Comments for The Pensive Penguin» The Pensive Penguin http://thepensivepenguin.com Close your eyes and take a look inside. Thu, 09 Sep 2010 05:55:21 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.7.1 hourly 1 Comment on Cleaning Out Your Carpet by Tony Hatter http://thepensivepenguin.com/?p=196&cpage=1#comment-3029 Tony Hatter Thu, 19 Nov 2009 04:53:50 +0000 http://thepensivepenguin.com/?p=196#comment-3029 Good question. Maybe I was a little unclear. The 'stains' lose the negative connotation of the word in my metaphor. Like words on a page, the stains gather to tell the story of the world around us, and what I was agruing is for embracing their existence and accpeting their presence. My question referred to the choice between resenting those marks and struggling against them versus going with them and building on them. Good question. Maybe I was a little unclear. The ’stains’ lose the negative connotation of the word in my metaphor. Like words on a page, the stains gather to tell the story of the world around us, and what I was agruing is for embracing their existence and accpeting their presence. My question referred to the choice between resenting those marks and struggling against them versus going with them and building on them.

]]> Comment on Cleaning Out Your Carpet by Elle Snow http://thepensivepenguin.com/?p=196&cpage=1#comment-3026 Elle Snow Sun, 15 Nov 2009 11:45:20 +0000 http://thepensivepenguin.com/?p=196#comment-3026 Is everything determined before we do it, you ask? I would argue that our previous actions or inactions (or those of others) may restrict or limit our next action (or inaction). I would even argue that some of those previous actions or inactions open up possibilities that may not have been... Ah, but that wasn't one of your "simple" questions at the end, now was it... Whether one is feverishly working the stain out of the carpet or rearranging their furniture, aren't both of those actions concluding in the same way--with the stain appearing to be "not there" (when in fact it is still under the padding of the carpet, or just under that coffee table you conveniently placed there)? I would argue that the one who is scrubbing the stain "out" might be the person who is acknowledging a mistake, correcting an error, trying to make something right. They could be just trying to hold up appearances as well. But the person who is floating down on the raft...you could argue that they know how not to get their panties in a bunch...but perhaps they are just that insensitive ass who refuses to acknowledge a mistake, or better yet, to learn from it. :---: Sometimes going with the flow is just an excuse to not take a stand. :---: So, I'm a little lost....were you trying to advocate a clean slate or a messy canvas? Is everything determined before we do it, you ask? I would argue that our previous actions or inactions (or those of others) may restrict or limit our next action (or inaction). I would even argue that some of those previous actions or inactions open up possibilities that may not have been…

Ah, but that wasn’t one of your “simple” questions at the end, now was it…
Whether one is feverishly working the stain out of the carpet or rearranging their furniture, aren’t both of those actions concluding in the same way–with the stain appearing to be “not there” (when in fact it is still under the padding of the carpet, or just under that coffee table you conveniently placed there)? I would argue that the one who is scrubbing the stain “out” might be the person who is acknowledging a mistake, correcting an error, trying to make something right. They could be just trying to hold up appearances as well. But the person who is floating down on the raft…you could argue that they know how not to get their panties in a bunch…but perhaps they are just that insensitive ass who refuses to acknowledge a mistake, or better yet, to learn from it.
:—:
Sometimes going with the flow is just an excuse to not take a stand.
:—:
So, I’m a little lost….were you trying to advocate a clean slate or a messy canvas?

]]>