~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ GROUP-ITIS AND ESCHERS INFINITE CAROUSEL ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ “I’ve got it,” exclaimed Insi al-Winsi. “Well, whatever it is,” said Nasrudin, somewhat alarmed by Insi’s sudden erratic gesticulations, which were accompanied by several mouthfuls of frothy spray, and copious sputterings of Saki, “I pray that it is not contagious.” Insi ignored him while he furiously glugged on another barrel of Saki. Nasrudin, who was growing more anxious by the glug, took a few discrete steps back, just in case whatever Insi had was indeed contagious. Insi and Nasrudin had been discussing new ways in which to engage the Tradition, and, as usual, had been getting nowhere fast. “It might be contagious,” said Insi, wiping some froth from one side of his cherub like mouth, “but you won’t be catching anything except group-itis.” “Group-itis?” asked Nasrudin, curious that such a term had evaded him all these years. “Yes,” said Insi, gluggin’ back another glug of Saki: “Group-itis!” Nasrudin checked the on-line medical dictionary but could find no such disease listed under the entries for G, a fact he was more than happy to share with Insi. Peering over his tablet, Nasrudin said, “Group-itis, why there’s no such thing.” Insi put his barrel down, and stood akimbo, “You talking to me?” “That would depend,” Nasrudin answered. “Are you listening to me?” Insi picked the barrel back up, and glugged for all he was worth, if only to muster some Dutch courage. Nasrudin has not looked so fierce since he gave his “Do you know what I am going to say?” sermon. “Yes, I’m listening to you.” “Then Nasrudin,” replied, wagging a finger at Insi, “ I’m talking to you!” “Very well,” said Insi, “let me explain.” Whereupon Nasrudin extended his cup for a drop of the famed magical substance known as Saki. Insi quickly reciprocated the gesture, filling said cup, before beginning his explanation ... “Do you know what I am going to say?” Insi asked Nasrudin. “No,” Nasrudin replied. “Then I have no desire to speak to an ignoramus who doesnt even know what I am talking about!” Ok, ok, said Nasrudin, onto Insi now, correcting his previous response, yes I do know what you are going to say. If that is the case, said Insi, I wont waste my breath. I have no desire to give up my valuable drinking time explaining something to a smart alec who already knows what I am going to say!” Nasrudin, somewhat perplexed and overwhelmed by Insi’s gestaltean assault on his mentat-catalogue, decided to try a new approach. “OK, ok, ok,” Nasrusin said, in my fragmented state and condition I must declare that part of me knows and part of me doesnt!” “Then,” said Insi al-Winsi with a smile in his eye, and moving in for the coup de grâce, “let the part which knows tell the part which doesnt!” Several minutes passed before Nasrudin let go his stranglehold on Insi’s by now extremely tender and delicate throat. Several minutes is a long time without Saki, never mind oxygen. Poor Insi coughed and wheezed, as he fell to the ground, and inhaled air in quantities which would put a blue whale to shame. “BLOODY HELL!!!!” Insi screeched hoarsely, sweat dripping from his brow as he continued to gasp for air, “have you gone mad!??!!??” “Now,” Nasrudin said, holding Insi’s barrel of Saki in one hand and a hammer in the other, “I’m gonna make you an offer you can’t refuse. Either you tell me what group-itis is, or wave goodbye to the Saki.” A life time without oxygen was one thing, but even a few minutes without Saki .... why the thought was almost too much to bear. “Come on dear friend,” said Insi perking up, his resilience somewhat enamoured by the sudden threat on his Saki supply. “Why I was only teasing. Pour me a cup of that golden broth, if only to sooth my aching larynx and I will gladly explain what group-itis is. Nasrudin filled Insi’s cup to the brim, and he devoured the contents with such relish, that he reminded Nasrudin of a man who had been travelling through a desert for at least forty days and nights. Suitably refreshed, and healed, Insi said: “Group-itis, why it’s simple really. We want people to engage the tradition, correct?” “Correct, “replied Nasrudin. “So, we create a group and invite people to come along to discuss various aspects of the Tradition ... but here’s the catch ...” “Go on,” prompted Nasrudin. “After some time, when they have made no progress, we create another group, to discuss the things we discussed in the first group. But we change the name of the group, add a few more camel bells and whistles, and create the illusion, deftly, that we are in fact discussing different aspects of the Tradition. And then, when they are at the end of their tether in the second group, we create a third group, to discuss the things we discussed in the first and second groups, and slowly but surely, people will get group-itis, you get it?” “Genius, “ said Nasrudin after a few moments pondering the implications of the scheme Insi has outlined, “I think Ive got it!” “Glad you like it,” said Insi. “But wait a minute,” said Nasrudin, “surely people will see through this merry-go round?” “No, explained Insi: For there’s many a monkey on the back of a donkey revolving endlessly on Escher’s Infinite Carousel.” ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Posted on: Thu, 14 Nov 2013 18:03:41 +0000
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