| Sep. 23rd, 2005 @ 07:02 pm Sweet |
|---|
Current Mood:  SCIENCE!
Current Music: I Have The Power ~ The Consortium of Genius
Today was the Biology Department Annual Picnic. A gaggle of biologists, biochemists, geneticists, ecologists, etc. and students majoring in those topics clustered together enjoying good food, good conversation, volleyball and ultimate frisbee.
I had two really awesome conversations. The first was with Dr. Gregg Haartvigsen, who teaches ecology and is a big evolution supporter. The door to his office has a bumper sticker on it that says "Evolutionists Do It...with Increasing Complexity!" wink wink, nudge nudge. So I introduced myself to him and we talked awhile. I brought up the problem of the asshole gov't and politics teacher and the garbage he spouts and how he's come out in favor of Intelligent Design and how I sent Christine a ton of stuff to contradict his blatherings. Dr. Haartvigsen took a liking to me for being an instigator like that, because he's the same way. He thought it was awesome that I'm such a big fan of Stephen Jay Gould. He also told me that some science professors are pushing for a cross-discipline minor in Evolution -- encompassing biology, geology and anthropology. I got excited.
Then I talked to Dr. Hoops, my BIOL 128 Freshmen Experience professor, about more or less the same thing, especially Gould because he's a big fan of Stephen Jay Gould as well and how ID is a load of dung.
It's sooooo cool getting to have real conversations with like-minded people like that.
Also, I put in an order today at Darwin Fish for two T-shirts (one gray with the iconography of human evolution from little monkey, to australopithecine, to Homo habilis, Homo erectus, Homo Neandertalis, and finally man himself -- but on the shirt the "ladder" of evolution is twisted into a circle, so it goes little monkey - australopithecine - habilis - erectus - neanderthal - modern man - little monkey. The other is blue and has the Darwin Fish on it and says FEBRUARY 12TH DARWIN DAY A CELEBRATION OF SCIENCE AND HUMANITY.), a button with a picture of Dubya and the caption, "an insult to primates everywhere", and a pendant of the Venus of Willendorf. I like the Venus; a sign that since humanity's dawn there have been men who, like me, see a zaftig woman as sexy and attractive. |
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college_buddha's journal
I think all that the "Venus" of Willendorf shows is that somebody considered hefty women worthy of sculpture. Whether the artist found them attractive or not—we will probably never know.
I mean, pretty and plump is one thing, but that Venus—she's got rolls. Then again, that's my own subjective preference speaking. I prefer the less-discussed trim, athletic figurines from the same general time period. But those could be making fun, too (e.g. of "tomboys" or "sticks")—who knows?
I'd rather worship someone who sacrificed himself to himself, giving up one of his own eyes, all just to gain wisdom. (But of course I'd really rather worship nobody.)
The idea that this piece of art that anthropologists and art historians and whoever else have argued over for years, is the result of one human being basically insulting another, appeals to me. I think that idea could speak volumes about human nature. But I'm a cynic like that.
My personal religion centers around the possibility that my girlfriend might actually be the earthly avatar of Hathor.