The Contrast

Journal Entry: 1-13-2012

There will always be the contrast between living in fast-paced, cultured, sophisticated, urbane places like New York or Paris versus residing on a farm near Pine River, Minnesota, or raising a family in Sauk Centre, or residing and making a living in Burnsville.

Each location is beautiful, fulfilling and exciting in one way, and ugly, boring and  insipid in another way. The self-realizer, the maverizer, separating himself from the group, makes his artistic and intellectual mark where ever he lives or works. The setting is almost irrelevant. If there are contiguous others like him working hard and imaginatively to improve themselves, high civilization and deep thinking and noble living will unfold anywhere. Why cannot the tavern in Pine River serve as a redneck salon?

Developed, seminal people make the place what it is more than vice versa. A place of high culture will be made better by the presence of active maverizers. A place of rather uncultured farmers and laborers can begin to catch up or even roar past the salons of Paris.