My eldest daughter, pregnant with my first grandchild, is coming to visit this week. She is almost finished getting her Ph.D. in Neuroscience so I thought I would do a few drawings about science this week in honor of her.
Late to the Party
I never had a huge interest in science growing up. But the 20 year influence of my ex-father in law, who was an engineer and had a huge knowledge of many scientific principles and Rebekah starting in on her studies of the brain, I found myself reading more and more books and articles on science over the years.
Leaving the Other Party
It coincided with a great dissatisfaction and frustration with religious stubbornness about science. Evolution, cosmology, climatology, biology, neurology…you name it and it seemed that religion was dragging it’s intellectual heels in accepting what was being learned about life and the universe. The fear that the discoveries of science could steal away power or faith or something else seemed to lead to a desperation of denial that I have found to be unacceptable for me to condone.
When Comfort Leads the Way
I have figured out a bit of the reason why that is. It seems to me that it is due to comfort being more important than truth. You might think it is the opposite, since religion often stands on ‘truth’ as a pillar of the faith. There is talk of sacrifice and bowing the the will of God and all sorts of other supposedly uncomfortable efforts we are told need to be made to get in line with God and his truth. But the truth is that truth is not really pursued. What is pursued is comfort (which can also be seen as peace and happiness). I am not talking about material comfort per se, though that is a big part of American life so is pursued by religious believers just as it is by non-believers. I am talking about comfort of intellect. The religious believer is more concerned with the assurance of happiness and peace than truth. It might not be happiness and peace in this life, but it is critical to believe so one can have peace and happiness in eternal life. Whether or not the theological construct they have believed makes any rational sense, is true, is not nearly as important as if it is just believable enough to allow for a feeling of peace and happiness. In other words, comfort.
When Truth Leads the Way
Here is my feeling about it. Science, in all its messy and human pursuit of truth, actually gives me a much more genuine feeling of peace and happiness than theology does. It does so because I trust it. I don’t mean I trust any one scientific discovery. I mean I trust the process of truth seeking that comes with science. I believe it is moving towards truth and won’t be stopped. Religion and theology meanwhile already has been stopped. It has it’s definitions and it isn’t interested in having those changed. I can’t trust a process that is stopped like that.
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Science Trivia Question of the Day
The fixed point on which a lever moves is called:
Fulcrum
Anchor
Pivot
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Drawing and commentary by Marty Coleman
Quote is by Marty Coleman, adapted from one by Le Bon
Before I met the two Goddesses I talked about in part 1, I visited the home of 2 of my heroes. I met them at the Truman library in Independence, Missouri, just east of Kansas City. Truman is obviously one of the men I am talking about.
Harry S. Truman Library and Museum
The other of my heroes is Thomas Hart Benton, the artist. You may have read about him in my ongoing ‘Artists I Love’ series I have been doing the past few winters. He has one of his large murals in the lobby of the Truman Library.
‘Independence and the Opening of the American West’
The Buck Stops Here
One of the most famous sayings in Presidential history is from Truman. ‘The Buck Stops Here’ was his motto and has been restated by virtually every president since. He actually had the saying on his desk, and you can see it right as you enter the museum. Much of the museum is dedicated to the many decisions only Truman, as President, had the power to make.
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WAR
Bomb and Peace
Truman’s most controversial decision of his Presidency was one of his first. He chose to drop the Atomic Bomb on Japan. It led to their surrender but the decision was never unanimous within his inner circle nor among the military. It still is debated today.
One of the things I most admired in the Truman Museum was they did not shy away from bringing this controversy out in the open. they had a whole section dedicated to the arguments pro and con about the decision and allowed visitors to voice their opinion as well.
Here is a book visitors could write in giving their opinion and here is mine, in a drawing.
My opinion has always been that it wasn’t the dropping of the bomb that was the problem, it was dropping it on a population. I think that if they had dropped it 5 miles off the coast of Tokyo, the Japanese, who already were trying to figure out how to sue for peace and still save face, would have seen what was coming and surrendered pretty much along the same time table they did after the bombs dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki.
A History of War
Off in the corner of the downstairs are of the museum there are two examples of war. The first, in the background, is a 5,000 year old helmet from a Greek warrior. In the foreground is a small reproduction of the sculpture commemorating the raising of the American flag on the island of Iwo Jima towards the end of WWII. It’s a cruel testament to how incessant war is for us humans.
Plenty and Plenty of Nothing
But often out of the worst of events great efforts can arise. While we in the US were starting to come out of the trauma of war, Europe was not. Truman’s Marshall Plan was our initiative to help Europe make it’s way back.
While Secretary of State Marshall’s name and face was front and center in the plan to help all of Europe back on it’s feet, it really was Truman’s initiative. He knew however that due to his own political baggage a plan with his name on it would not have the universal support it needed to succeed. Marshall, the leader of the overall US War effort was one of the most popular men in the country and he was able to lead the project to fruition.
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Civil Rights
A number of Benton’s paintings were on display at the museum in a temporary exhibition titled ‘Truman and Benton: Legends of the Missouri Border’ that documented the interrelationship between the two over the course of their lives.
The Negro Soldier
During the middle of WWII Benton painted this painting. It was pretty controversial at the time. It depicted an American soldier, but it was a ‘Negro’ soldier, not something white America was used to seeing or celebrating. His choice to depict an African-American was his way of forcing people to see the black person as equal in war. Not long after the war was over Truman, in spite of a typical Missouri upbringing of his era that was rooted in the racism of slavery and segregation, signed an executive order desegregating the US Armed forces. It was met with much resistance in the south, breaking apart the Democratic party at the time, but very likely helped Truman win the 1948 election due to increased support in the north and west.
One of the reasons I like Truman is that, while by today’s standards he wouldn’t be considered enlightened on race, he certainly grew and moved beyond his own upbringing to move the country forward into racial equality as best he could at the time.
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Communism
Communism and Korea
When North Korea invaded South Korea in 1950, the cold war got hot. The policy of containment of communism had been fleshed out by the US and allies and it included not allowing the USSR or China to push into any areas they weren’t already occupying. The amount of fear that pervaded the US at that time regarding communism is hard for most of us to understand now but it was real. Some fears were valid but much was due to ranting demagogues like Sen. McCarthy and high pitched propaganda as seen below.
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Later
While the President and the Painter did not enjoy a friendship early on in their careers, they did become friends during the painting of the mural. Benton did a painting of Truman later in his life.
The Old President
Benton’s Tools
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The museum was well worth the trip to Independence. If you are anywhere near Kansas City I highly recommend it.
You are finally finished with your 5 day dosage of ‘Take Your Medicine!’ week.
Trauma
Last summer we watched ‘New York Med’. It followed doctors, nurses, & patients at 3-4 hospitals as they go through various aspects of their lives and medical procedures. I remember one of the Drs. saying that the number one indicator for a successful recovery was the love and support the patient had from family and friends. With no support there was a lower chance of the patient having the physical and mental courage, determination and attitude needed to recover well. People can do it, but support made it much easier.
Drama
Years and years ago a friend of mine had her husband in the hospital for an extended stay. She would visit once or twice a day, but not stay long at all. When I asked why not she said she couldn’t do anything for him so why stay. I asked if just being there helped him? She said she was there twice a day many days and that was enough. I remember having the feeling he was going to have a long recovery.
Karma
However, most of our friends and family aren’t in the hospital, right? But many of them still are hurting or afraid or doubting about something in life. Maybe it’s a break up, a big life transition or something unexpected and frightening happening. Why should our response be any different? It shouldn’t.
We should give physical and verbal support. We should pat them on the back, hug them and kiss them. We should whisper, say and yell if I have to, that we believe in them and that they can make it through whatever the hard thing is they are in the middle of.
And most of all we should do what we can to help them make it happen. but it all starts with just being there.
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Drawing, quote and commentary by Marty Coleman, who was the beneficiary of great support in the hospital and is still grateful 40 years later.
I have often times in my life had a twitch or some other ailment that just won’t go away. I then, finally, go to the Dr. to see if it’s eyelid cancer or just a twitch. So, the medicine man (or woman) looks me in the eye and says, ‘It’s just a twitch.’ There isn’t anything for them to do about it so they just send me on my way. They did nothing to help stop the twitching at all and yet, the twitching is gone by the time I get to the car. What’s that all about?
Maybe it was the doctor mollifying me, or entertaining me with an intellectual explanation, or distracting me like a person getting scared when they have the hiccups. Whatever the reason, their technique often works. No medicine, but a healing technique nonetheless, right?
Has this happened to you? You know, where you go from Dr. to Dr. and nothing helps, then it just ups and heals itself out of the blue? It’s such a mystery when that happens, isn’t it. But I have to admit I like it!
Question: Where did the saying, ‘Fit as a Fiddle’come from?
Answer: It first appeared in 1616 in ‘Englishmen for My Money’ by William Haughton, “This is excellent, i’faith; as fit as a fiddle” Fit meant appropriate, as in fitting or proper, as a fiddle fits perfectly with a fiddler’s pose. It did not originally refer to one’s fitness, that came much later.
It’s about time day #3 of Medicine Week showed up!
Redeeming Reasons
Why do we want to be healthy and live a long life? It seems pretty obvious, right? I mean, who doesn’t want both those things. But have you ever really stopped to ask yourself what you are doing with the health and years you have? Are you redeeming them for something or are they both just for their own sake?
Layers of Reasons
I understand health for it’s own sake. After all, being healthy feels better than not. Being fit feels better than not. We don’t really have to defend our desire to be healthy beyond that, do we. It’s its own reason. But is it the only reason? Is it the ultimate reason?
I remember when I got divorced and started going to the gym to get back in shape. I looked around and wondered, what are all these people going to be doing with all this fitness they have? Then of course I had to turn the question back to myself. What was I going to do with it all? Obviously I was getting in shape to be more attractive to the opposite sex, since I planned on dating.
My Ultimate Reason
But besides getting a mate, I thought farther down the line, what other reasons were there? I wanted to be in shape for that mate into the future, for my kids into the future so I could travel to visit and support them, so I could teach people, so I could help others, so I could be of service to whomever would need something from me, so I could enjoy life and sha
So ultimately, for me, it then and now comes down to one essential thing. I want to be in good health so I can love the best I can. That is the whole of it. That’s why I want to live a long life as well.
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Drawing, quote and commentary by Marty Coleman, who is fit as a fiddle. But how fit is a fiddle anyway?
There is no cure for it being day #2 of ‘Take Your Medicine!’ week.
Can vs Can’t
People spend a lot of money, time, effort, emotion, worry on trying to change things that can’t be changed. But it is also true that many people settle for things always staying the same when they could change if they just put out the effort. I have seen it in a friend who stayed in an abusive relationship saying ‘There is nothing I can do about it.’ What she really said was ‘I am afraid to make the move (take the pill in medical terms) that will be the cure.’
Can vs Shouldn’t
But there are also situations where people want a cure for something that isn’t really a problem. If the treatment is no big deal, teeth whitening for teeth that are already pretty white, for example, then no harm, no foul. But what about a treatment that could be dangerous, to ‘cure’ something that is more based in a self-misperception or a greedy sales pitch, than it is in reality?
I have seen it in a friend who had a face lift while still very young with no visually significant signs of aging. But they were convinced that because they didn’t look like they did at 25 they need to get the procedure done. I thought the natural aging process should be ‘endured’ in that case, because the ‘cure’ didn’t seem to really be a cure and the ‘disease’ didn’t seem to really be a disease. The dangers however seemed just as significant as if the disease was life-threatening.
Can vs Won’t
And then there are those who could be cured if they actually would go to the doctor. Many people die every year because they refuse to go to a doctor. When they finally get sick and do go, it’s found they have a stage 4 colon cancer that could have been treated if found in time. Instead they die.
I had a physical 7 years ago and kept putting off getting another one because I felt healthy. My wife Linda’s mother died of colon cancer and Linda went to get a colonoscopy shortly thereafter. I didn’t. Finally, this past year I did get a full physical. And luckily no cancer, no heart problems, no signs of anything negative as of now. But why did I wait 7 years? I don’t know, but it was stupid.
Can vs Never Will
And we are left with those for who there truly is no cure. I am not saying there might not be a cure, but it is not likely to happen in their lifetime and they will go to meet their maker with the issue they have. It will never be taken away from them.
We watched the Bachelor TV show this past season and one of the most compelling stories for me was of one of the contestants, Sarah Herron. She was born with only half of her left arm. She will never grow an arm.
Sarah Herron from The Bachelor – 2013
More than Endure
A future Sarah, in 10 or 100 years, might be able to, but this Sarah will live all, or at least most, of her life just as she is, with half an arm. She tried a prothesis for a while as a child but didn’t like it and instead just got adept at using her half arm to do what most people do with a full one. It was obvious from watching her that she is willing and able to do most anything, even compete in a Roller Derby match.
This is true of many others who are not going to be cured of whatever it is that has befallen them. Some do endure, but many do much more than just endure. They prosper in the face of pretty daunting barriers. They have more than a small mark to complain about, they have big issues that will never go away and yet they overcome, they endure and the prosper. If they can, then you can, whatever your issue.
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Drawing and commentary by Marty Coleman, who is never going to be without burn scars on much of his body, and is not just fine with it, but happy to have them.
Quote by Robert Burton, 1577-1640, British scholar, author of ‘The Anatomy of Melencholy’, which might explain why he would write the quote.
A kid won’t usually say being sick sucks. they more often will say it’s no fun. Why is it no fun? Because they are used to having fun and aren’t now. They have something to compare it to. What about us adults? If you don’t have fun in your life, then being sick isn’t that different than not being sick.
Copping an Attitude
Obviously, it’s not easy to have fun when you are sick or taking serious medicine. Even the most fun people can get way down due to an illness. But they don’t stay down for long. Even in the hospital they will find a way to have fun, maybe by being sassy with the nurses or cracking some jokes with their grandkids. But at the root they do so by realizing the fun is in the attitude, even in the midst of the sickness. And guess what? It’s pretty well proven that that attitude in turn actually helps the person get healthier. But if you can’t have fun when you are healthy, you certainly won’t be able to when you are sick.
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Drawing, quote and commentary by Marty Coleman
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Answer to yesterday’s photo question:
Yesterday I posted about speaking at Social Media Tulsa and included 2 photos, one a camera phone pic, the other a DSLR photo and asked which one was which. Here are the two photos and the answer.
The top photograph was taken with my iPhone, the bottom with my Panasonic G1 camera. I did the same minimal manipulation on both. The iPhone image I converted to sepia and slightly adjusted the brightness and contrast using the Photoshop Express App in the phone. It took about 2 minutes to take, process and post. The G1 image I did the exact same thing, but did it on my Mac Pro desktop after downloading from my camera.
Here is the video from ‘The List’ TV show that aired recently. Thanks again to Shack Shackleford and Erin Christy of ‘The List’ for coming all the way out to my studio to tape the interview!
It highlights my involvement with Social Media Tulsa Conference this week. If you haven’t made plans to go, you should!
I am speaking this week at the Social Media Tulsa Conference. A link to the conference website is below and you are invited to attend. My topic is ‘The Compelling Image in the Age of Social Media’. This week I am drawing some images that will introduce various areas I want to cover.
What Compels You?
This one applies whether you are posting your photo to social media sites or not. It’s about focusing less on documenting the dry look of what happens and focusing more on capturing the compelling feeling of what happens.
Look for the Feeling
This can happen in one of 2 ways. You can choose to focus on something that, in it’s very look, visualizes a feeling. The drawing above is an example of that. The bloody foot and sock after an ultra marathon tell more about the feeling of the event than does a simple photo of the participant raising a medal with a smiling face. Obviously, there is nothing wrong with photographing that smiling face, but if you REALLY want to express the feeling, you might consider looking at what conveys that feeling. Is it the sweat on the brow, the person pouring water over their head, maybe the bloody sock? Investigate how the feeling is visualized in the moment and capture it.
Create the Feeling
The other way it can happen is by the technique you use to take the photograph. I once took a series of photos at one of my daughters’ birthday party. We had a pinata set up and I took a number of photos of the kids at the party swinging at it. In most of the photos my flash worked as you would expect, it froze the action. But in a few I purposely set the exposure of the camera much longer, so the flash went off but there was a trail of action that was in the photo as well. Those were the images that gave the feeling of the girls having fun, swinging at a pinata. The feeling was in the action, not just in the frozen moment. Learn what techniques you have available to you to help get across the feeling.
Social Media Tulsa Conference
The conference is Thurs/Fri, March 21st & 22nd at the Mayo Hotel in beautiful downtown Tulsa. You can still register to attend, here is the link to the Social Media Tulsa website with the agenda, schedule, speakers, etc.
My presentation is Thursday, 3/21 at 3:30 in the Penthouse of the Mayo Hotel. It is going to be a combination of speaking and hands on workshop. If weather permits we will be going out onto the roof of the Mayo to take photos so bring your camera phone if not a bigger camera!
