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July 2, 2003
What "is" is
"Depends on what is ... is" is one of the most intellectual cliches
in use today. I'm not surprised to hear it pretty regularly, considering it's origin.
The irony of the statement is in how it's used now. Whenever I've heard it, it's implication is something to the effect of: we all know what is--how things are--, but slimey lawyers can fiddle with definitions to get their way.
So there's the rub. I've found more and more recently, that what I thought "is", really "wasn't".
A couple of examples. The radio was tuned to Mr. Limbaugh on my way to lunch, as he was talking about the world of superstars. Many, if not most, people believe that they would be better off being a superstar. Their life looks so fun and exciting. Rush was pointing out that that's exactly what the stars want us to think, because that's what makes them money. But it's a carefully crafted mirage, even to their supposedly enjoying it.
Watching Walking with Cavemen, I realized that no matter how ludicrous some of the statements and assumptions are (and how many have been disproven over time), and how much they defy common sense (which is it's own conundrum of "is"), the theories are presented as unquestionable fact, because of what "is".
In a way, asking what "is" is is one of the more important questions we would be better off asking ourselves more regularly. And not just when we're trying to weasle out of something we shouldn't have done.
Posted by pete at July 2, 2003 11:35 PM