This morning, as is usual for me this time of year, I went down to Manhattan for my volunteer gig, teaching children's judo classes. The latest addition to our roster of senseis is a women's national champion judoka who is all of twenty-two years old. Like most judoka I have met, she is tough as nails but nice as can be- there is something magical about the sport, it involves combat with compassion. When an athlete throws an opponent, there is an emphasis on proper form so the thrown individual's safety is fostered. A few years back, when asked what he thought of MMA, one of my senseis thought for a minute, then answered, "It lacks warmth."
After we taught four kids' classes, we were hanging around the dojo and I started talking with our young champion about her field of study in college, and she mentioned that she studied ecology, with an emphasis on botanical systems. The conversation soon turned to the topic of slime molds, and she started rhapsodizing about these amazing, protean eukaryotes. She recounted how she convinced a professor, a fungi specialist, to order a slime mold for her. I had to ask, "Oooh, was it from Carolina Biological Supply?" Needless to say, we went down the nerdery rabbit hole, and the two of us were regaling Sensei Big Al about the wonders of slime molds, and our new sensei showed us gorgeous pictures of the slime mold colony that she had fostered, and we discussed the 'brainless intelligence' of these organisms. This sort of 'intelligence' in food location can mimic the highways of a country:
I'm pretty sure one of those slime trails is Route Nationale 7. When Sensei Frenchie's wife came to the dojo after our classes, we subjected her to this onslaught of nerding out. Slime molds just aren't popular enough, and we were in evangelical mode.
Me being me, I mentioned the Secret Science Club and suggested that I introduce sensei to mon bon ami Simon Garnier of the NJIT Swarm Lab- he's totally down with slime mold fandom. I envision a trail of New York nerdery to rival a slime mold's peregrinations across a culture medium.
I believe it was slime mold that (Eastern philosophy popularizer) Alan Watts used to use to discuss "illusion of self," insofar as it can act like separate beings or one being, depending on the circumstances. I think it was slime mold. If it was, it was one of his go-to examples. But it's been about a quarter century since I've read my Watts.
ReplyDeleteWhen people respect each other, the result is wonderful!
ReplyDeleteAnd now I have another subject for my after school STEAM team-thanks! Surely the slime mold will thank you for this, as well. :-)
Your interests are unusually broad - much more so than mine. All the biology and botany just leaves me cold - I'm much more stuck on the physics side.
ReplyDeleteAlso, too, your point on MMA is a very good one, and an important window into the evolution of American culture. We have consistently increased our embrace of savagery and brutality. From fighting sports to hunting to politics, we as a culture are cultivating our most base, bloodthirsty instincts and systematically eliminating empathy and altruism from our communities.
I think it's safe to say this won't end well...
I believe it was slime mold that (Eastern philosophy popularizer) Alan Watts used to use to discuss "illusion of self," insofar as it can act like separate beings or one being, depending on the circumstances.
ReplyDeleteI'm going to have to check that out, slime molds are fascinating organisms.
When people respect each other, the result is wonderful!
Funny how 'locker room talk' doesn't have to be repugnant.
Your interests are unusually broad - much more so than mine. All the biology and botany just leaves me cold - I'm much more stuck on the physics side.
I have come to love the physics side, largely by auditing these lectures, though my heart lies with the life sciences.