A surreal and bizarre trip up the river

Homer, Plato, Homer and Marlin

The "Irony"

Maybe it was Homer who had the most influence on the Greeks. 400 years or so later Plato seemed to want that distinction for himself. today opinions are on both sides of the question as to which really did. Even so Shakespeare and Plato especially and Homer too ought to be in the best book stores.

Yesterday I set out the main book store in town. Plenty of others really but this is a well known one. Last week I found 4 of the 10 volumes of Will and Ariel Durant’s “The Story of Civilization” at this store so it ought to be a place where one can find important books.

I asked about Plato. The clerk asked, and I think she really was asking, if he was one that would be in Western Philosophy? I said yes, but then I also asked if they had other Philosophy sections. She said no.. She pointed at a end aisle book case and said it would be there if we have it. I went and looked. I noticed a book by Kierkegaard. No Plato books. I was surprised.

The real surprise was that there indeed was a book on philosophy by “Homer Simpson”.
Now I pause to mention the” irony”. Makes me think of the movie Apocalypse Now.when Marlin Brando at a key time said the words, “the horror, the horror”. For yesterdays events it would be even more fitting to have said the words much in the same way, “the irony, the irony”. No Plato found in this book store. Actually I, didn’t’ see the other famous philosophy poet Homer either.

Just Bart’s dad. The book was titled Homer Simpson's Philosophy sitting right there in the “Western Philosophy” section. Course it was pretty close to books on the Southwest so I suppose the word “Western” for this store is pretty all inclusive.

You see Plato sort of existed to prove that he could have more influence on the Greeks than Homer did. (the real Homer) Don’t know why that was such a big deal, influencing the Greeks, but then Greeks is what you had to work with.

Here we are in the 21st century. Albuquerque New Mexico. The best known book store in town and no Plato. No Homer. Kierkegaard made it somehow. Then Bart’s dad was there. Homer, 21st century.

I left in disgust feeling my journey had become increasingly surreal and bizarre, taking a line from Marlin.

I probably wouldn’t bother to rant a little on this event since of those that may read this perpahs 4 folks, just guessing, 2 have already heard this story. I do notice that I get several folks from other countries who seem to drop by this blog according to the site meter. No Greeks that I have noticed. Course I thought the picture of Marlin Brando was cool. Looks like a look worth working on. Maybe I need to shave my head. Then on the other hand time is working on the look for me. Sort of.

So about this Plato. He seemed to be mostly focused on the question of how society could be reshaped so that man might realize the best that is in him. Homer on the other hand came 400 years before Plato. He was probably blind and overall little is know about him. The name , Homer, may have come from a society of poets called the Homeridae but Homer the man wrote the Iliad and the Odyssey. Some think Homer had a lot more influence on the Greeks than did Plato.