The "real" character of Thomas Townsend Brown

The website is all about his life and work; here, let us focus on defining and celebrating his outstanding personal qualities.
twigsnapper
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Re: The "real" character of Thomas Townsend Brown

Post by twigsnapper »

An excellent point Radomir about Love and Survival. What purpose would one have, without the other? Speaking from the vantage point I have had through the years. twigsnapper
Paul S.
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Well, I'm Here Now...

Post by Paul S. »

Mark Culpepper wrote: Paul ... I don't know how much you look in on the Forum but I hope you see my message here because I think that I have uncovered a very interesting " point".
As you can tell, Mark, my devotion to the forums has not been as diligent of late as I tried to be while I was writing. I do monitor them more than is evident from the amount that I actually post. I guess I've become something of a "lurker" in my own forums.

I think this is a necessary posture to have for the time being, while the serious effort of finding publishing industry support for this venture continues (although I do think from time to time that if this book is so damn important, somebody would have spoken up by now...). I do know that there is quite a bit of re-writing that's going to have to be undertaken when the time comes, and I am simply trying to establish a fresh perspective for that eventuality.

Everything I read here deepens my appreciation of the underlying material and how it will ultimately work for a broader readership. I think this discussion of deChardin and "The Omega Point" is particularly germane, and it is useful to be reminded that Dr. Brown gave Morgan a copy (his copy?) of "The Phenomenon of Man" when he came to Florida in 1964.

Just one more thing I need to remember when I get to the next draft. Hey, I've got an idea... YOU make a note, and when I start that second draft, I'll do a "call for notes" in the moderated re-write section. Then we can have this conversation all over again.

Sound reasonable?

--PS
Paul Schatzkin
aka "The Perfesser"
"At some point we have to deal with the facts, not what we want to believe is true." -- Jack Bauer
Linda Brown
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Re: The "real" character of Thomas Townsend Brown

Post by Linda Brown »

Paul,

It really is so nice to see those red letters which spell out your name on the Forum threads. A rare treat <g>.

Thats a good idea ... all of us " making notes" but the interesting thing here is that most of us have already done most of our notemaking, scattered through these forum threads. We might be able to restate our cases and our thoughts though I wonder .... some of us are not here any more .... some of us can't even remember what it was that we said! Its a wonderful thing having that SEARCH ability. But we really are going to need your active help as we go through this process.

I like the way that AM seems to be able to scour the back pages and come up with pertinent discussions and quotes but then also I think that is his great contribution and talent. I don't think I could do that.

And I think that your " call for notes" would probably work for your purpose as long as all of us understood that this has to be a VERY focused answer to your call .... (not an invitation like some of these past threads to just open the inspiration gates.) We will really need your direction so that we know precisely what it is that you are needing or looking for at any one point. I don't have any doubt that you have an ENORMOUS and helpful crew here but we will need to know what the course is ... and that you are there actively checking our course.... otherwise how would we know that we were even helping or even being noticed?

And, if you decide thats a good idea ..... then when might that start? Oh, after Tuesday for sure. But then?

And if no Publisher has stepped forward yet perhaps that means:
You haven't contacted enough people ?????.....or your introductory letter needs to be tweeked if it is not providing the results that you needed ?????.... or .... (anyone else out there have suggestions)

It reminds me of something that Beau Kitselman wrote about Dad and his work. He stated in "Hello STupid" ( paraphrasing here) that Commander Bs friends rang doorbells and held meetings .... but in the end decided that " intelligent life" could not be found in the United States and they proceeded to make contacts in France. ( I don't agree with Beaus statement really but the idea of contacting other countries with this story is not out of the way either.) I still think that we haven't rung enough doorbells.

Perhaps Paul the Forum might serve a special advisory position for you. Instead of talking and talking and talking back and forth with each other perhaps we might be a help with more direct interation with you. Look at the wild talent that you have here .... Just ask us and I think that we can all promise you that we will be as " succinct" as we can possibly be with our answers. This " advise and consent" phase might be endlessly productive.

The publisher will show up. Thats the least of it actually in my opinion. Linda

I have wondered about the drag time and have pretty much decided that perhaps one of the reasons is that some of the " conclusions" or " observations" which need to be included in the book just haven't presented themselves quite yet.... or if they have you haven't had the proper time to process them yet.

Once a publisher enters the picture I am sure that the pressure then will shift to completion and marketing. Maybe there are other things to do first before you have to enter that doorway .... not sure exactly what that is ....because I haven't seen your rewrites yet ..... I still think that this whole subject of this " other intelligence" is still a stumbling block for you and that you haven't found a way of introducing that concept which makes the kind of sense that you need to see before you are comfortable with it.

Maybe someone hasn't stepped forward because there is more to add to the story? Just asking. Like to hear your thoughts. All of us I think would really enjoy entering into this new phase, but I know that its not going to be easy. Linda
Rose
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Book Note fLag

Post by Rose »

BOOK NOTE!!

(Thread now flagged with an easy to remember search term)

rose
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Radomir
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Re: The "real" character of Thomas Townsend Brown

Post by Radomir »

Right, well done Rose, thanks.

And Paul, it's not just "The Phenomenon of Man" -- there are other important character notes in this thread, for instance TTB's cooking and his language capabilities that I don't think were in the first draft.

But speaking of which, with thanks again for the gift, I'm beginning to work my way through The Phenomenon of Man, and so far one aspect in particular has struck me as very salient. It is with regards to how we get to the point that we as a human culture and/or individuals might be or become worthy of "the keys..." whether that's keys to the basic propulsion technology, the communication device, the FTM, cosmic ferrari, or any baby step along that continuum. At the very least the book provides a conceptual framework and a set of vocabulary that might enable discussion of that issue. And who gets to judge such "progress?" (Is this a self-assessment test? :wink: )

R.
Paul S.
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Notes and What's Next

Post by Paul S. »

Interesting that this discussion would form under the heading of "The 'real character' of Townsend Brown." What we're really getting at is the real character of this entire enterprise.
Linda Brown wrote:It really is so nice to see those red letters which spell out your name on the Forum threads. A rare treat <g>.
When the letters are "red," I think that means the system thinks I'm still online. Which probably means I logged in and didn't log out. As for the "rare treat," like I said elsewhere... I've been monitoring, just haven't had a whole lot new to say lately...
Thats a good idea ... all of us " making notes" but the interesting thing here is that most of us have already done most of our notemaking, scattered through these forum threads.
I think the operative word there is "scattered." When the time comes, we're going to have to switch from "typer - scatterers" to the proverbial "hunter - gatherers."
We might be able to restate our cases and our thoughts though I wonder .... some of us can't even remember what it was that we said!
Yes, well, that's sorta the problem... a LOT has been said. Some of it insightful, some of it expansive, some of it provocative. There is going to come a time when we are going to have to take stock.
And I think that your " call for notes" would probably work for your purpose as long as all of us understood that this has to be a VERY focused answer to your call .... (not an invitation like some of these past threads to just open the inspiration gates.)
The operative words there are "focus" and "inspiration." Imagine what we could do with some sort of synergistic combination of those forces...
We will really need your direction so that we know precisely what it is that you are needing or looking for .... otherwise how would we know that we were even helping or even being noticed?
Rest assured that when the time comes I'll be fully engaged.
And, if you decide thats a good idea ..... then when might that start? Oh, after Tuesday for sure. But then?
That is a discussion that Linda and I need to have privately with Linda first.
And if no Publisher has stepped forward yet perhaps that means: You haven't contacted enough people ?????..... or your introductory letter needs to be tweaked if it is not providing the results that you needed ?????.... or .... (anyone else out there have suggestions)
Probably a combination of all of the above.

Mostly I just don't think we've found "the droids we're looking for."
I have wondered about the drag time and have pretty much decided that perhaps one of the reasons is that some of the " conclusions" or " observations" which need to be included in the book just haven't presented themselves quite yet.... or if they have you haven't had the proper time to process them yet.
One would like to think that after five or six years of fairly concentrated effort that the 'conclusions or observations" that make the undertaking worthwhile would be well manifest. Perhaps they are, perhaps they are revealed but not well articulated within the many thousands of posts found on these servers. I often feel that the answers we seek are delicately suspended between us all. I think the case for what we all believe is well made in the proposal we are now circulating, which (in reverse to the usual way such things are approached) was not even possible to compile until a first draft had been completed.

I actually think the essence of what we're reaching for is better expressed in the proposal than it is in the first draft, which makes some sense, considering the elusive and mercurial nature of the material. I had to forge my way through it before I could comfortably say, "ah, that's what it's about... this is how we tell it..."
Once a publisher enters the picture I am sure that the pressure then will shift to completion and marketing.

I could use a little pressure, to tell the truth. There needs to be some external force pulling on this to match my push.

As for marketing, I'm in league now with all kinds of young tech-and-digital marketing types here in Nashville, we're going to come up with some very interesting ideas.
Maybe someone hasn't stepped forward because there is more to add to the story? Just asking. Like to hear your thoughts. All of us I think would really enjoy entering into this new phase, but I know that its not going to be easy.
In fact, I think this book is farther along than most book ideas that are circulated in proposal form before a single chapter is written. There is enough here to lay a foundation or blaze a trail or.... open a door. I will keep ringing doorbells, but somebody's going to have to answer and welcome us in before I'm going to be able to muster the wherewithal to proceed.

--PS
Paul Schatzkin
aka "The Perfesser"
"At some point we have to deal with the facts, not what we want to believe is true." -- Jack Bauer
twigsnapper
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Re: The "real" character of Thomas Townsend Brown

Post by twigsnapper »

Paul, perhaps not an indication of you being "On Line". Your name appears in red as a " poster" where all of us are black type. I think thats what Linda meant when she said she noticed your posts. Your name stands out ....<g> twigsnapper
htmagic
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Re: The "real" character of Thomas Townsend Brown

Post by htmagic »

Mr. Twigsnapper,

Paul's name may be in red because he is the Administrator of the forum.
I wonder if we can change the colors of our name?

MagicBill
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Linda Brown
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Re: The "real" character of Thomas Townsend Brown

Post by Linda Brown »

"In fact, I think this book is farther along than most book ideas that are circulated in proposal form before a single chapter is written. There is enough here to lay a foundation or blaze a trail or.... open a door. I will keep ringing doorbells, but somebody's going to have to answer and welcome us in before I'm going to be able to muster the wherewithal to proceed."

The person who answers that door has to be a special person. Has to have that odd connection and enthusiasm and passion for this story. An individual who just sees dollar signs is not going to have the entire vision and won't be the " right droid". I think that you are right. We just have to keep " ringing doorbells" ....... until he (or she) finds us. Linda
Mikado14
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Re: The "real" character of Thomas Townsend Brown

Post by Mikado14 »

Mr. Twigsnapper......Sir! Of all people I would have thought you would know the answer.

Look on the front page and you will see a "legend"

RED = Administrators

GREEN = Global Moderator

Are your skills of observation diminishing?......I know, only on the mundan!

Mikado....<g>
There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio, Than are dreamt of in your philosophy
Linda Brown
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Re: The "real" character of Thomas Townsend Brown

Post by Linda Brown »

hahaha ... note the way that conversation started Mikado. It was not Mr. Twigsnapper who suggested that the red occurred for a particular reason ... but Paul. Read it again and you will see what I mean. So who is missing the mundane? <g>

Good morning, both of you, by the way. Linda
Last edited by Linda Brown on Tue Nov 04, 2008 1:16 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Mikado14
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Re: The "real" character of Thomas Townsend Brown

Post by Mikado14 »

Up early I see. Washing another pup, or better yet, one that has a mind of his own? As the old saying goes, "Be careful what you wish upon for you may just get it"....nah, better one yet would be, "No good deed goes unpunished"....<g> Good Morning!

Mikado
There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio, Than are dreamt of in your philosophy
Linda Brown
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Re: The "real" character of Thomas Townsend Brown

Post by Linda Brown »

And then he notices something as wonderful as this .... and puts it into words!

" I often feel that the answers we seek are delicately suspended between us all."

BOOKMARK!

Linda
htmagic
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Re: The "real" character of Thomas Townsend Brown

Post by htmagic »

Mikado,

Linda is up early because she wants to vote early this morning.
But I just canceled out your vote Linda and my wife will cancel out Paul's! :lol:

Go out and vote. Thomas Townsend Brown would have voted if he were here. With all his travels, I wonder how many absentee ballots he filed? Linda, do you know if your father or mother ever had to do jury duty?

MagicBill
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Mikado14
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aaaAAAAA dog is a dog of course of course...

Post by Mikado14 »

Linda Brown wrote:And then he notices something as wonderful as this .... and puts it into words!

" I often feel that the answers we seek are delicately suspended between us all."

BOOKMARK!

Linda
This pup can talk????

Mikado.....<g>
There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio, Than are dreamt of in your philosophy
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