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dare we dream

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Funny things happen at a 50th college reunion. I met an alum who serves as a philosophy professor at a university in Texas. Being curious, I asked about his contribution to the discipline of Socrates. Turns out, his work explores how we go about perfecting society. Some (including those with a religious slant) prefer matching a set of ideals. Others (including my associate) suggest an incremental development would get us closer to perfection. If you watched the youtube video with the previous poem, it's kinda like doing for society what Don Norman suggests for doors. The following limerick represents my take:

The utopian spiel with zeal
We'll visit this Eden ideal
But the feel one seeks
Will really need tweaks
To give paradise sweet appeal

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Arlo Parker

Date: 9/10/2024 1:18:00 PM

Ironic piece read on day of KH/DT Debate. Socialism would present such a perfected state...doubt history would support. Constitutional republic with God's Favor seems a better path...to Eden Revisited. Cool piece, Duke. :o))

Andrea Dietrich

Date: 7/26/2024 11:57:00 PM

This remains one of my favorites of your limericks.

Duke Beaufort
Date: 8/10/2024 12:56:00 PM

Glad you liked this Andrea. There's a lot of philosophical work on utopias and an ongoing debate among academics as to how we can make better societies. I was recently discussing this issue with a philosophy professor from Texas Tech. There's some disagreement.

Suzanne Delaney

Date: 6/17/2024 6:00:00 AM

Hello Duke: Utopia is always marvelous in conception but no one can seem to bring it about successfully. Would it be the end of dreams. Sort of like old age. We always hope for new beginnings. It's always there in Nature so perhaps that is where it really lies. Learning to be a part of Nature again. Best, SuZ

Suzanne Delaney
Date: 6/21/2024 2:31:00 PM

That's a good point, Duke. Go back to the old Golden Rule.. SuZ

Duke Beaufort
Date: 6/21/2024 1:12:00 PM

Suzanne, I think a utopia would still have problems presented to those living in it, but they would have the means to deal with those amicably when the issues concerned the community at large. Possibly like a democracy that really worked well and where special interests were not given undue consideration. We could still have dreams, but we would reach them in ways that do not hurt others.

Sara Kendrick

Date: 6/13/2024 12:38:00 PM

There will be a utopia upon this earth someday, but it will all have to do with Jesus. Some people are saying that we will as human being just get better and better, but I don't see it that way, it seems to me it is getting worse and worse. Thanks for sharing this one with us. Sara K

Duke Beaufort
Date: 6/13/2024 2:42:00 PM

Sara, You are very gracious and have dedication. I also just love what you write vis-a-vis nature's wonders and how we enjoy them. If I had to describe what I believe, I would say I am a disciple of Bertrand Russell. I saw one of his books at the public library and ordered a copy since I wanted to read more.

Silent One

Date: 6/11/2024 12:07:00 PM

I think you could write a limerick about anything and this one seems to be inspired by your meeting.. You have an intellectual mind..

Duke Beaufort
Date: 6/13/2024 2:33:00 PM

SO, you're very kind. Yes it was inspired by that random chance conversation. It's a lot to think about.

Kim Rodrigues

Date: 6/11/2024 4:57:00 AM

Must have been an interesting conversation. Enjoyed your poem, Duke!

Duke Beaufort
Date: 6/20/2024 10:56:00 AM

Kim, yes it was. Isn't it remarkable that a few people among us take on philosophy as a career? I emailed him a copy of the video from the previous poem regarding design, and he told me that he loved the ideas and will incorporate some of them into his next book. On another note, it's likely we'll never get to a perfect society. If we could handle our issues with some fair and compassionate means, that would be very close.

Sally Eslinger

Date: 6/10/2024 7:26:00 PM

Humanityalready had Paradise & lost it,when the pop. Was 2 & it only took 1 serpent. Now the pop. Is billions of diverse types & a ?able # of demons…perhaps we left-outs will be able to crawl in occasionally by crawling under the side of the tent…a provocative limerick! Had fun with it…

Duke Beaufort
Date: 6/20/2024 10:35:00 AM

Sally, very funny and interesting comment. We know about the increasing disparity of wealth in this world and it is fomenting a lot of disharmony. There are certainly many issues we should address, and the fact that our population has increased so much makes this all the more urgent. Thanks for being so insightful!!

Jennifer Proxenos

Date: 6/9/2024 12:52:00 PM

I think humanity will never find Utopia, too much one way and we are communists, too much the other way and we have to live with capitalism. Too much one and you live strictly by a set of principles, too much the other way, you follow the path of evolution. So which way to go, some will go with their heart and not their head and the others will go with their head and not their heart. To become a utopian society worldwide 'Will really need tweaks'. Awesome, thought provoking Limerick. Blessings, Jennifer.

Duke Beaufort
Date: 6/10/2024 10:46:00 AM

Jennifer, it definitely will not happen in fact. How close we get depends on how much we are willing to help each other and how much we are willing to give up. As you say, at least it's fun to think about. The professor I spoke to who writes articles about this mentioned to me that on average the published articles get read by seven people. It's pretty funny really.

Tonye George

Date: 6/8/2024 4:45:00 AM

Doing things for society is what makes it better as we are a society. I don't like reunions, I feel it's more of a comparison and to see what's going on with people's lives and who's the big deal than actually coming together to jest about old times and how they can help each other to move forward. It's called paradise for that feeling dear Duke. Loved the rhymes. Cheers.

Duke Beaufort
Date: 6/10/2024 9:42:00 AM

Tonye, you've expressed something very interesting. Hopefully, the people who go are truly interested in others and are not attending to lord anything over anyone else. If we go to feed our own ego that reveals something about us that we might want to change.Some go to learn about life from others. I recently retired, for example, and am interested learning about the choices people have made to continue to lead productive and meaningful lives.

Ink Empress

Date: 6/8/2024 3:18:00 AM

Clever limerick as always dear duke, i love the pictures used too goes well with your excellent limerick, and must have been interesting meeting up with old friends in your college reunion. I dont think we have reunions, although ofcourse if theres one il have to travel miles to attend ad i studied in malaysia australia and UK university. So it wont be convenient. However would be nice maybe zoom reunion haha. Pleasure reading your creative rhymes and diction. So well delivered. Sending yu light

Duke Beaufort
Date: 6/10/2024 5:42:00 AM

IE, you're very kind. The reunion was really amazing. I met a lot of people I had never associated with, and will likely communicate with several of those people going forward. About 1/4 of the graduates came back after 50 years. It's all part of trying to figure out the meaning of life, which seems to elude everyone. I'm starting to think we just do the best we can according to our own ethical standard, and that's it. No one seems to have an absolute answer. Anyhow, hope you are well.

Karen Jones

Date: 6/7/2024 5:32:00 AM

Witty and interesting. I also enjoyed reading the commentary under the imaginative colorful picture!

Duke Beaufort
Date: 6/7/2024 6:02:00 AM

Thanks Karen, this issue is actually in play right now on our national scene. Do we live to the image of one group or another and how far does individual freedom go? These are important discussions, which are good to think about.

Hilda Greenhough

Date: 6/6/2024 3:18:00 PM

I enjoy this futuristic limerick. I hope there are styles of Eden to choose from because I'd like animals in mine, particularly dogs.

Duke Beaufort
Date: 6/7/2024 5:46:00 AM

Hilda, that's funny indeed. That is the rub, how do we satisfy a lot of diverse interests? You've certainly identified why it will be difficult to have a utopia for all.

Robert Gorelick

Date: 6/5/2024 11:23:00 AM

Tweaks indeed! I've read Thomas More's Utopia and discovered the regimented ultra orthodoxy of the community to be more like prison than paradise. I've found heaven and hell to be states of mind, and little else. You always serve up food for thought. All my best, Robert

Duke Beaufort
Date: 6/6/2024 9:58:00 AM

Robert, there's no end to the writings and musings of our philosophical friends. But you may be onto something here. One person's paradise could be another's prison. So, in a real paradise, there would need to be room for individual expression and differences. That certainly gets complicated as we see in with significant lack of tolerance for it.

Tom Cunningham

Date: 6/3/2024 12:58:00 PM

I think sometimes things don't live up to our expectations, nothing a few tweaks won't put right though. Always look at the glass being half full not empty lol. Hope your week is off to a good start Duke. Tom

Duke Beaufort
Date: 6/4/2024 6:53:00 AM

Tom, a good attitude you have! We need to work at filling the glass for sure. I'm with you on that. Good to have you back, sir!! (but you're never lost in our thoughts)

Daniel Henry Rodgers

Date: 6/3/2024 10:07:00 AM

Hello Duke, I just loved how your witty poem pokes fun at utopian fantasies in such a clever way. You make an excellent point that any "paradise" needs some practical improvements to truly appeal. Nicely satirized with your signature sharp humor! - Blessings, My Friend, Daniel

Duke Beaufort
Date: 6/4/2024 6:43:00 AM

Daniel, when I wrote this, I was thinking of you as I know you are very interested in philosophy and you write on a very high level. It's simply amazing that this is actually a hot topic in philosophy right now and a pleasure to think about. BTW, I am loving your work and what you write about!! This particular short poem took about a week to think about and make it what I wanted. There were many drafts. So, I actually "perfected" it in the way I would say would work for society. Just funny really.

Yolanda Nicholsen

Date: 6/3/2024 8:17:00 AM

This is so awesome what a beautiful blessing

Duke Beaufort
Date: 6/4/2024 6:27:00 AM

Yolanda, you are very kind. It was inspiring to meet people like the philosophy professor and discuss some abstract ideas. Just total fun for a few days.

Andrea Dietrich

Date: 6/3/2024 8:10:00 AM

Ahh you had a 50th too. Mine was last September but it was for high school and not all that great. BYU doesn't have college reunions. They are way too big. I like your limerick. Society will never be perfecting so I think these philosophy majors have wasted their time! Love the picture you put up

Andrea Dietrich
Date: 6/4/2024 4:41:00 PM

That is cool that you enjoyed your reunion. Mine was so big and of the few people who had been my true friends, hardly any of them were there. I was proud to be one of the few still teaching though retired. I also got recognized for being one of the few who moved west while most remained in iowa

Duke Beaufort
Date: 6/4/2024 6:25:00 AM

Andrea, you are very funny! OMG, they certainly don't think they are wasting their time...although very few people actually read their work. The college reunion I had was very interesting. It was in Middletown, Connecticut. The happiest people there seem to have tried to help others in their careers, and it was just interesting to hear about their trials and tribulations.

Sotto Poet

Date: 6/3/2024 7:47:00 AM

Dear Duke, this is a wonderful limerick poem. Discussing the various ways to establish a perfect society, with one side emphasizing a set of principles and the other advocating progressive evolution. The poem also discusses utopia and how perfection may require alterations and tweaks. The syntax is clear and conversational, with a relaxed tone. You use terms like "spiel," "Eden ideal," "tweaks," and "paradise" to portray the concept of striving for perfection in society. The combination of rhyme and limerick form lends a humorous and cheerful tone to the poem.

Duke Beaufort
Date: 6/4/2024 5:49:00 AM

SP, thanks for this comment. Yes, it's an ongoing discussion in the philosophical discipline. As with many things, there's no need for us to get bent out of whack about making this world a perfect place. Especially since we might be moving in the opposite direction. I do think we should pay attention to philosophy since it's a way for us to think about what we really want and what our dreams are. Perhaps there will be a breakthrough on our personal level or in society at large. At the global level, that would certainly bring some needed fresh air.

Kim Rodrigues

Date: 6/3/2024 6:53:00 AM

Perhaps Paradise can’t be envisioned with the exception of the sneak peeks of what wonders we have experienced here on earth. Oft’ we have to be careful with our euphoria, but in heaven it has no bounds. Hugs ~ Kim

Duke Beaufort
Date: 6/4/2024 5:24:00 AM

Kim, yes we do have to be careful. Even a little change that we believe is for the better could have a downside. In a society at large, there are a lot of things happening that we might think are desired or or undesired. Your point is well taken. People have been wondering about paradise in Earth for a long time, but I'm also doubtful we'll ever see it here within our current global culture.