From the madness of the final days of courses to the shift towards travel and pause of the summer days, moments of time shape and shift even as I try to hold them—wanting the possibilities of summer expansion to always be anticipated—not past. I hear the echo of Gatsby’s ever-receding green light—the human reaching towards that never seems quite satisfied with fulfillment.
But contemplation is one of summer’s gifts—and I have been thinking strongly about the challenges in human communications and how we negotiate differences in opinions, beliefs, world-views. The Salon conversations explore these dynamics and test out clashing perspectives—and how these can be used—if thoughtfully & respectfully held. I found this article by Benjamin Mathes useful to continue thinking about difference and engaging disagreements.
The literature we study—some subtlety, other works more directly, such as transgressive fictions by Nabokov & Smart—exposes boundaries and limits of behavior that we may not even be aware we maintain. The poem, ‘Kindness’, by Naomi Shihab Nye offers another approach to loss or challenge in relationships.
You will find details below on the coming works being offered in the Salon. Some studies are at or near capacity so please register soon so you can plunge into the readings.
—Toby
