Lend me thine ears!
For the last few months, to provide a higher rate of Social Return, our Social Investor who surely needs no introduction here, has been outsourcing all but the most Mission Critical posts at Gifthub to alienated labor in India. "The world is flat, she says, "so screw you." I had relied on Phil Cubeta, my Protege, to manage it all subject to the usual moral compromises and calculations of personal expediency. The results are what you see - plain prose, an earnest persona that none would wish to call his own, and an audience that grows daily but has no comments, no interest in joining the conversation, no stake in the game. Therefore, I have returned to my Tub to accost passersby in the spirit of Diogenes, the greatest uncrucified morals tutor of all time. All posts marked as "Gift Tub" are authentic and should be considered as works of art in the neoclassical tradition, that of satire, our noble trade, designed to delight and instruct my fellow citizens as to their responsibilities. These specially marked posts represent my true teachings, couched in parables, for those with eyes to see and ears to hear. Please disregard the others, as the feeble efforts of a struggling Professor to ingratiate himself with the world at large, and with the wealthy in particular. Moral Reform will not come so easily, though I wish the poor fool well. To celebrate the Grand Re-Opening of The Dumpster, you get a pair of ass's ears. Wear them proudly - Know Thyself as the Wise Man said, his ears rippling majestically. I am the wisest of men, because I know I am a pompous ass. Art, as Horace said, holds the mirror up to nature, as might a good barber. Is it any wonder that we wince, seeing in the mirror, as did Midas, our ears standing up proudly?
- Tutor
Ears on!
Posted by: AKMA | August 23, 2009 at 08:40 PM
We're Mouseketeers, only better.
Posted by: Phil Cubeta | August 23, 2009 at 09:13 PM
This is where I ended reading so this is where I will comment. Thank you for you efforts in blogging a unique subject which I had previously put little effort in examining. It brings up many questions about the man behind the writing, but yes I see some of the symbolism involved. Is the man rich? Is he poor? He see's no problem in directing those with money how to spend it, but does he feel the methods which were usually used to obtain such "riches" usually go against the grain of those hyper ethically sensitive. A simple example is upselling. Would you like me to supersize that for you? Always rubs against my grain in doing and recieving, yet our whole system right now is based on such. It's one thing to base it on the idea of what is best for the consumer, quite another to feel you can manipulate his mind and his wallet by charging him only 50 cents for it and not a dollar, fully realizing psychologically the consumer is much more apt to give it up if it is "only 50 cents". Thanks.
Posted by: joe | October 04, 2009 at 02:35 PM
Th
Posted by: Phil Cubeta | October 04, 2009 at 02:47 PM
The man behind the mask of Diogenes is not rich, not poor. Like Diogenes he does not give advice, but poses riddles, plays practical jokes, confounds expectations, and challenges the frame. He is the sickest of healers, because the plague spares none.
Posted by: Phil Cubeta | October 04, 2009 at 02:51 PM
Love the new look, Phil. I regret that I have been too busy to blog much myself, let alone comment on yours. Rest assured, it (and you) are appreciated.
Posted by: Jeremy Gregg | October 05, 2009 at 09:46 AM
Thanks, Jeremy, look forward to hearing more about you and from you as you find time to share it.
Posted by: Phil Cubeta | October 05, 2009 at 06:23 PM