David -Adam discussion

[mkarp11444 at aol.com]

Good discussion. Firstly I feel delighted to be part of the European scene. Yes, they do think philosophically. There is a different quality to the witing and training. Not better just different. You are making me think of the rigor of thinking here which is a cultural style, same as South America has their's,  althiugh Brazil is  different from  Argentina,  for example. Depending on our academic style flavors and influences, we seem to be emulating or debating with our fore fathers.  In Moscow we spent a whole session on the influence of Leo and Alexi  Tolstoy on peoples thinking and decision making, then Moreno and Freud entered the scene. Interestingly enough, the session led to a sociodrama about men and women. The derivative of which was the protagonist's own work through this socio-psychodrama. Many during the session, talked to the 'icons' both posiively and negatively. For example, Leo Tolstoy,  at around 90 years old left his wife,  ten children and the vast farm they had built to "find himself" and he womanized in, what some felt was a disgraceful manner. . People were still angry about that. Another group member slightly genuflected to Tolstoy and said, "Thank you. Through your writing, I worked out a lot of my life issues." Others quoted Alexi, a poet and novelist they were all brought up on, and talked about how his work influenced them. Such an interesting session and a good way to teach literature as well as helping the protagonist. There were 40 people. I did something I have never done before. We worked with the protagonist for two days. We were all riveted by his and our rich productions. So nice to keep discovering something new. On the third day he had ti leave because of work committments. We had to put an empty chair or sapce or extra comments for him as we laughed about missing him. A charming fellow who said he was a "snob" because he came from nobility but the group perceived him as modest. His issue was how to integrate both a noble and peasant, Jewish background. Two different heritages from opposite sides of the family.  As to inventing on Moreno's inventions, well a few have dared and for that we thank them. I guess we are all so indebted to Moreno and his pioneering ways that to honor him is to use it and to accept many of his theories and suggestions. But it is also honoring to invent on invention. Isn't that what was "Das Stegreiftheatre" was all about in Vienna? Poets, dancersn philosophers, psychoiatrists were inswpired by the work of the other. Do we test, teach, verify or disprove each others new theories? I think not and David is rigtht to raise it. Maybe we don't take seriousy enough the fine work of each other. We work hard at thinking and re-thinking and then formulating anew and inventing. Hats off to those taking risks in that way. Moreno once said to me, "Marcia, you're too nice. You'll never get anywhere like that. Be more risk taking. Anyone worthwhile is controversial." Have I stirred anyone up? Love from the wandering Jew in London.
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