THE DAILY BEAT: Gandhi was a beat

Tuesday, October 28, 2008

Gandhi was a beat

I'm thinking that Mathatma Gandhi was a beat character. Any number of his actions would mirror the Kerouactions discussed in The Beat Handbook. And, regardless of your definition of "beat," he fit the bill. He certainly was "beaten down," choosing to renounce material wealth and living among people of little means. On the other hand, he certainly was "beatific," given his spiritual focus and his solidarity with "the poor"* (note J.C.'s admonitions to same in the "Beatitudes"). No less than Albert Einstein is credited as saying, "Generations to come will scarcely believe that such a one as this ever in flesh and blood walked upon this earth."**

The aphorism attributed to Gandhi that I really connect to is this: Ask yourself if the next step you contemplate is of any use to the poorest person on the planet.** Now that's a pretty good litmus test for any of us, beat or not.

IS THE NEXT STEP YOU CONTEMPLATE OF ANY USE TO THE POOREST PERSON ON THE PLANET?

*I don't like this term!
**Quote and aphorism from Dear, J. (n.d.). Mahatma Gandhi, Apostle of nonviolence: An introduction. Retrieved from http://www.fatherjohndear.org/pdfs/mahatmagandhiapostleofnonviolence.pdf on October 28, 2008.

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Reviews of The Beat Handbook

Gerald Nicosia, author of the acclaimed Kerouac biography Memory Babe, said The Beat Handbook is "full of Jack's heart."

Jared Randall, author of the excellent book of poetry, Apocryphal Road Code, said this about The Beat Handbook: "Sometimes a book comes along at just the right time. In my wandering pack of experiences, I find they often do. Enter The Beat Handbook by Rick Dale."

Kenneth Morris, Kerouacian extraordinaire, said this:
"I just finished reading Rick Dale's beautiful utterance and call to action of Kerouac mind-set and zen sensibilities. It made me laugh and reflect on my own life and road I have naturally grooved into after absorbing the Kerouac canon. The road less traveled always had my name on it. And that has made all the difference. The Beat Handbook 100 Days of Kerouactions reaffirms the attitudes and ideology that made the Beats and Kerouac the important men of ideas that America (and the world) thirsted for, needed, and swallowed whole. Beautiful, absorbing, Top Ten whipsmart from my articulate, tender-hearted friend and fellow traveler. Highly recommended."