Apparently some of the best olive oil is produced in the African deserts of Morrocco. I assumed that a place like Greece or Italy could make this claim, not a space devoid of much life, much less life-giving ability; however, therein lies the key to the high-quality olive oil. The soil these trees grow on lacks nutrition, causing them to, even when in full bloom, often appear as if they are dead. The trees must then go into what can best be described as overdrive, resulting in a greater quantity of polyphenol, an ingredient containing anti-inflammatory properties. So the extra work put in brings about a super-charged fruit. Essentially, a miracle fruit. I’m sure the example of the Moroccan olive tree has been and will be used by productivity gurus, counselors, preachers, the list goes on. For you I’m just going to let the trees sit… or stand, rather (though sometimes barely), and let you decide for yourself what to do with the information.
Another thing I’m mostly just gonna let sit regards another type of tree. Up until it was chopped down in 1964 a bristlecone tree named Prometheus standing in Great Basin National Park in Nevada was considered to be the oldest known organism in the United States. Prometheus’ death came at the hands of a fellow by the name of Donald Currey, who also happened to be an early adherent of what now constitutes the modern-day environmental movement. Seems like they got off to a real great start. No wonder that movement is so well, uh, pure in both motive and practice.
Speaking of decay…
While reading about the island of ancient Crete, I discovered that some of their best artwork was their pottery. Archeologists have uncovered beautifully handcrafted vases with simple yet pristine pictures painted onto them. However, it also became apparent that the older vases were more aesthetically pleasing than the newer ones. It was discovered that as time and Cretan civilization progressed the images on the vases became messier and busier, and the pottery itself was not as carefully molded as the ones that came before. The art experienced a bit of degeneration, and indicative in the decay was a seeming hurriedness, perhaps due to mass production as well as a declination of values.
Regarding the act of creation, to produce something good, whether it be art, technology, whatever, intense focus is vital. As well as a lack of distraction. In 1921 David Williams was accused and subsequently convicted of shooting and killing a police officer. He got a lighter sentence through pleading insanity, though he continued to insist that he was not guilty. While in prison, he began working on inventing a new type of gun, but assured the guards that his intention was not to break out; amazingly, the guards believed him, and he was allowed to continue working. The guards even helped him retrieve parts. Eventually, the invention led to the production of the M1 Carbine rifle, a gun that General MacArthur attributed to playing a vital role in both World War II and the Korean War. When explaining as to why he wasn’t going to use the gun to break out, Williams responded that he had too much work to do and that prison, with its lack of distractions, was a good place to do it. After the success of his invention, Williams was eventually released early. Initially, though, while back in society he struggled to replicate the creative success he’d had in prison. Don’t get yourself put in prison nor make your mind one, but temporary periods of solitude are vital, especially in today’s world.
Good lord that was an interesting read and I value the conclusion!
I really want to try that olive oil now; and yes I occasionally contemplate how bad prison really would be.