Check out what we've been up to this year...
If I am not for myself who is for me?
And being for my own self, what am I?
And if not now, when?
“The time is now,” I thought a year ago – the longest night, the shortest day, of 2017 – birthing Sapienism, long after its conception. But as Hillel the Elder entreated, to walk the walk – and talk it too – is much better together. Only a year old, Sapienism has barely begun taking its first baby steps, but with some magical moments for the virtual family album.
Sapienism spent some time behind, and beyond, the silver screen, asking Carol if love is truly blind, visiting Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind to consider the merits of erasing someone from our memory; and partaking in a wonderful quadruple symposium on Guadagnino's Call Me by Your Name.
The #MeToo turmoil invited some uneasy, but fascinating, questions: Is Harvey Weinstein a monster, and should he be forgiven? Is bad sex morally wrong? Should we discard Picasso for his sexism?
So much of our contemporary world revolves around identity politics. How can we “know thyself,” and what happens if we don’t? Sometimes, music is our mirror, helping us discover what and who we are. A century after Woodrow Wilson inaugurated it, has self-determination brought about a better world? What explains the rise of tribalism in politics worldwide? More recently, I wrote about the roles of God and religion in my private life, and that of my people.
Speaking yet more privately, on the eleventh birthday of my son, I reflected on the meaning of his name, translating some poems by my favorite Hebrew poet. Meanwhile, my eight-year-old KLA did her best to cause you some nightmares, then alleviate them with Love.
All these, and much more, can be found on Sapienism.com, and on its first birthday, a moment before mine, I invite you all to take the next step, and post your own reflections – whether brief (2-3 paragraphs) or lengthy (I dare you to brave my Spoils of Paradise!), be they about art, society or research – your thoughts, and feedback, are always welcome! Feel free to email me, and we’ll take it from there.
Please also spread the word, and invite others to join us – as we entwine the blog with HOPE, PrincetonX online course that completes its very first round these days.
