You Can’t Put the Lime in the Coconut: A Political Recipe of Non-Cosmic Proportions
Posted: Wednesday, January 19, 2011
by Bing Limousin
DreamHill Farms
Usually around this first part of the year, I hanker to write something that skews toward a more political nature. I do it early to get it off my plate because it usually takes a few months for folks to stop being mad at me.
By the early warmth of those blessed spring days, most folks have forgiven me, or forgotten about it, or a bit of both- Some folks can’t do either, and I understand-it is just the nature of such things.
John Lennon never wrote these lines;
Imagine there’s no Politics
I wonder if You Could
No Need for Special Interest
No one is Bad or Good
The nice thing about writing a song is you can imagine, even dream, about things that you want to wish for, but sort of know will never be.
There are too few truths we can claim in this world-for Politics there are only three that I can comprehend:
First, that whatever exists in politics, folks are compelled to be influenced by polarity-they will always scurry to one of two opposite corners of a defined space; if they look around and feel comfortable with the personalities standing next to them, for both sides, they have found a home.
Second, those two opposites will never, never agree because it is in their nature to be opposites.
And third, unless you understand that there is something inherently fixed about these opposites-which can never be altered by human fate- you will ultimately go nuts.
Life is for living, or so they say, so why waste valuable time engaged in futility? Well, for some it is not futile at all. If you are an Institutionalist, it is as real as the air you breathe; if you are an Individualist it is as alien as planting potatoes on the moon.
See, the ‘why’ regarding the nature of politics is linked to how people are oriented. They are oriented generally toward either one of two camps-neither to be better or worse than the other, just different. One camp stresses individual security toward an institutional orientation, the other, an individual’s security lies away from institutions. It is whether an individual perceives strength in institutional associations, or weakness.
If you ever get bored at a party, and don’t care what anyone thinks about you, you may want to liven things up, and shout, “Politics are really not important!” Just stand back and wait for the sparks to fly.
To me… Politics are best served as a side dish, like capers when you’re eating fresh lox on a toasted bagel with sliced onion and tomato. Too many folks don’t care for the taste of capers. They can’t all be wrong.
I guess I am different in that respect. Most folks see Politics as the main course, like a big fat steak glistening up at you, still sizzling from the grill (or steamed Artichoke if you be Vegetarian). They impart their views while aggressively chewing and snarling each juicy morsel. To the degree each person views this thing called Politics it could be largely about the way folks feel about institutions.
I am not an institutional kind of guy. It took me awhile to understand that was a trait not shared by most folks. To be honest it is a bit of learned behavior as much as something that plays with, or against, the forces of genetics. I don’t trust institutions for the most part. Not because of what their philosophies are, but rather how their priorities shift and evolve through the natural course of time. Eventually, all institutions come to the same epiphany that redefines their priorities. Ultimately their top priority is to maintain the institutions themselves, rather than the humane purposes which they were originally intended.
But I am a traveled man, been around the world a few times. I have mellowed and learned to respect others who have faith in institutions.
For me, institutions have never been kind. I cannot claim much advantage from what institutions offer. In my mind, institutions are clubs for only certain members, who apply, and gain access by satisfying certain category criteria that institutions have established, and used for their ultimate advantage. Everybody has their rebellions, mine is to defy being cast into any category-I have worked very hard at it. If I have achieved anything in this ol’ lifetime I have done so in spite of, rather than, because of institutions. Of course I could be wrong…you often fall when you walk that thin, solitary wire.
Like Politics, the concept of Equality has equally boggled my simple, country mind for a long stretch of time. Usually complex things get simple with age, but equality is something that seems to defy a maturing wisdom. The simple notions of equality have continued to grow ever more complex through the years.
Equality is not easily defined- it is more like an unsolvable mathematical equation-you can’t equate until you define all of the variables-which no one can agree on-that seems to be the real problem. I was never very good at Calculus or Algebra so if you know the answer to the Equality riddle don’t try to explain it to me, I just won’t get it.
Politics also includes too many of those mathematical variables, where it sounds like there should be an answer but the answer never adds up quite right, or it has an answer, but it continues into infinity.
Even a Magician can’t mix a lime and a coconut with any success.
You know the Neilson song- Put the Lime in the Coconut and Drink it all up…Doctor! Is there nothing I can take…to relieve this belly ache… If you easily know the tune, you easily show your age!
As a young, impressionable boy, I befriended a nice retired man who lived in the trailer park where I spent many happy summers with my grandmother. In his previous life he was a professional magician and he took a liking to me-probably because I asked a lot of stupid questions-I still do. He broke the Magician’s Oath and showed me many a magic trick while explaining his techniques and the sly of misdirection.
I partially blame him for much of my lacking in enthusiasm for political fervor. I have been tainted by the reality of illusion, too well knowing the technical approaches of any magic from the inside out. Politics at the end of the day is really magic, nothing more; the ability to create an illusion and the mastery of misdirection; to create the chimera of what the electorate wishes to see, and think they see, without seeing what others don’t want them to see.
Such an explanation is comforting to me; If you look at Politics more like the Lime in the Coconut; Limes are great, Coconuts are great, but they just are too different to ever be the same. If you paint a coconut green, it still can never be a lime, and vice versa. For my simple country mind such a notion begins to make more sense and I can better use time for more purposeful things.
So, as I ride off into the sunset of this once a year sojourn into the coveted themes of others, I hear the cows are mooing, horses kicking their pails and the dog is barking. These tangible things, along with love, warmth, friends and security are plenty enough for a main course sitting at life’s table, along with plenty of side dishes. Like that once a year toast cup of eggnog, until next year’s venture...
…I’ll take a Cup o’ Politics yet, to Auld Lang Syne.
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Top-level comments on this article: (6 total)Love it, Bing. I think I'm going to put 'Politics are best served as a side dish' on a sticky note and stick it to my computer.Please log in to respond to this comment.Bruce,
Always a pleasure when you jump to the other side of the screen.
Being a new year, as a resolution, we might all need to go on a political diet.
I figure you guys know all about …walk(ing) that thin, solitary wire…
By the way...Nice wheels!!
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I really enjoyed your take on politics! Thanks for writing this one!Please log in to respond to this comment.Marijo,
Since you are such an inspiring writer, I appreciate your read.Please log in to respond to this comment.
I can't see why anybody would hold a grudge against you for this, Bing... I think you're right, people don't discuss politics to share ideas, they do it to play monologue-monologue and illustrate how right they are, which is no discussion at all. Happy sunset riding :)Please log in to respond to this comment.Jen, that is so sweet, and you are so right.
So…what can we do about it? I mean these SW writers are all pretty smart folks, whadya say we begin a movement-a fair exchange of political views w/o the vitriol. That never brings folks together, it only pushes them further apart. The Politicians say they want to help people who need help, but I’m not sure they really mean it anymore. I think they may just be toying with all of us-playing each against the other-sly of hand, et all.
I nominate Jennifer President of SW Common Sense to Define and Propose Common Sense Solutions to Real Problems- we can call it ‘SWCSDPCSSRP’ for short.
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Excellent article Bing, and you are right about it all. It's just so hard sometimes to ignore when such good people are suffering from the consequences of the political decisions. But it's just an illusion to think that you can end suffering for everybody you hope you can, and probably a little bit arrogant. Thanks for bringing us back down to earth, when some of our heads get so lost in space.Please log in to respond to this comment.David, as always thanks for your insight. The great tragedy of a culture is the illusion that those in power want to help people to live better lives, when the reality is their main goal is to stay in power so they can build a better life for themselves-how many politicians have become millionaires while in office?Please log in to respond to this comment.
You made a perfect comparison between politics and magic. - Politics at the end of the day is really magic, nothing more; the ability to create an illusion and the mastery of misdirection; to create the chimera of what the electorate wishes to see, and think they see, without seeing what others don’t want them to see.- Love that, it's so true. I for one look forward to reading about your cows Bing, your farm even the mud on your boots. I'll take that over politics any day of the week.Please log in to respond to this comment.
Brianne, isn’t it a pity…why can’t we all just get along. Here are some verses of an old song that makes more sense than I ever could:
Isn’t it a pity-Isn’t it a shame
How we break each other’s hearts
And cause each other pain
How we take each other's love
Without thinking any more
Forgetting to give back, isn't it a pity?
Some things take so long
But how do I explain
When all too many people
Can't see we're all the same
And because of all their tears
Their eyes can't hope to see
The beauty that surrounds them, isn't it a pity?
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