Hubris—The Impetuous Sibling of Humility

Hubris (n)—Overbearing pride; arrogance.

“The whole problem with the world is that fools and fanatics are always so certain of 

themselves and wiser people so full of doubts”    —Bertrand Russell

“No one knows the system better than me, which is why I alone can fix it.”

                               —Donald Trump (nomination acceptance speech, 2016)                                          

"Because the “Ratings” of my News Conferences etc. are so high, “Bachelor Finale, Monday Night Football type numbers” the Lamestream Media is going CRAZY. "  (@realDonaldTrump tweet, March 29, 2020)

Spring winds have blown humility over the fence and hit our neighbors squarely in the face. Whether it’s a global health crisis, people who are fleeing repressive countries, or respect for those with opposing political views—humility, decorum, and common courtesy are values being abandoned.

Reliance on science and the advice of experts are taking a back seat to self-serving arrogance instead of what is substantiated fact and what best serves the needs of the world’s population.

Knowing no boundaries or class distinction, COVID-19 has been a great equalizer.  It has wrapped its insidious arms around world leaders, athletes, young, old, wealthy, disadvantaged, and front line healthcare workers.

The virus has stared down hubris and through its sheer destructive power has demanded humility. The self-righteous have had to consider that maybe they don’t have all the answers.                                                     

As Paul Anka wrote in his 1969 song, My Way— “Yes there were times… when I bit off more than I could chew, but through it all when there was doubt…….I stood tall and did it My Way.                    

   —(My Way, sung by Frank Sinatra) —First song played at Donald Trump’s Inaugural Ball, January 2017)

Jeff Key's work can be seen at:

"Vessel #27—Fusion, 25" x 25" x 25", Wood & Flax

Jeff Key's work from “The Vessel Series,” is featured in an 
Exclusive On-line Exhibition “Life Vessels” 

from January 31-April 30,2020 

on Sculpturesite Gallery’s website:  

https://www.sculpturesite.com/Exhibit_Detail.cfm?ShowsID=155

Apocalypse Rising—The Belly of the Beast

“When I was a kid, the disaster we worried about most was a nuclear war. But today, if anything kills over 10 million people in the next few decades, it’s most likely to be a highly infectious virus, rather than a war.”        — Bill Gates, 2015 TED Talk

“The searchers of the town / Suspecting that we both were in a house / Where the infectious pestilence did reign / Sealed up the doors and would not let us forth."  —William Shakespeare, Romeo and Juliet, 1593, (written at the end of the 1592-1593 plague that killed 15,000 in London)

As we sit sequestered in our homes we keep asking—

“How did this all start?”   When will it end?   What will the future bring?”

The answers are long and complex but in this “life hiatus” it’s a good time to consider how we navigate the future safety of the planet.

• The origin of pandemics dates back to the Justinian Plague of 541 that started in central Africa and spread throughout the Mediterranean and Europe. The primary remedy at that time was inhaling vapors from herbs. The result was nearly 100 million deaths over a four-year period.

• Our current pandemic, the COVID-19 virus that has now claimed over 11,000 lives worldwide is thought to have originated from bats in Wuhan, China. The virus jumped from bats-to-animals-to-humans and is now being spread by person-to-person contact.  

What can we do about it?  

• First and foremost—Elect officials who:

• Listen to science and experts in the medical field.

• Do not distort or suppress information and keep open all lines of domestic and international         communication.                                                                 

• Allocate—not cut funds—to prepare in advance for epidemics— (adequate testing, supply of specialized equipment, hospital beds/intensive care facilities/healthcare workers, and vaccine development.)                                                                                                                  

                       

 • Prioritize Solutions to Climate Change/Global Warming

• Microbes with a higher heat tolerance will thrive and bring new infectious diseases.

• Drought and deforestation expands the habitat of disease-carrying animals and insects.

• As the Arctic permafrost melts pathogens buried over time will be released into the atmosphere.

• So stay safe, don’t hug your neighbor and take action to help  
prevent these catastrophic events from occurring in the future.

Jeff Key's work is featured in an Exclusive On-line Exhibition: “Life Vessels” 

from January 31-March 31,2020  on Sculpturesite Gallery’s website:  

https://www.sculpturesite.com/Exhibit_Detail.cfm?ShowsID=155

A Leap Year—A Leap of Faith

"The best time to plant a tree is twenty years ago. 

The second best time is now".  

                                                                                          —African Proverb                                                                                                                                               

As the primary elections loom on the horizon, we are presented with a perplexing choice—who will carry the banner for truth, justice, and the American way.  To add to our confusion we are faced with a mathematical anomaly that takes place every four years called Leap Year—the year in which presidential elections take place.

On Feb. 29 we will be celebrating “Leap Day”

—an extra day in the month—an extra day in the year. 

It turns out that the Earth’s journey around the sun isn’t 365 days—it’s really 365.25 days. Every four years that extra time adds up to 24 hours and has to be added to the calendar to catch up with the sun.

If we didn’t recognize Leap Year, we might end up with Valentine’s Day in June and Independence Day in December.

What would you do if you knew you had an extra day? Would you muster the courage to take a leap forward or fall back and binge-watch every season of Breaking Bad.

You could leap forward and restore the planet—or fall back and build more walls and cages. You could leap forward and restore civil liberties—or fall back and succumb to lobbyists promoting easy access to guns.  You could leap forward and tell the truth—or fall back and just say whatever is necessary to get ahead.  You could leap forward, embrace your neighbor, and attempt to forge peaceful coalitions—or fall back into isolationism and “me first” diplomacy. 

Enjoy that extra day but don't waste it. You won't have another one until February 2024.

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Jeff Key's work can be seen at:

Jeff Key’s work from “The Vessel Series,” will be featured in a solo “Pop-Up” show at the Sculpturesite Gallery in Glen Ellen on March 1, 2020. Additionally Sculpturesite Gallery’s website will feature 25 sculptures by Jeff, curated by Brigitte Micmacker, in an Exclusive On-line Exhibition “Life Vessels” from January 31-March 31, 2020.

https://www.sculpturesite.com/Exhibit_Detail.cfm?ShowsID=155

This solo “Pop-Up” show is part of 

Sculpturesite’s 30^th Anniversary celebration. 

Jeff’s wood sculpture, “Vessel #32—Witness” will be on view beginning March 1 as part of SculptureWALK, Sculpturesite Gallery’s on-going outdoor exhibition.

Opening reception and Pop-Up show: March 1, 2020, from 2-6pm.

Sculpturesite Gallery Website:    https://www.sculpturesite.com

Sculpturesite Gallery’s sculptureWALK—Jack London Village, 
14301 Arnold Drive,  Glen Ellen, CA 95442