November 8, 1978

[DELETED SESSION]

[NOVEMBER 8, 1978 8:43 PM WEDNESDAY]

(Today I finished editing Chapter 11 of) Psyche--- [Seth's latest completed book, and wrapped it, with Chapter 10, for mailing to Prentice-Hall tomorrow. I am now caught up with Seth's work, except for whatever may lie ahead with] Mass Reality--- [but we regard that as current work, still in progress, of course. A strange feeling, after three years....]

(I asked Jane if Seth would comment on my throat difficulty. Lately my throat, or the roof of the mouth, has been uncomfortable. The pendulum told me yesterday that it was because I was concerned that our finishing) Psyche [this year would give us more money, which in turn would mean that our taxes next April would be higher ---a ridiculous worry, I agree, and quite in keeping with my past attitudes about money and taxes. I did think I'd learned some things about money and taxes, but this latest hassle makes me wonder. I was also hesitant to take the pendulum at face value, after the results achieved regarding the tooth data recently. But I figured I'd learned from that episode, so decided to try using it again.]

(We also agreed to try to get something for Frank Longwell, who has embroiled himself in a bind with taxes, business, "the Edgecomb affair,"

and related troubles, mostly unknown to us until very recently.)

(Jane continues her physical improvements---especially in the walking area, which has improved noticeably just in the last week. She hoped Seth would comment further.)

(A few notes, rather than at the end of the sessions:On Thursday, November 9, I had the two teeth extracted by Paul O'Neill---a difficult time indeed, but after an uncomfortable night and morning, am recovering as expected. I am glad it is over, needless to say. Further restorative, "positive" capping is planned.... Tam is due next Thursday, bringing the copyedited) Seven [with him.... No sooner had I returned home Thursday after the extractions, than Jane told me Eleanor Friede wanted to visit this Saturday. We said okay, hoping I'd feel better by then. So it's Friday night as I type this material. The face feels better. Jane and I hardly think it coincidental that Tam and Eleanor will be here within a few days of each other. Besides books both have in the works of Jane's, what other reasons could have caused them to decide on almost simultaneous visits, we wonder....)

Good evening.

(Good evening, Seth.)

Dissertation: taxes, indulgence, age, and beliefs---that is the headline (with amusement) .

Now: in your country, generally speaking, rich and poor alike are rovided with a multitude of services---many of course that are taken for granted.

The rich cannot buy a better light bulb than the poor---though they may have chandeliers galore, and electricity flows in your country through the poorest and richest areas as well. The rich and poor alike are rovided with fire protection and police protection. The rich do not have purer water than the poor. Rich and poor alike walk down the same city streets. The same street does not suddenly become gold beneath the foot of the rich man and woman---and potholes in city, state, or government roads are felt alike by the tires of the Cadillac and the lowly Volkswagen.

The sewer pipes carry away drainage from apartment houses and mansions and from trailers as well, eventually, and all of that must be paid for by the people.

When you were a young man in New York City, bringing in the cash, you aid your taxes without a qualm. After you and Ruburt met, you had little-enough money for some time, as you tried to find your way, and you had little taxes at all. You had enough to eat, and a warm apartment, so you were hardly deprived---either of you.

Though you paid little taxes, the fire and police protection were not withdrawn, and all of the services continued. Later it seemed that the two of you made your way alone almost as aliens in your society, couched only by your own joint courage and determination. Then, when you began to make decent money, you resented giving it to the government---for the reasons just given, and because the government, it seemed, was built upon beliefs with which you could find no accord. So why should you so support it, when all that you had achieved was gained in spite of your society?

Yet that government did indeed couch you, and now through your taxes you couch other younger people, who cannot contribute as yet. There is no doubt that the very wealthy abuse the system, and yet all in all it is a good one, couching the young while they learn, and is so doing, roviding a basis from which new beliefs can indeed emerge.

There are many on the edge of the system who are being carried, of course, and who also misuse the privilege. Despite that, however, at a hysical level, your money is turned to help others at one level, while your work allows you the freedom of creativity, and the rivilege of helping at a still higher level.

(9:00.) Ruburt rather good-naturedly appreciates being in the osition of paying taxes, since his upbringing was at the taxpayers' expense. I know you understand this---but carried to the extreme, that resentment would allow you barely enough to live on, and you actually would refuse to make money, because you so resent the high taxes connected with a good living. Yet financial security is important to both of you, because it allows you the freedom to create as you choose, and to follow this path. Yet remember that for all of its failings, your eace of mind is also the result of the American services that were available when you did not have much money, as they are now.

Let us change our viewpoint, and consider someone who thinks of financial security as a threat---or rather, believes that overall it is damaging to initiative. We come then to Frank Longwell.

He battles his beliefs about age, yet he is frightened that with age comes complacency, stagnation. All of his life he has sought comradeshi with others. He enjoys the easy commerce of the marketplace, the unpredictability of being a contractor.

He has, particularly in the past, been almost contemptuous of those with regular habits, regular ways. He has sought out to some extent the strange and the bizarre, and he believes, now, as he did earlier, in the importance of conflict as a way of keeping a man on his toes. One part of him loathes the idea of security. As he reached 50, his beliefs about age rose to the forefront. This was the time of caution and danger, when a man could retire, settle for security, give in to complacency---or even become a gentleman farmer---as he was at times tempted to do (with amusement) .

Now what does youth mean to many? A time of conflict, and emotional turmoil. Certainly the young are usually poor, rather than rich, and what is best to shock a complacent mind out of its complacency---its feared complacency? For Frank was not complacent, but feared that age would make him so---hence a conflict. Its very emotional vividness tells him he is not old and complacent, and its financial elements certainly make clear to him that he is not seeping in elderly security. No indeed---he is pushed toward action.

(9:16.) He likes the farmer image, but he is afraid that being a farmer would cut him off from the commerce with the marketplace that he now enjoys, and the hearty comradeship. His feelings about money are mixed. He is slightly contemptuous of it, while liking what it can buy. He is slightly contemptuous of the wealthy, or those in social ositions. He enjoys needling them, while at the same time traveling in their circle.

He has the same feelings toward authority, which is connected to past feelings about his father. So not paying the taxes allows him to give the boot to authority, while it still seems he has a good excuse.

Rest your fingers.

(9:22.) He lives above his means for certain reasons---because he enjoys a certain kind of self-indulgence, and the immediate satisfaction of desires, but also a kind of backhand sla against the socially prominent or wealthier associates---that he can live as well as they.

He is overall good-natured, of good intent, as ready to serve the indulgences of others as his own. But he is not what you call a businessman. He is too warm, in this particular context, now---he wants to be liked and approved of, so he lets others take advantage of him---and when he knows this it makes him angry. Yet he continues on the attern.

That is enough for now. I hope it will be some help to him---but he need not "scare himself to death" in order to prove that he is alive and vital. He is at his prime of his life.

(9:28.) Now: Ruburt's ribs and shoulder blades have bothered him simply because they are being stretched in new ways. His attitude has completely changed for the better. It is this of course that makes the walking possible, and that is releasing new energy from Framework 2.

You can indeed expect more frequent improvements, and I will give you whatever current information is helpful. I will also shortly, with [everyone's] permission, return to our book.

Do you have questions?

(Why did I translate the tax resentment into the voice or mouth difficulty?)

Simply a beautiful symbol of communication, for you wanted to voice your resentment again, but covered it over. And with Frank in terms of robabilities, the Edgecomb adventure may still go through---but Frank and his brother each gave the gentleman permission to act as he has.

Frank wanted that excitement. To a lesser extent now, the same applies to Eve, for she likes her unpredictability coated just a bit with some security. But this time of emotional turmoil takes their minds off the fact that their children are grown, and adds a new challenge---one that convinces them that life is still exciting, that you must be on your toes. It even brings them closer together.

End of session, unless you have questions.

(I told Seth we had no more, and he bid us a "hearty good evening" at 9:43 PM.)