On dovecotes and specialized pigeon breeding: "With all of this focus on form, the pigeons begin to seem like crafts projects, moving statues on display. It's easy to forget these are living birds, carrying out their lives in extraordinary circumstances" (50).
On homing pigeon racing: "Every release involves letting go" (73).
On feral pigeons as superdoves: "A superhero is simply a person who acquires special powers through some transformative event; domestication gave pigeons the ability to become the superpower they are today" (110).
On Project PigeonWatch: "The project, though it moves slowly has a legitimate scientific goal: to try to understand why the colors and patterns of feral pigeons are so diverse and how color influences how pigeons choose their mates. Enticing children into science through an appreciation for the commonplace rather than the exotic has the potential to reverse some of the common hierarchies of science" (183).
Believe me when I tell you that I have never really noticed pigeons--as a nuissance or otherwise. Since I grew up in the country, I did not deal with them as "sky rats." But, skimming through the new nonfiction at the library I found Superdove by Courtney Humphries. Newly published, slightly cheeky, and so frankly quotidian...I had to see what it was. Loved it--not necessarily as "literature" but as a fascinating read that interweaves scientific and social research with the personal. (I wouldn't even mind more of a personal slant). Conversational, honest, detailed--the book pleased my desire for fun intellectualism as well as offering insight into human nature. My favorite part of the book may be that Humphries willingly approaches a subject that seems so normal and recognizes it as a thing of beauty (as Alexander Smith says, "The world is everywhere whispering essays and one need only be the world's amanuensis"). Noticing and rejoicing in the "commonplace" will probably expand our minds (and souls) more than exotic adventures ever can. Exotic adventures do not usually provide a true experience; for example, people travel abroad to see the world and cultures and food and art but unless they move to that place, live there for twenty years absorbed in the town and life, making it theirs (and thus, commonplace) they cannot communicate a real knowledge of what they even discuss. The commonplace is all that we have, we just need to see our own.
Some of my commonplaces: reading (obviously), writing, cleaning, biking, pregnancy, making dinner, washing dishes in an old sink, avoiding my cell phone, checking my e-mail, complaining (too much of a commonplace event), eating ice cream, talking with Wesley.
Could the future of academia really be in the commonplace? Would it be more beneficial? As in, would it impact people outside of academia that way? Perhaps this is the way to approach literacy: we see it as a commonplace, but we don't really appreciate it--or we blow it out of proportion. We need to essay on it, not a transformative event, but a release: letting go of our blinders.
No comments:
Post a Comment