Read Eliot Weinberger’s What I heard about Iraq in 2005. It’s long, it’s depressing as hell, and I hope that you read all of it. (via Eric Alterman)
Bizarre event
January 24, 2006 – 1:58 pm
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Mid-morning on Sunday, a flaming van drove down Alki Avenue, trailing sparks and dropping glowing pieces of metal all over the road. The driver apparently made it down the road and around the bend before coming to a stop. Police cars came from everywhere. I haven’t heard a thing about it on the news.
The One-Percent Rule
January 24, 2006 – 12:32 am
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Everyone speaks – at the minimum – one percent of truth.
No matter what anyone tells you, at least one percent of it is true. No matter if it’s coming from your worst enemy, or the biggest idiot you know, if you listen closely and carefully, you will be able to uncover a grain of truth in any statement.
Knowing that this rule is true forces you to pay attention to what a person is telling you, to listen deeply and attentively to even the most hostile or manipulative of interlocutors. Because whatever they say will hold truth for you, an opportunity to learn and grow, and you must never miss a moment to hear it.
In practicing this rule, I have come to understand that truth is not binary. Rarely are statements either totally false or totally true. There is always nuance. Truth is like the volume dial on your stereo; it can be all the way down at one percent (barely audible, but still there) or full blast or anywhere in between.
Acknowledging the small grain of truth in what others are saying is a vital step in gaining inner wisdom, and to keep from killing everyone you come in contact with.
