-
Endless War’s Pin-Up Girl
June 13, 2013 | 76 comments
-
The Three-Mile-An-Hour God
June 6, 2013 | 30 comments
-
American Exceptionalism Put to the Test
May 30, 2013 | 71 comments
-
What Are the Risks of Syria Involvement?
May 23, 2013 | 25 comments
-
Pray and Grow Rich
May 16, 2013 | 68 comments
The Nation's Pulse
My Starfish Story
An inspirational story reconsidered.
(Page 2 of 2)
Yeah, we got that.
Liberals love this story. But the irony is that to a great extent big government liberals, in their zeal “to save” men through social engineering schemes, oftentimes take on the role of “Nature, red in tooth and claw.” Their utopian ideas devastate the least fit, and all too often destroy their chances for a better life.
Maybe that’s what I would tell the smart kids. This doesn’t mean we shouldn’t make a difference. Just realize you’re hardly giving back when you throw some starving kid’s breakfast into the sea.
About the Author
Christopher Orlet writes from St. Louis.
Letter to the Editor View all comments (15) | Leave a comment
More Articles by Christopher Orlet
More Articles From The Nation's Pulse
http://spectator.org/archives/2011/04/07/my-starfish-story
Follow us:
ADVERTISEMENT
The Spectacle Blog
Democrat Dan Maffei Blames Budget Cuts for Girl’s Rape, Mother’s Murder
Robert Stacy McCain | 4:12PM
SPONSORED LINKS
FLASHBACK TO: 1995
-
Pope Culture
A man of faith in a godless age is hitting Americans where it hurts.
-
Why the GOP Does Not, Like, Totally Suck
Mr. and Mrs. American Spectator Reader, let P.J. O’Rourke talk sense to your kids.
-
Dames at Sea
-
In the Absence of Guns
In Britain, defending your property can get you life.
-
The Metaphysical Martini
-
Counting the Costs of Clintonism
The debacle of this president’s administration is both a cause and a symptom of the decline of American values. Unless Congress impeaches him, that decline will go on unchecked. An eminent jurist surveys the damage and assesses the chances for the recovery of our culture.
-
Chuck McHagel
It won’t take long for conservatives to scratch this presidential wannabe off their 2008 scorecard.
-
The Legacy of Old John and Mother Fresh-Roasted
-
It’s the Best Time of the Year
The American Christmas, like the songs that celebrate it, makes room for everybody under the rainbow. Is that why so many people seem to be hostile to it?
-
The Bush Crack-Up
Was the President done in by the economy, or by the politics of the economy?
Clip of the Day
ADVERTISEMENT
73 w/a bad knee| 4.7.11 @ 8:53AM
I am inspired.
You have inspired me to say no to "social engineering schemes."
I am going to tear up my Medicare Card and pay all my medical expenses out of pocket.
Thanks for the inspiration, Christopher!
Who Knows?| 4.7.11 @ 9:20AM
Ah, yes, Loren Eiseley.
Brings back memories.
I loved his volume of favorite writings, “The Star Thrower”, back in the 80’s, right after it came out.
By then I was a solid libertarian, at least, and didn’t think he was other than a realistic dude, who wrote beautifully.
Any way, as I look at his book right now, which came out in 1977, I’m totally amused by the blurb on the back by Ray Bradbury---
“The book will be read and cherished in 2001. It will go to the MOON and MARS with future generations. Loren Eiseley’s work changed my life.”
2001!!!
And, here we are, in 2011.
His “The Immense Journey”, from 1957, is still IMHO fabulous, and I may be “inspired” from this column to dip back into it.
Thanks Mr. Orley.
PCC| 4.7.11 @ 9:21AM
Dear Mr. Orlet,
To paraphrase the Latino gangster in the movie "Training Day" as he refers to the corrupt cop, Alonzo Harris, played by Denzel Washington:
"You are a low-down, dirty, ruthless vato. But I like it! I like it!"
John Navratil| 4.7.11 @ 9:52AM
The difference lies in the individual making the difference and the compulsion of individuals to make a difference.
One the one hand the kid can say "you just threw my breakfast into the see", and on the other the kid hears "get used to it."
John Navratil| 4.7.11 @ 9:53AM
My typing is horrible... it was "you just threw my breakfast into the SEA"... I need an editor.
Jeremiah| 4.7.11 @ 9:55AM
I am often called as a speaker at various events. A few years back I was speaking to a group of college students in the St. Louis area about, of all things, environmental sustainability. I began the talk by asking them whether they really wanted to do good - or just to be fashionable. Then I went on and explained that if they want to increase forestation in the world, they should support logging companies and protest against the people who protest against loggers. They were aghast, but I brought out the statistics showing that almost all the expansion in forest in this country in the last century has come from logging companies replanting.
I explained that if their university had required they get a simple understanding of economics - and if they had thought long enough to see the incentives involved, this would not surprise them. But the fact that from the "environmentalists" you get a lot of sound and fury signifying nothing while all the new growth comes from loggers...the fact that that surprises young idealists should be sufficient evidence to them that they need to think more, shout less, and be brave enough to do the right thing instead of the fashionable thing.
mike daniels| 4.7.11 @ 9:57AM
Read Atlas Shrugged. Forced charity and "caring" only provides a platform for those who do the forcing to operate and enrich themselves. Rand nailed it way before Codevilla's "ruling class" analysis
WRJonas | 4.7.11 @ 11:57AM
I am at the age to which the author alludes.
This story only applies to those who have experienced the sting of a scorpion . Sometimes I catch them in a jar and release them far from my house. It is very difficult ,knowing they will return perhaps to sting me but it is increasingly difficult to step on them or smash them. It is hard to explain.
Steve A| 4.7.11 @ 12:19PM
Not really. You love life & value it more now. Any life.
CalMark| 4.7.11 @ 2:16PM
The leftist trolls are out in force today!
All over this site.
Obama's Facebook "fake people by committee" are really "earning" their pay from our tax dollars.
Occam's Tool| 4.7.11 @ 3:04PM
I always like to recall "primum non nocere." That's really hard to do sometimes, you know?
John II| 4.7.11 @ 4:10PM
It would have to be "primum noli nocere," Occie, but the wisdom is well taken with or without the correct Latin grammar.
Anyhow, thanks for your kind remarks yesterday. Regarding Herbert Lom--yes, he did a lot more than Dreyfus, although he seems to have upstaged himself with that role--he certainly upstaged Peter Sellars.
Among many, many of his film characters, my favorites are the thug Louis/Mr. Harvey in "The Ladykillers" (1955--the better version, opposite Alec Guinness and, coincidentally, Peter Sellars), the Cilician pirate Tigranes in "Spartacus" (1960), the sinister Muslim fanatic Yussuf in "El Cid" (1961), an elegant Captain Nemo in "Mysterious Island" (also 1961), and any of his roles in the often stylish Hammer horror flicks of the 60's and 70's.
I think he's still alive. He'd be in his nineties by now. What happened to the direct reply button in this site?
And now back to . . . well, back to class preparation. No flicks until later.
RCV| 4.7.11 @ 7:16PM
Ah, Inspector Dreyfus! I also liked Lom as the Neurologist in The Dead Zone, one of the few Stephen King films ever worth watching. He is still alive and is indeed in his 90s. Don't think he's done anything since the early 90s though.
Mick| 4.13.11 @ 5:21AM
I found this story so inspiring, it really left a mark on me. Thanks.
canvas prints
Creative Recreation | 8.10.11 @ 10:40PM
is good