Blog 246 – 03.09.2016

One of my favorite movies is titled Legends Of The Fall and has a terrific ensemble cast, great story, and beautiful scenery. In the beginning of the movie an old Native American, One Stab, is telling the story of the main character Tristan and says, “Some people listen to their own inner voices. Such people are legend…crazy.” It is, I think a great movie and I recommend it.

Many of you, I think, are familiar with a certain “legend of the fall” the story says that because the first man and woman broke a rule and ate the fruit of a forbidden tree that all of creation was ruined, tainted and that we by virtue of our first parents disobedience are fallen creatures. In my opinion that is simple a crock of horse feathers. This supposed fallen race has produced some shining stars yes and several not so shining stars. Most of what we think we know of celebrities is legend, carefully manipulated stories mostly composed after the fact to support a particular view.

I love a good story as much as the next guy or gal. But for a story to sound plausible in must have a ring of truth to it. I have often remarked that novels or made up stories have more truth in them than history or so called “true stories.” Four of our American Presidents have their faces carved on Mount Rushmore and just down the road from there Native Americans are sculpting a tribute to Chief Crazy Horse which will when finished dwarf Mount Rushmore and be visible from the highway. I was a young man when I first read Bury My Heart At Wounded Knee, a Native American version of the history of European expansion across America. We have in my opinion trampled a lot of people in our effort to accomplish what many believe was our Manifest Destiny. I am sure many Empires thought the same things about Progess, and Buliding a Better World.

One of my favorite quotes says, “Most of our problems are caused by our solutions.” Many of our medical problems are caused by the “magic pills” marketed by the Media and recommended and prescribed by doctors all paid to do so. And indeed often more problems are caused by these pills than real help rendered.

Back to this legend of the fall business. Stories are always told to make a point, sell a product, promote a religious or political view. As I said I love a good story. I only caution as any writer of a good story would who is aiming to ring your bell, listen carefully for that ring of truth.

Your friend and fellow traveler,
David White