The commercial in this post is fun to watch, in a wistful sort of way. I wasn't born until 1981, but I remember what the world was like not long after this advertisement was run, so I have first-hand witnessed what has essentially been a total collapse of the Western world.

It is still ongoing, and it is accelerating!

Remember when 32 gig. of DDR5 was less than a hundred bucks? Remember when gas was just a couple of dollars a gallon? Remember when your grocery bill was half what it is today? Or when you could eat at a fast food location for five bucks? Remember when you could apply for three jobs, get three offers inside of two weeks, and get to choose among them?

That was just a few years ago!

In my twenties and thirties I spent a ton of time learning about economics. Long-time readers of my old blog, "Exigent Duality", will remember those days well. Everything the Austrians predicted has come true. Here is an article which was in my news feeds this morning, explaining why people aren't having kids anymore-- do the factors sound familiar?

Going back to that 1979 car commercial: people will say "Yeah, but adjusted for inflation those cars were expensive!" They are forgetting that people had almost unfathomable purchasing power back then compared to today, given their wages. In the 1970s, my grandfather bought a corner lot on a parkway, built a 3500 square foot house on it, and sent several children through private schools-- moving furniture.

Try moving furniture today and affording even a tiny studio apartment, much less owning a house or buying plus insuring a car-- much less having kids! There is also the general-- excuse the mild vulgarity-- "enshitification" of things: shrinkflation gone wild; Flock cameras everywhere; major websites covertly spying on you; and so forth.


A Constructive Framework

I saw this quote in the Archbishop's mailing list recently: "Google tells me that the Polish equivalent of 'holy cow' remains 'Swiety Jacek z pierogami'-- St. Jacek and his pierogi!" Maybe that needs to be my new catchprase?

I read "Benedict's Rule" for the first time a few nights ago. I am going to try incorporating several elements of that into my daily life and structure. I'm someone who is unusually dependent on structure and predictability anyhow, so "The Rule" seems like something which could be of huge benefit to me on multiple levels.

After all, he describes "The Rule" as the "guide in our search for God." It's always good to have a guide!

One key lesson which is repeated over and over is to not "murmur". Apparently, the translation is from "murmuratio": the Israelites to Moses, is the perfect example. "Not murmuring" isn't just an outward, juridical thing: it requires inner assent and obedience. Meanwhile, obedience and love are expressions of one another: obedience is a sign of love, and love leads to obedience.

Concretely and in a monestary, this means obedience to the Superior. For me as a potential future deacon, it will mean obedience to my Bishop, vicariously through my Pastor. But moreso, it means obedience to God's design in every moment.

Another cool thing in "Benedict's Rule" is hearing him describe Liturgy of the Hours so precisely, in the 500s-- it's so close to what we do today, and from now on when I pray the Office, I will reflect on just how long people have been participating in pretty much these identical prayers.

Discipline is described as "demanded reasonably for the correction of vice and preservation of love." It is said that although discipline can seem harsh, and the road is narrow as Jesus Himself explains, all discipline must be in the service of prudence and charity. There is a quote about not wanting to break the vessel when removing the rust.

A recurring theme is how much compassion is given to those who have "weak constitutions" or other limitations. On the one hand there are often-severe punishments for breaking the rules. But on the other hand, great efforts were made to accommodate different persuasions.

For example, when discussing the provisioning of goods, "It is on those grounds that the superior should take into account what is truly necessary for those who suffer from an individual weakness." Or with regards to kitchen duties, there is a passage explaining how work should not create distress, and that roles should be shuffled around so this does not become the case.

As someone on the Autism Spectrum, this allows me to give myself additional grace: God wants us "free from sin and safe from all distress". Moreover, it gives me the confidence to ask for accommodations in the workplace: I am justified by God in asking for those things.

There is lots more I could write on the subject, but one final thing for now: Lectio divina played a huge role in monestary life, but not just when reading Scripture: also when reading Church fathers, or even classic literature-- there was a strong emphasis with connection and reflection; how is God using what I am reading to draw me closer to Him?


Amusements

For the first time in some weeks I actually managed to post a couple of game reviews! Check out the 'Wharf for my takes on "Grandia" and "Skald".

I also took the "EA Sports FC 26" current player ratings for what will likely be Lazio's starting line-up this season. Good enough to avoid the drop? On paper I would say this is a solid mid-table Serie A team. But as we saw during much of last year with Fiorentina, what's on paper and what happens in practice are two different matters entirely.