Three things from DAH.

DAH is me, David Anthony Hance. I pen, promote, and make change (not the coin kind). 

First up this week, Knights …  
When I was ten-years-old the only item on my Christmas wishlist was a real suit of armor. I'd read books about King Arthur, and YA books about pages and squires. I'd read The Hobbit, and was working my way through The Lord of the Rings (I borrowed it from Mum). I wanted to be a knight. Not the modern ceremonial kind. Not because they had to fight a lot. But because of chivalry. Here's a nice modern-day definition: "Chivalry Today is dedicated to learning from the code of chivalry and applying the knowledge and insight gained from this warrior's code to our daily lives. We are dedicated to inclusivity, justice, and equality. We believe in finding equitable solutions to the problems faced in today's society and are firmly committed to taking action. We do not tolerate prejudice, discrimination, or racism. All who wish to learn from unabridged history (this means the good and the bad) and use this information for the betterment of themselves and society are welcome here." That's better-stated than I likely could have done as a ten-year-old. But it's pretty much what I thought back then, and how I strive to think and act today. 
MEDIEVAL KNIGHTS - A Kid Explains History, Episode 15 (short video packed with info)

Second up this week, Knives …  
Since I didn't get that suit of armor (what a surprise), the next year I wished for a real sword. I didn't get that, either. My father might have given me a nice pocket knife, encouraging me to whittle, which I did. My interest in knives (ask Christine: we have too many) goes beyond cutting anything. I have knives I've never much used. I'm more fascinated with properly separating things, using a sharp edge (metal and mind). A philosophical razor is a sharp-edged thinking principle: Shave off the unlikely and incorrect to approach truth. Occam's Razor is probably best known. Philosophical razors don't always work because fallible humans are doing the whittling. Still, I do prefer a sharp edge. 
9 Philosophical razors you need to know

Third up this week, Knaves …  
"There are two kinds of liars – fools and knaves. Fools lie because they don't know the truth. Knaves lie because they intend to mislead." (Robert Reich). In our modern-day information sharing system, we're largely left to our own devices to identify communicators who are fools or knaves or neither. So I fall back on my childhood lessons about knights and knives, thinking with modern chivalry and a sharp edge. I don't know a better way to be. Now, here, I was thinking of going off-script and riffing on why what were once called knaves are now called jacks in a deck of playing cards. But I reconsidered. Going off-script reminded me of the theater principle that actors' characters must have clear objectives in every scene -- what is it that they want from their scene partners? I think about that when listening to fools or knaves or neither. I'm adding a 10th philosophical razor: Objectives must be made clear. Why is the fool or knave or neither communicating with me? What do they really want? Theater training can help in real life, along with chivalry and sharp edges. 
What is an Objective?

And a bit more, by Louise Bogan … 
    
Knowledge 

Now that I know
How passion warms little
Of flesh in the mould,
And treasure is brittle,--

I'll lie here and learn
How, over their ground
Trees make a long shadow
And a light sound. 

And that's all for this week.
From Mary Oliver’s poem "Sometimes" …  

Instructions for living a life:
Pay attention.
Be astonished.
Tell about it. 

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