My late husband (18 years older than me), who escaped from a Soviet labor camp at age 19 with gangrenous legs from a coal-mine cave in, had the diametrically opposite view about prayer and survival to that of DEEP SURVIVAL. He observed that people who prayed for God to save them felt helpless to save themselves and gave up the struggle when God’s help failed to materialize. (I would quote what he wrote about it in his book—titled, believe it or not, DONBAS, back in 1968—but am traveling and don’t have a copy of it with me.) it’s interesting that he was not exactly an atheist. Underneath cynical statements like “God? God is on vacation in Miami,” he had a sort of surreptitious relationship with God. He may have suspected that God played favorites, had equipped him to survive while he had to bury the frozen bodies of friends when the earth thawed in spring. He had a lot of survivor guilt.
I'm very interested in the nuances of this--maybe there's a very certain kind of attitude that's helpful. Not a total rejection of God, but a "he helps those who helps himself" kind of outlook. Or just a sort of grim respect for the caprices of circumstance.
That sounds like a very hard thing to carry. I'm glad he made it out
Don't worry about some "real" article. You are the genuine article. That's what interests folk , anyway, guts, talent and lots of skin in this idiot game we are living..
2) Wow, thank you for your service. I am in love with BBG and spend as much time as I can there. Have not yet seen the cherry blossoms, and can't wait to rectify it
Thanks! I recommended you -- had to create a Substack account to do so, which is...fine.
BBG was a sweet gig; three days a week, shit salary, 90-minute commute on the subway from Queens, but great city worker bennies and...BBG! Cherry Watch is waiting: https://www.bbg.org/collections/cherries
Terrific stuff, as always. And of course agree with most particularly doing away with college requirements for so many jobs. Come visit and I'll tell you about my modest role in dropping college requirement for Social Workers when I was HR Manager for our State Welfare Department. And that was way back in the 1970s. Not easy- those with an MSW were not happy, but it worked.
Hey, Laura, just wanted to give a belated thank-you for your response. Great to hear from you and your thoughts on Substack. Subscribed and recommended.
My late husband (18 years older than me), who escaped from a Soviet labor camp at age 19 with gangrenous legs from a coal-mine cave in, had the diametrically opposite view about prayer and survival to that of DEEP SURVIVAL. He observed that people who prayed for God to save them felt helpless to save themselves and gave up the struggle when God’s help failed to materialize. (I would quote what he wrote about it in his book—titled, believe it or not, DONBAS, back in 1968—but am traveling and don’t have a copy of it with me.) it’s interesting that he was not exactly an atheist. Underneath cynical statements like “God? God is on vacation in Miami,” he had a sort of surreptitious relationship with God. He may have suspected that God played favorites, had equipped him to survive while he had to bury the frozen bodies of friends when the earth thawed in spring. He had a lot of survivor guilt.
I'm very interested in the nuances of this--maybe there's a very certain kind of attitude that's helpful. Not a total rejection of God, but a "he helps those who helps himself" kind of outlook. Or just a sort of grim respect for the caprices of circumstance.
That sounds like a very hard thing to carry. I'm glad he made it out
Don't worry about some "real" article. You are the genuine article. That's what interests folk , anyway, guts, talent and lots of skin in this idiot game we are living..
Link to ask Substack to feature your stuff is broken?
OMFG of COURSE I would break that link of all links
I've fixed it on the website version and also here's the link for real: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScs-yyToUvWUXIUuIfxz17dmZfzpNp5g7Gw7JUgzbFEhSxsvw/viewform
Thanks, Laura, this was interesting and fun! Reactions:
1. This link is broken for me: (...ask Substack to feature this newsletter...)
2. I ran BBG's web site from 1998-2000, during which I invented the Cherry Watch. You're welcome.
3. Envious of anyone hearing "Wooly Bully" for the first time in 2023. Watch it now! Watch! Watch!
Hello!
1) God DAMN it, how did I break that link of all links: i've fixed it on the website version and here's the actual link in this comment as well: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScs-yyToUvWUXIUuIfxz17dmZfzpNp5g7Gw7JUgzbFEhSxsvw/viewform
2) Wow, thank you for your service. I am in love with BBG and spend as much time as I can there. Have not yet seen the cherry blossoms, and can't wait to rectify it
3) Extremely rad!
Thanks! I recommended you -- had to create a Substack account to do so, which is...fine.
BBG was a sweet gig; three days a week, shit salary, 90-minute commute on the subway from Queens, but great city worker bennies and...BBG! Cherry Watch is waiting: https://www.bbg.org/collections/cherries
Terrific stuff, as always. And of course agree with most particularly doing away with college requirements for so many jobs. Come visit and I'll tell you about my modest role in dropping college requirement for Social Workers when I was HR Manager for our State Welfare Department. And that was way back in the 1970s. Not easy- those with an MSW were not happy, but it worked.
Chip in VT
Hey, Laura, just wanted to give a belated thank-you for your response. Great to hear from you and your thoughts on Substack. Subscribed and recommended.