an appropriate morality, and that when all people are properly fed and housed, they will have an outlook which will be right, because they are the people. I cannot swallow that. I have no mystic faith in the people. I have in the individual. He seems to me a divine achievement and I mistrust any view which belittles him. If anyone calls you a wretched little individual - and I've been called that - don't you take it lying down. You are important because everyone else is an individual too - including the person who criticises you. In asserting your personality you are playing for your side."

I read that, and set the book down next to me, and muttered something like, "Exactly."

Then, possessed by...I don't know, I guess a bout of love and admiration not just for EM Forster but for everyone, for all of us individuals who are - really - miraculous, I looked heavenward, and said:

"Thank you, E.M. Forster. For being so wonderful, and for being an individual. If you're up there, I hope you can see some good down hear and I hope that you are loved."

Then, before I could bask in any sort of self-satisfaction, I noticed where I was.

Now, I'm not really one to worry about what ghosts or angels or whatever see...if my "guardian angel" wants to watch me masturbate repeatedly to really, really bad porn, that's the angel's issue, not mine.

But I am a little flustered at the thought that I just sent a prayer to my favourite author while I was sitting on the toilet.

Cheers,

The Magus

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