Beauty in The Belly of The Beast

North America » United States » Utah
November 19th 2007

Published: November 19th 2007

Red sandstone stalwarts rise sheer from Zion’s dappled valley floor. A play of afternoon light draws over the autumnal colors, the likely catalyst to a fleeting thought so loaded my mind reeled at its enormity, detaching me from the corporeal. Flashbacks from the previous two weeks were checked and counter-checked with sentiments and impressions from my years of travel, evaluating and filtering ... Read Full Entry

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Photos: 62, Displayed: 21

19th November 2007

Kate Hildebrand
Kate Hildebrand

Dodge City what a pity
Best blog ever, I love those National Parks! Y'all come to Oklahoma next time, our politicians are the craziest :3

19th November 2007

Ali
Ali Watters

Fantastic...
So true, so well written and so beautifully illustrated.

20th November 2007

Marcoelitaliano
Marco Daprile

Welcome back!
So, you were in the US. Nice to read something yours again. As for your point of view on the media (strictly in philosophical terms) you might just apply the same principle infinitely and never know where the truth lies. i.g. one could claim that those who claim that those who are favourable to a war have been manipulated are actually those who have been manipulated. And so on infinetely. Best bet: pay attention to Jennifer and keep the damn political show turned off :-)

20th November 2007

Kate's mom
non-member comment

Heartbreaking, but true.
Well said, aspiring nomad...great name, btw. America the paradox. Your photos capture the beauty, your words, the pain. When you have time, check out the Redwoods and the Oregon coast.... Happy adventuring!

20th November 2007

aspiringnomad
Jason

Don't believe the truth?
I agree with your philosophical stance Marco. "We Know the truth not only by reason, but also by the heart" Blaise Pascal, who also said "There are truths on this side of the Pyrenees, which are falsehoods on the other"...Still "Chase after the truth like all hell and you'll free yourself, even though you never touch its coattails" Clarence Darrow.

20th November 2007

Stephen Paul
o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o

Disneyland and Sandstone
The belly of beast isnt so bad huh? Everything west of the Rockies allows us to conveniently forget about political bullshit and focus on whats most important- seeing the gemstones that the natural world has to offer! The Goering quote is haunting, if only George W. had the balls to eat a cyanide containing glass ampule we would all save ourselves the trouble of an impeachment!

20th November 2007

deleted_899
deleted_899

from Mika
Hello Jason, thanks for your response to my post, clarifying your position on Tibet. It was interesting to read your views on media in America. I would agree with you on many of the problems you've pointed out, but I'm wondering, do you have any solutions or better alternatives to try and prevent these problems? Is this as good as it gets? Mika in Finland.

27th November 2007

Cesar
non-member comment

Eddie,
I am this old fart from Southern California who writes poorly. However, I am one who knows what good writing looks like, and your essay is the best I've read so far. I love reading and re-reading your essay and also have read it to my wife. Thanks Brit for sharing your experiences.

24th December 2007

dan eire
daniel gosling

some good reading
Hi Jason, Your blog reminded me of my summer trip to the States this August. I went to Burning Man but besides that serene interlude I also felt (again) the problems you discussed. I study Russian in Dublin and I just finished an essay comparing aspects of the totalitarian reality portrayed in the Russian classic Dystopian novel 'WE' to modern America. I recommend reading the German Psycologist Erich Fromm's 1942 novel "Fear of Freedom". It was a real eye opener for me and I can even claim to have gotten a bit high from reading it...if this is even possible. He goes beyond the norm also by offering solutions to society's problems. Essential reading for anyone interested in sociology in the context of modern issues of genuine personal freedom.

8th April 2008

Karen
non-member comment

From the Belly of the Beast.
All nations of the world have the media. Ours are just more free than most to say what they think. Its the "hooked" people that keep them in business. Personally, they don't speak for me and there is a lot like me here. Certainly, there are a lot of people in this world eager to judge people they really know nothing about. Do you have to have travel visa's to enter into yours or any other country. Its only right and our country is no different than any other in that respect. I love my country and I admit (like the world over) theres a lot wrong with it but theres also a whole lotta right. Great pictures, by-the-way.

26th July 2008

Kabir Alam
non-member comment

I 4 n I
I do realy appritiate yr natural photography. Inever seen such images.

18th October 2008

Bob
non-member comment

Refreshing
Hello Jason thank you for articulating what a 'traveler' sees and feels when coming to a land that nobody quite calls home (at least out loud). Although you might feel it at first, you are not so different from most the locals. They listen to Rush. They make fun of the other culture. They have a sense of humor if you know what joke to tell. It is all about knowing what joke to tell - and that isn't that hard when it comes down to it.

24th November 2010

riadi
non-member comment

mantap
nice pic.......

28th February 2011

elvia
non-member comment

cutE
iii likE diz pix iz hellA rEd mA fAvoRiitE koloR

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Beauty in The Belly of The Beast

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