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Jun 27, 2010 Features / Columnists, Freddie Kissoon
Wednesday, June 23, 2010 was not a day of significance for me. Nothing happened on that day that will become a milestone in my life. In fact, nothing special or extraordinary occurred in my life on that day that should cause me to remember it. But I did make some serious reflections on that day and the outcome will cause me to remember June 23, 2010 in the foreseeable future.
Every day in their lives, human beings try to make sense out of the things they see around them. Some of us just shrug our shoulders and say, “Que sera, sera” (whatever will be, will be). Others try the intellectual route. At the end of the day, we reflect and wonder, but the answers as to what constitutes the human condition and the purpose to life remain elusive.
I started the morning of Wednesday, June 23, 2010 with a visit to Austin’s Bookstore. My daughter wanted three books. They weren’t there so I ordered them and went upstairs to the university books section. I couldn’t believe what I stumbled upon. The most recent biography of the philosopher, Martin Heidegger. I wanted to buy two more copies, one of which I would have given to my friend, Mark Benschop, because I think the way his life is going, he should read Heidegger.
Unfortunately, there were no other copies; I was fortunate to get the last one. Heidegger is one of the great thinkers that have caused me to search for the clues to the mysteries of the human mind.
I have read all the genius-philosophers who have written extraordinary books, but for me Heidegger surpasses the rest. His work, “Being and Time,” remains for me the philosophy book that best explains the human condition and the meaning and purpose of life. When you read, “Being and Time” you wonder how such a profound philosophical mind could have supported Adolf Hitler and his Nazi Government. I think this is one of the compelling mysteries of the 20th century.
After I left Austin’s Bookstore, I went on Peter Rose Street to the Federal Management bakery to buy pastries. Federal Management head office is exactly opposite the house of the late Peter Taylor.
I parked on the driveway of Taylor’s residence because I know the house is unoccupied. Coming out of the yard was a Portuguese woman. I asked her if she was related to Taylor because I am always eager to learn about past Guyanese personalities
She said she wasn’t. I then asked her if she knew how famous he was. She responded that she hardly knows anything about Taylor.
I gave her a few details and as she walked away, I stared at the house and thought of how popular a site that was in the sixties given the immense prominence of Taylor back then. Now, it just appears as an obscure object. Indeed it is.
I remember on the day of Taylor’s funeral service, I was driving south on Carmichael Street, and I slowed down at Christ Church when I saw someone who works at Fogarty’s leaving the church compound. I asked him who was the service for and he said, Peter Taylor. There were not more than ten persons leaving the church.
Here was a man that during the sixties was a household name in Guyana – rich and famous. When he died, about twelve persons attended the ceremony.
It reminds me of Shakespeare’s play, Macbeth. We have our moment on stage, then life erases us.
That afternoon, as I was driving home, I passed this solitary figure on the seawall. He’s always there. I looked at him, he looked at me, but his glance was very fleeting. This man was once in charge of UG where he tried desperately to dismiss me because of a simple disagreement.
His power is gone. Life is indeed fleeting. The night of Wednesday, June 23, 2010, I went on to the computer and the first piece of news I saw was that Paul McCartney was performing live in New York.
This is one of life’s extraordinary moments. McCartney and the Beatles ruled the music world when over 70 percent of the population of Guyana was not born. The Beatles became popular in 1960. To think that after 50 years, this man can still pull a crowd.
As I was on the computer, my daughter was watching television. The programme playing at the time was the celebration of the one year death anniversary of Michael Jackson.
Like Martin Heidegger, Jackson is one of the great enigmas of the 20th century. Will we ever understand why Heidegger and Jackson did the mysterious yet infamous things they are known for? Will we ever understand the human mind?
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