THE BOTTOM LINE **************************************** Our problems were thrust on us by others. We reject their solutions on our own. * Only the rotten succeed in a corrupt environment. * The greater the political control of schools, libraries, newspapers, community centers and churches, the greater the number of yes-men and dupes. * The challenge is to speak of serious things without taking oneself seriously; to be critical of others and even more critical of ourselves. * In a totalitarian environment to say your ambition is to succeed as a writer is like saying as a virgin it is your ambition to be a bordello madam. * When wolves are in charge, sheep will be useful only as lunch. # ORWELL SPEAKS ******************************** In one of his essays George Orwell speaks of “the corrosive digestive juices of the British imperial leviathan.” You may now have a better understanding of the depths of our own degradation. * Elsewhere he speaks of “the smelly little orthodoxies contending for our souls.” # FROM MY NOTEBOOKS ****************************************** There is an old saying: “When you’re down, the only way is up.” Like all rules this one too has its exceptions: Armenians. * The Greek jury that condemned Socrates to death; the men who crucified Christ; the solitary Hindu who assassinated Gandhi: they all shared one thing in common: they were brainwashed to believe the gods, truth, and historic necessity were on their side. * If you brainwash children to believe in the myth of the Holy Trinity, they will be inclined to believe in many other trinities like liberté, fraternité, egalité; thesis, anti-thesis, synthesis; Marx, Engels, Lenin… * A nation that hates together stays together. * Judge a tree by its fruit and a propaganda line by the number of its victims. * I quote to enhance my credibility. What the hell does an Armenian scribbler know? An odar author, that’s different. Prof. Hamalian on Zarian, after reading my translations: “He writes like one of my bright students.” * Academics: they all proceed from the assumption that they know better. Question: With over a thousand Armenian academics in America alone, why is it that our collective existence is in such a mess? # I COULD BE WRONG *************************************** Certainties are the source of all evil. But I could be wrong… * Has anyone ever said I could be wrong but let’s divide the community anyway? Or, I could be wrong but let’s go to war … * To some a belief system is nothing but a source of income and power. * Where there are idols there are idol-makers. Where there are dupes there are deceivers. I think it was Luther who said: “The God of Christians (meaning Catholics) is an idol.” * What is patriotism? In theory, love of God and Country. In practice, to brainwash children and manipulate adults. * We should teach our children to say “I could be wrong.” * Socrates was condemned to death because he spoke in defense of doubt and uncertainty. “Of the gods,” said he, “we know nothing!” #