by John Rohn Hall
On this glorious Spring morning in Santa Fe, New Mexico, I found myself crooning “Strawberry Fields Forever” to the blossoming butterfly bushes. The hit song was recorded for the bemusement and ponderation of future generations by The Beatles, and written by John Lennon, Paul McCartney, John Winston, and Paul James. Confusion ensued over a few of the words. A half century ago, when the song was new and freshly put to vinyl, the lyrics made perfect sense. Of course I was smoking a lot of weed in those days. Socrates is credited with saying that the only thing we can truly know is that we can know nothing. Enigmatic phrases from many of their songs would indicate that The Beatles concurred.
A quick internet search turned up four distinctly different versions of this single seemingly insightful but somewhat puzzling line.
4. I think I know I mean a yes
Agnotology is a wide-open field and, although even an advanced degree will not likely produce any income, it does have its advantages. First of all, no ridiculously expensive college education is necessary. No wasted years spent memorizing, sleepless nights of study, the terror of testing…just to bring home a diploma to display in your library. Agnotologist sounds every bit as impressive as cardiologist, geologist, anthropologist, or ophthalmologist. Maybe more impressive than proctologist. Also my agnotology studies helped me land a job writing regular articles for The Greanville Post. Since this website operates for the purpose of spreading veritas rather than for the accumulation of lucrum, being appointed to the position of Senior Editor means more to me than landing a six figure job spinning yarns and telling lies for The New York Times…which cares little about veritas, and to which lucrum is everything.
An agnotologist is someone who studies culturally induced ignorance or doubt. A truth-seeker, and an inadvertent slayer of sacred cows. A student of what is and what is not. A decipherer of black, white, and gray.
Did you hear that sound? It was the four versions of the lyrics listed above, landing in my corner of lies. I just found the official Beatles website and discovered the truth, or at least some version of the truth:
5. I think a “No,” I mean a “Yes”.
John R. Hall is a street-trained agnotologist with an advanced degree in American Ignorance. Other hats include: photojournalist, novelist, restaurateur, mountaineer, grocer, nurseryman, and janitor. He’s written three novels which have been read by almost nobody: ‘Embracing Darwin’, ‘Last Dance in Lubberland’, and ‘Atlas fumbled’. An untrained writer and college drop-out, he began his short career in journalism writing the ‘Excursion’ column for The Jackson Hole News & Guide. More recently he penned the ‘Left Column’ for The Molokai Island Times; appropriately on the island once known as a leper colony. John currently resides, writes, and protests injustice in the shadow of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains, and walks among the spirits of those who once occupied the 79 Disappeared Pueblos. Read more John R Hall’s articles.
John R. Hall is a street-trained agnotologist with an advanced degree in American Ignorance. Other hats include: photojournalist, novelist, restaurateur, mountaineer, grocer, nurseryman, and janitor. He’s written three novels which have been read by almost nobody: ‘Embracing Darwin’, ‘Last Dance in Lubberland’, and ‘Atlas fumbled’. An untrained writer and college drop-out, he began his short career in journalism writing the ‘Excursion’ column for The Jackson Hole News & Guide. More recently he penned the ‘Left Column’ for The Molokai Island Times; appropriately on the island once known as a leper colony. John currently resides, writes, and protests injustice in the shadow of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains, and walks among the spirits of those who once occupied the 79 Disappeared Pueblos. Read more John R Hall’s articles. Note to Commenters
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2 comments
Hi John. Fascinating occupation and a new moniker for me, a lay person turned end of life reform activist, a self-described “grain of sand in the end of life oyster.” Sharing a little of my truth-seeking: When medical professionals first encounter my description of the Opaque Dying Marketplace they get offended and annoyed. Oh well. Even so, this meta-level obstacle to dying in, and therefore at, peace, is the 7th and last of my end of life lexicon, coming to mind many years after beginning to formulate it. Most everybody who can even tolerate thinking about end of life are still stuck thinking rosy thoughts that creating a document set (albeit partial, and admittedly absolutely required) and/or engaging in some spiritual practice (Buddhist or sage-ing, take your pick) will result in a peaceful decline. Talk about living lies. In solidarity…
Superbly thought out, thought-provoking, and well written.
Those back to back 45s [b-sides] in 1967, as the Fab Four were about to move once again to an even higher level of consciousness, were immediately wedged in my head as well. Strawberry Fields & I am The Walrus.
And I too found the wisdom of Zappa with his release of Freak Out where I was introduced to Suzy Creamcheese. While a “lifer’s brat” in the Air force’s nuclear missile force, where my stepfather was a silo crew chief in 1969. While stationed on the still-contested by the locals, island of Okinawa.