Anthology – Peoples’ Plan for Life, Now and Forever …

“THE HEAVENS CLOSE SLOWLY OVER THE EARTH, LIKE A GREAT ALCOVE, AND RESTLESS

MAN IS TRANSFORMED INTO A WILD BEAST”

Charles-Pierre  Baudelaire (1821 – 1867)

Preface

When conceived, this effort felt extremely quixotic. I began some seven years ago to realize that the public – my fellow citizens in the U.S. and in the world – were somehow not ingesting crucial information essential to the survival of the species, theirs and all others. With ever more curiosity as to the reasons for this and reading ever more widely, I thought myself inadequate to the challenge of bringing it to public attention. Now, at February 19, 2011, I see the field is wide open. Populations of the world are so smug in their ignorance, especially here in the “cradle of democracy” that I can write anything, take any position, no matter how preposterous, and even found a religion on it! In addition I can be granted tax-exempt status and become a rich person on the circuit I create for believers in my faith. Are they stupid? No. We are all very much alike. Read on – please! If you think yourself at all well informed, expose yourself to this evidence of wholesale ignorance.

But please do not mistake what is written here as an antireligious or antiwar polemic. It is a call to mental arms, the kind that lean on desks while reading in school, assigned the lessons offered here in the system of education which so far is woefully inadequate. The historical facts in Anthology should have been learned by age 16, at the latest. They are not. The average citizen goes through life proud of his patriotism, the American Exceptionalism and perceived benefits flowing from an economy dominated by corporate models. That has worked up to now. Such “success,” however, does not bring a corollary governing conscience. Anthology introduces its readers to a world that shows the consequences of this lack, which should lead to a rethinking of the term “benefits.” We take a lot for granted.

No War Ever Fought Need Have Been, Clausewitz Notwithstanding!

Let us have music! The reader has the option of accessing it or not, as s/he sees fit. The first music you hear, should you choose to have music, is that Broadway kind of kicker by the author’s neighbor, Robert Hess, entitled Headin’ for Armageddon. There is in life, after all is said and done, however sad, some fun!

Later on [page 11] you will hear music by Iain Hamilton – his Sonata Notturno (1965) for horn and piano, inspired by the quote, Anthology’s subtitle, from Baudelaire: “…the heavens close slowly over the earth like a great alcove, and restless man is transformed into a wild beast,” performed by the author of this anthology and pianist Robert D. Levin. The pictures, taken by the author, accompanying the performance have been selected by him and his granddaughter, Jessica Johnson, whose audio-visual direction is of the essence to Anthology. As you will immediately realize – illustrative of Baudelaire’s poem – this premise contains some very frightening stuff, as this music is introduced with Primo Levi’s account of fellow Lager inmate Sómogyi’s death.

[Anthology is copyrighted ©2012 by A. Robert Johnson and is offered gratis as an eBook. You may wish to make a tax-deductible contribution to a private charity founded to help veterans with disabilities sustained while in the military of the United States, as noted at the end of Anthology.]