Wes Kelley

Again, I’m posting a brief assignment from my graduate studies. We were asked to comment on the Gettysburg Address. I hadn’t read it in some time. Its beauty really struck me. I thought I would post both the speech and my comments below.

Four score and seven years ago our fathers brought forth on this continent, a new nation, conceived in Liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal.

Now we are engaged in a great civil war, testing whether that nation, or any nation so conceived and so dedicated, can long endure. We are met on a great battle-field of that war. We have come to dedicate a portion of that field, as a final resting place for those who here gave their lives that that nation might live. It is altogether fitting and proper that we should do this.

But, in a larger sense, we can not dedicate — we can not consecrate — we can not hallow — this ground. The brave men, living and dead, who struggled here, have consecrated it, far above our poor power to add or detract. The world will little note, nor long remember what we say here, but it can never forget what they did here. It is for us the living, rather, to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they who fought here have thus far so nobly advanced. It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us — that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion — that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain — that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom — and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.

The Gettysburg Address is oratorical poetry. It is simultaneously a beautiful expression of English prose and a seminal statement of American governance. We are one country, made hallowed and significant by the sacrifices of the men who died to defend its principles.

Obviously, you cannot separate the speech’s content from its context. This speech was given as the tide of the war was turning. It was becoming apparent that the Union would stand. Therefore, Lincoln’s brief statement was an eloquent sigh; one that signified that the war would be won and the sacrifices of its brave soldiers were the reason for the Union’s survival.

It is beautiful because of its brevity and focus. Much like the old prayers written in prayer books used years ago. Each word was chosen carefully. Each word has a job to do. Like a piece of colored glass being placed in a stain-glass window. Each lovely on its own, but forming a composite of glory. Okay, maybe my oratory is getting a little too rich, but we are rarely given an opportunity to wax on about the beauty of language.

What is interesting is that a speech like this could still be delivered today. Its style is not bound to its time. Churchill could have given this speech, maybe even Reagan or Obama. You could not deliver a speech like this on the campaign trail, but standing at the gravesite of fallen soldiers, or at another suitably somber and substantial event, it would still blow our socks off. We need “plain talk” but we also need a little nobility of thought AND language every once in awhile.

The Official Gmail Blog is reporting that Google Labs is working on a protection mechanism that will limit the chance you will send an ill-advised email in the middle of night. The idea is that this new feature, named Mail Goggles, will present a simple math problem that must be solved before the email is sent. Apparently you can turn this feature on or off, and it will only be active in the wee small hours of the morning. If you are coherent enough to solve a math problem, then chances are you are awake/sober enough to communicate via email. We all say weird things when we are too tired or under the influence; it is good to know that Google is there to help protect us from ourselves.

[Via First Things]

I’ve long been a big fan of Google Reader.  As a regular user it is hard for me to imagine going back to surfing from website to website scanning the Internet for the latest news and information.  Instead, if it’s a site with regularly updated content, I will subscribe to the RSS feed and then Google Reader will dutifully inform me when there is something new for me to read.

Google being Google, they are always make steady improvements to an already nice and dependable system.  Lately, many of their enhancements have had a social networking angle.  You can view the articles that people find interesting enough to “share” them.  I have a widget on my blog page that shows what articles I’ve recently shared, or you can see all of them by checking out my shared page.

Today, Google unveiled a new politics-based sharing service that shows what our presidential candidates (or more accurately their staffers) are reading, and also what some noted political commentators are reading.  The overview page gives you an idea how it works, but you can click on any of the names and then subscribe to their feed in your Google Reader.

Surfing the Internet for quality content has always been a bit like searching for the the proverbially needle in a haystack.  Google Reader, and RSS readers in general, are great for quickly gleaning good content.  The sharing services are even better for finding good content in the first place.

Here’s something a bit funny if you think about: I was browsing the blog cubicle17 where I found a quote from Steve Frank discussing his “existential crisis” on the nature of blogging. Now it seems that I, Bill Israel and several other bloggers all agree that the essence of blogging is odd–maybe even questionable–and we all saw fit to post this to our blogs.  

Well, here is the sensible quote none the less:

Depending on which side of the bed I wake up on, blogging is either the vainest possible act of self-puffery, practiced by those who want to believe they are a lot more important than they actually are, or an unprecedented revolution in human communication, no less important of a historical record than the hand-written letters and journals of centuries past.

Sometimes I’ll land on both sides of that fence in the same day. No wonder I’m confused.

Over the last several months, I’ve found that I enjoy this blogging experiment. For me, an idea isn’t fully realized until it’s been clearly expressed in words. Until then, things just roll around in my head–undefined. This blog has been a helpful way to clear up space in my otherwise struggling brain.

I’ve gotten so used to sharing, that I’ve come up with other ways to express myself–digitally. One outlet has been Twitter. While some use Twitter to say they’re “in the car,” “at the store,” etc. I prefer to use it to express some thought or idea. I enjoy the 140 character limitation. It’s a challenge to say something worth saying in 140 letters. Now don’t get me wrong, most of what I post on Twitter is pointless and completely unnecessary, but for me it’s a test of words and concepts.

I keep up with the goings-on of the Internet through Google Reader. I started using Google Reader because I wanted to read my subscribed RSS feeds on multiple computers. I’ve found it be a ridiculously easy application and it’s now the first place I go when I logon. One of the ridiculously easy things in Google Reader is the “sharing” function. By simply clicking “share” on an article, it is automatically linked to “My Shared Items” where others can view the articles I think are interesting. Since it’s so easy to use, why not use it?

Finally, I just setup a Tumblog. I found that there were times I’d find something interesting on the Internet, and I’d want to say something about it, but I didn’t have the time–or inspiration–to write a lengthy blog post. Once I found Tumblr, I realized I could link to the interesting tidbit and say something quick and easy and move on. No fuss no muss. I’ve named my Tumblr site The Bundle of Banal Observations because I have to be honest and admit that what I find interesting is generally pretty pointless or trite to others.

So, now I have all these ways to share and express myself, but chances are good that no one is listening. The funny thing is, I don’t care. I’m posting this stuff for my own enjoyment. These online gizmos are tools to me. I use them to catalog and organize my own thoughts and observations. Also, if I don’t use the creative portions of my brain, I’m afraid they’ll slip away from me. Overpowered by the noises of everyday life and increasing responsibilities. While I know some consider this stuff silly, narcissistic or embarrassing, I prefer to see it as a way to make my world just a little bit bigger and more interesting.

Boy, we have a lot of ways to stay connected! In yesteryear, a letter every other month or so was considered polite and welcomed. Later, a phone call about as often was the norm. Now, we have email, IM, SMS, blogs, Twitter, Skype, YouTube and the ubiquitous cell phone connected to our person 24×7 (if its a good phone, it links you to all of the above).

It used to be pretty easy to choose the appropriate means of communication for the people in your life. Now, it’s like trying to pick just the right utensil out of an overflowing kitchen drawer.

I had a big announcement this week: my wife and I found out we are expecting a baby girl. When it was time to share this news, I had to rummage through the drawer… we called parents on the cell, sent out emails to other family members, IM’d some friends, posted on Twitter for others, SMS’d coworkers, now posting on the blog and I’m sure the word hasn’t reached all interested parties yet.

I know it’s good to have options (and I love every geeky option), but it can make your head spin. Many of our new means of communication are easy to use and can be surprisingly intimate. We have probably traded yesteryear’s occasional multi-page letter for a dozen quick burst of contact sent at all hours from anyplace. While some may morn the loss of more dignified forms of contact, I tend to think there is no inappropriate communication if the alternative in today’s busy world is slowly widening separation and isolation.

I recently returned to the South. I left when I was barely a toddler. While my early departure obviously limits my connection to the region, my Southern mother and much of her extended family raised me. From them I learned the colloquial phrases, the mannerisms, and most importantly, I was taught the importance of socially polite conversation.

Essentially, the overall goal of every conversation is this: make the other person feel comfortable. This is a wonderful thing. However, it comes at a price. Since I work with the public at large, I have the opportunity to speak to many different people at every economic level. I have found the rules to be the same in every instance. I must do my best to find a commonality we share, avoid any uncomfortable topics, and leave them with the general impression that once outside, blue birds immediately light on my shoulders. Again, this is a wonderful thing. The occasional awkward conversation is inevitable. But this rare abuse of the social convention is typically forgiven as a necessity of life.

The problem lies in the fact that duplicity hovers in the air. I have discovered that at the end of many exchanges, I perform a quick analysis to smoke out any passive aggressive slights that might be hiding between the lines. When every conversation is a friendly one, you have to work to find the inescapable dig.

The thoughts in our hearts always find a way to slip out of our mouths. I truly appreciate the rare individual who can speak their mind honestly, yet warmly. This is a talent worthy of lifelong pursuit.