Mortality and Perspective

Dr. Cheese · #1 04-04-2011, 05:53 PM

Manning Marable: A Brother, a Mentor, a Great Mind

Friday or Saturday, Manning Marable, a great scholar and professor died shortly after finishing a new book on Malcolm X. Marable was a hero of mine when I started graduate school long ago. He was not much older than me, but he was already a young professor when I was jus starting graduate school. He had an extremely productive career as a scholar, writing many books and holding many positions.

Realizing he has died, really puts things in perspective for me. This man must have written about 15 books, and I am in the middle of writing my first one. He held a least five major appointments, and I have had two. Seeing him die is a real kick in he pants because it is a reminder of how quickly the end can come.

It also makes me think about how there are some people who get up in the morning and go straight to work, while others like to post on TB!

I guess I need to work a whole lot harder!

BTW, I know Dr. Marable's politics are way left of mainstream, and I did not post him here to discuss what he thought. I just have posted this tribute to provide an example of a great over achiever in a given field!

Floyd Eye · #2 04-04-2011, 05:57 PM

RIP Dr. Marable. I've never heard of him, but my condolences to his friends and family and to you Doc.

Dr. Cheese · #3 04-04-2011, 06:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Floyd Eye

RIP Dr. Marable. I've never heard of him, but my condolences to his friends and family and to you Doc.

Thanks, I no longer followed him as closely as I once did, so his death was really out of the blue for me.

Deluge Of Sound · #4 04-04-2011, 07:37 PM

Sad news.

DanAleks · #5 04-04-2011, 08:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dr. Cheese

I guess I need to work a whole lot harder!

No. He did what he did.
You do what you do.

It's not a competition, you both should give your gift as you can.
If he gave 10 excellent gifts, and you give 8 excellent gifts, you are no less.

Dr. Cheese · #6 04-05-2011, 09:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DanAleks

No. He did what he did.
You do what you do.

It's not a competition, you both should give your gift as you can.
If he gave 10 excellent gifts, and you give 8 excellent gifts, you are no less.

I guess I just admire the focus that Manning Marable developed so early and maintained throughout his life. Like any person who really becomes great at he or she does, he cut the crap, and really focused on his craft. While a person like me wasted a ton of time thinking of how to get with women that I never had a snowball in hell's chance of nailing, he was in the library, getting his research together.

I guess it's like Stanley Clarke practicing in the closet until his fingers bled, most of us just don't do what it really takes to be excellent even though many of us have the ability to be excellent.

MatticusMania · #7 04-05-2011, 11:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dr. Cheese

most of us just don't do what it really takes to be excellent even though many of us have the ability to be excellent.

Absolutely true. I certainly know Ive stifled my ability to be excellent in many ways. Thinking back, had I only done a few things differently, I would be in a dramatically different place right now. However, no one really knows if that different place necessarily be any better than where I'm at now. The grass is always greener, and all that.

THand · #8 04-06-2011, 07:18 AM

I'm sorry to hear of your loss.

FWIW, I believe it is counter-productive to compare your "insides" to some body elses "outsides". We are who we are, and we all have a purpose. Who's to say? In the long run your interactions may have been more important to over-all humanity than your hero's.

Sounds like you may be over-due for a re-viewing of "It's a Wonderful Life".

Bass Viking · #9 04-06-2011, 03:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dr. Cheese

I guess I just admire the focus that Manning Marable developed so early and maintained throughout his life. Like any person who really becomes great at he or she does, he cut the crap, and really focused on his craft. While a person like me wasted a ton of time thinking of how to get with women that I never had a snowball in hell's chance of nailing, he was in the library, getting his research together.

Actually, it sounds like you've done quite well. And who knows, maybe Manning Marable regrets not going after more women!

This thread could also have been titled "Hindsight and perspective". Life is so short there isn't time to do everything we want to do/think we should do. For what it's worth, I haven't written a single book! I have written and recorded some musical compositions that I can share with friends and that they can (hopefully) enjoy. In the last few weeks, I've been working on a tune we used to do in our jazz band back in the 70s. I think my band mates will get a kick out of hearing a re-working of the tune (I've added some inside jokes to the lyrics). So, my contributions won't affect the masses but they will hopefully make my ex-band mates day!

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dr. Cheese

I guess it's like Stanley Clarke practicing in the closet until his fingers bled, most of us just don't do what it really takes to be excellent even though many of us have the ability to be excellent.

Genius is 10% inspiration, 90% perspiration (plus blood if you're Stanley Clarke!)

Quote:

Originally Posted by MatticusMania

Absolutely true. I certainly know Ive stifled my ability to be excellent in many ways. Thinking back, had I only done a few things differently, I would be in a dramatically different place right now. However, no one really knows if that different place necessarily be any better than where I'm at now. The grass is always greener, and all that.

Hindsight is 20/20. I also wonder about the road not taken. I think it was Kierkegaard who said life can be understood backwards but it must be lived forwards (or something like that).

MatticusMania · #10 04-06-2011, 05:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bass Viking

I also wonder about the road not taken. I think it was Kierkegaard who said life can be understood backwards but it must be lived forwards (or something like that).

And we can wonder all we like, but it won't do us an ounce of good really. I'm happy with where Im at in life, and thats more than a lot of people can say. And for all that wondering, who knows where any alternate path would take us?

**smperry** · #11 04-06-2011, 05:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dr. Cheese

Manning Marable: A Brother, a Mentor, a Great Mind

I heard about it soon after it became public and actually thought of you. What a scholar! I'm sorry.

drummer5359 · #12 04-06-2011, 07:16 PM

Everyone questions some decisions later in life. Myself, I'm happy with how everything has shaken out for me.

My sweetheart and I talk about times in our life where we've been in the right place at the right time. Her and I each have a bunch of those instances, including when we met. We call them "flying pig" moments. We sit across from each other at an antique "partner desk", a bronze "pig with wings" sits in the center.

You thoughts are understandable, but we all have our gifts and use them in our own way. It sounds as if you have made your own substantial contributions.

warwick.hoy · #13 04-06-2011, 07:30 PM

First my condolences on the loss of your mentor. I find myself compelled to uncover his body of work.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dr. Cheese

I guess I need to work a whole lot harder!

I feel this is a double edged sword.

Hard work is admirable,...the stress of working (physically or mentally) hard can take a toll on your body and lead to an early grave.

Striking a balance between the two is key.

I find that if you enjoy what you do (I enjoy what I do) the work doesn't seem so hard. But how many people like their jobs though.

I certainly don't advocate mediocrity and I agree that a lot of people do not live up to their potential. But I'm loathed to sacrifice my happiness and quality of life in the pursuit of mainstream's version of success.

Dr. Cheese · #14 04-06-2011, 10:23 PM

Guys, I appreciate the kind words. Seriously, I don't regret spending time chasing women, I just regret wasting time chasing women with whom I had no realistic shot!

Looking at Manning Marable, I think his life is a good example for young people in that he figured out what he was good at, and he realy focused intensely on it. I think the key to really getting good at something is to really know who you are, and maximizing your positive attributes. That is a lesson we can all take from any stellar achiever we admire.

MakiSupaStar · #15 04-06-2011, 10:48 PM

They did a little piece on him on NPR. I thought of you Cheese.

bassrique · #16 04-06-2011, 11:07 PM

How did Manning Marable feel about a cadre that murdered tens of millions?

Dr. Cheese, I checked you out a bit before buying a bass from you. You're cool. Please don't be tempted to follow MM's footsteps.

I've had family murdered by communists, with the rest ruined. Don't go down that road. You are doing just fine as you are.

There is no need for you to second guess yourself. You are one of my favorite TBers.

Dr. Cheese · #17 04-06-2011, 11:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bassrique

How did Manning Marable feel about a cadre that murdered tens of millions?

Dr. Cheese, I checked you out a bit before buying a bass from you. You're cool. Please don't be tempted to follow MM's footsteps.

I've had family murdered by communists, with the rest ruined. Don't go down that road. You are doing just fine as you are.

There is no need for you to second guess yourself. You are one of my favorite TBers.

I said I did not want to discuss his politics. I am only talking about his work ethic and productivity, Those are positive traits whether you like someone's philosophy or not.

As for myself, I am left of center by a wide margin, but I know it much easier for Western intellectuals to admire dictators from afar than it is to live under them.

bassrique · #18 04-06-2011, 11:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dr. Cheese

I said I did not want to discuss his politics. I am only talking about his work ethic and productivity, Those are positive traits whether you like someone's philosophy or not.

As for myself, I am left of center by a wide margin, but I know it much easier for Western intellectuals to admire dictators from afar than it is to live under them.

OK. Cool.

Dr. Cheese · #19 04-07-2011, 07:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bassrique

OK. Cool.

BTW, thanks for the kind words too.

Also, I am sorry to her that your family suffered under such oppression.

**nutdog** · #20 04-07-2011, 07:48 AM

Sorry, but posting a "tribute to provide an example of a great over achiever in a given field" and then not wanting to discuss the achievements makes about as much sense as saying "I admire Karl Marx but I don't want this to get political".

Calling someone that admires dictators from afar an intellectual is a misnomer.