“The world can be charged without “the grandeur of God” and without the need for our specific contributions. I see Theroux as seeing that…on his belly in thankfulness…with as much authenticity as Beckett. As blessedly alone.”
– An acquaintance who has a recurrent dream of riding the rails with Paul Theroux

“The population of Malawi 40 years ago was small and sustainable. None of us Peace Corps volunteers there at that time thought in terms of rescuing the country but only of helping to improve it. Now Malawi can’t feed itself; it’s one of the many countries that people wish to flee, renowned for being hopeless, unustly publicized as an enormous orphanage of desperate tots, needing to be saved, devoid of pride, lost without us. The notion that a pop singer (back then it would have been Elvis) would breeze through and scoop up a child in a condescending gesture of rescue was unthinkable then.” — Paul Theroux

“Most reviewers of Theroux’s work –even many who praise him excessively– seem to me to not have actually read his words in full, with careful attention. He is, arguably, the most underappreciated highly popular author in history. His New Year’s words on overpopulation should shake up all reformers to their souls, but they won’t…they won’t see that no more solitude, no more civility midst the crowds…with increased blindness, pettiness and arrogance guarantees our demise.” — The author’s neighbor

More people. More problems. More attempts to do good. More need to be singled out as important. More distance from both The Land and The Mystery.

Rare that I would ask readers to run through something from commondreams.org, BUT Paul Theroux’s 2007 year-end op-ed piece, originally published in the International Herald Tribune (and posted in http://www.commondreams.org/views06/0102-63.htm by the impotently fulminating folks at that middle-of-the road monstrosity) should be digested at this juncture.

I think you’ll come away with a better understanding of…much, including –indirectly– insight into why leftist instigators continue to beat their heads against the wall, attempt to plant what Theroux would possibly call “decayed and probably moribund” seeds in infertile ground.

The problem? Nothing will sprout from engaged writers grinding out what they do in an attempt to marry personal ego needs with the plight of the impoverished. People writing, lecturing, etc. on behalf of various noble causes are doing more harm than good.

One of my first thoughts upon putting down the Theroux op-ed was “Ah, hah…the increased worldwide and local populations do indeed influence all the would-be Tom Paines. More specifically, their tommy gunning/shot gunning the opposition/our ills is too often derived from the felt-necessity to be Big Person in The Neighborhood, The Territory.

These truly little fish, however (however little the pond in which they play Big), are drowning in those waters, and downing us all in the process, not unlike the do-gooders in Michael Maren’s THE ROAD TO HELL and Theroux’s DARK STAR SAFARI.

There are exceptions, of course, but the rule is not recognized. Hardly at all.

And when style of writing is not a big consideration with leftist writers –which it rarely is– the morose mantra of activists drains, and rains and pours on us till there’s mildew enough for all of our brains.

Everyone can’t be as close to PT as me –we both have Marcel marvels as sons, for one– but we can all travel Theroux to some degree…through this earthly conundrum.

What to do…aside from having something to do with the greatest travel writer of –at least– the last century? Why, ignore the dishonest blamers, the inexperienced, safe-living fools, the self-appointed agents of virtue, and go down on your knees, nay your belly…in thankfulness and truly pained wonder.

Instead of getting crossed by the likes of Red Cross Thunder (Syndrome), cross over…somewhere. Sparing us the rude awakenings and sleep-inducing rants.

Richard Oxman, rmoxman@yahoo.com, as usual, is primarily addressing those who fancy themselves leftists of a sort. He’d love readers to review www.marcelsgeo.blogspot.com, particularly what Marcel suggests about The Future in his profile there…in light of Theroux’s words here, this article. The year-end op-ed piece, again, is essential.