The Beautiful Epiphany of Understanding
Do not deny yourself these gorgeous (and short) reads from PolitiSage and Sherman Alexie.
As I browsed Substack this week, two posts stood out for their exceptionally beautiful and literary approach to cross-cultural understanding. Both of these posts are so life-affirming that they are simply not to be missed. One is current this week, the other found in an archive from two months back. Enough from me. Do not deny yourself the pleasure of both extraordinary posts.
Sherman Alexie’s June 2 poem, “A Window in Spokane, Washington”
From the PolitiSage archive (March 12, 2023), “Three Great Movies for Cultural Understanding.” This link comes with some guidelines so you get the full impact.
Read the whole post by Morgaan Sinclair, PhD.
View the 2:25 embedded You Tube film, “Thursday Appointment.” Do not skip this step.
Read Dr. Sinclair’s discussion of the short film carefully. Do not skim. She is an expert on myth, and she is going to point out some very interesting things about the cultural meanings in the film and one detail you may not have noticed. (I didn’t, and it’s my job to notice details with literary meaning.)
Watch the film again, as she instructs.
Decide whether you agree with her interpretation.
If you do, say “holy moly,” or your expletive of choice, because that was a lot to convey in 2:25.
Optional: Watch again, letting appreciation fill you right on up.
If you like, check out PolitiSage on the “fairy chimneys” of Turkey and other “beauties” (linked below). Morgaan and colleagues have serious business to discuss most of the time, but they do a great job with enchantment when the Sunday feature rolls around.
Speaking of enchantment, after this historic week of news about bad actors (the Trump indictment, Pat Robertson’s death), Enchanted in America checks in next with a Blackfeet historical novel by the late James Welch (Fools Crow) for insight about how to keep bad actors from crippling united states. Stay tuned on that channel Monday.