Late capitalism a quote

[David Morris]

I sent most of the following to the Reddit ATD group read. And I think it’s
significant in ATD because in our introduction to these two characters,
Merle Rideout and Webb Traverse, we are presented a *parallel focus* is on
their contrasting understandings of their roles and responsibilities
as to *being
fathers*.
—————————————

In the next few sections we are presented with the story of *two separate
Western frontier families, the Rideouts and the Traverses*.  And,
interestingly, both families’ stories are predominately about their
patriarchs, Merle Basnight and Webb Traverse, and specifically about the
events and dynamics leading up to the somewhat sad, but inevitable
departure of a child from each household.  We see all kinds of meta-stories
about these fathers’ economic/professional strivings for their families,
both never achieving much wealth or social status.  And in their
professional strivings we see both pursue their personal technological
passions (photography or explosives-tech) into near spiritual questions and
quests.

In a short transitional segment, Merle and Webb’s have a wonderful meeting
together, as between two priests of different alchemical spiritual orders
(Patriarchs?).  And we just know that somehow this meeting is only the
beginning of a much bigger story to come.

*Merle’s Fatherhood:*  First we are entertained by Merle’s answers to
daughter Dahlia’s questions about his courtship, marriage, and then the
departure of his wife, her mother, Erlys Mills, when Dahlia was still a
very young infant.  And it’s entertaining because Merle tells it with out
any bitterness, with, in fact, it’s with a self-deprecating (almost
fatalistic) humor.  And teenage Dally becomes fascinated (and herself never
bitter) with her possible future reunion with the absent (abandoning)
mother.  (And I’m sure I’m not the first to remember Zoyd and Prarie from
Vineland.)  But then *Dahlia abandons him, and he still has no complaint*.

Next we learn about *Webb Traverse, and his very different role as a father
*(and husband). His story is much longer, and his self-understood
relationship to his family as it’s father is much more complex and
conflicted.  One could say that he sees his role as father and husband
as *secondary
to his role as labor-activist* (meaning his responsibility to societal
goals is more valued than personal/family goals).  But* I think he sees his
responsibility as being primarily to himself, his personhood* (as in his
being able to look unflinchingly into the mirror) as superseding his
relationship with his family.  And *Webb is very uncompromising with
himself*.  And thus he is very uncompromising with Kit, when he perceives
that Kit has lost touch with his own soul, and self-honesty.  *And thus Kit
leaves (is exhiled from)  Webb’s household.*

*So both children leave their fathers’ households under less-than-happy
circumstances.*
——————————————-

And my P-list postscript:  Merle is ALSO acting out of a very personal
and *principled
concept of Fatherhood*.  He chose to not be hurt or bitter at being
abandoned by both of “his” women out of HIS idea of *what it means to love*.

David Morris

On Fri, Dec 24, 2021 at 8:48 AM rich <richard.romeo at gmail.com> wrote:

> you all blame capitalism like you blame religion, state, technology or
> the matrix. easy to offload all that angst onto a concept. maybe it makes
> you feel better but nothing changes, does it? most of us dont want
> radical change. the simple matter is whatever we live in provides to most.
> that may be hard to stomach. but it's true. prophets are the biggest
> hypocrites
>
> rich
>