November 3, 2020
Where We Are and How We Got Here
An Editorial By Leuterers Editor-in-Chief Jed Murrow
Fellow citizens of not only America, but the world as well, I think it is critical we all consider where we are and how we got here. It is engaging in this act of thought which allows for us to improve our positions no matter what they are or where they may currently reside in this life.
It is the very act of thought which stands as a bastion – a bastion of thinking – behind this fine publication and its commitment to bring to you, our dear readers, only the finest of bastions of thought and the thinking which has led to them.
And let us not forget what that celebrated thinker Rene Descartes said back in the 1600’s, “Cogito, ergo sum.” – translated literally as “pastrami, on rye”. Philosophers the world over for hundreds of years since have determined that famous sandwich order to be but a colloquialism of the day in which the agreed upon literal meaning was, “I think, therefore I am.”
Those philosophers of old and those of today will rarely if ever discuss what Descartes’ brother Jim said. Yes, Rene had a brother. Jim Descartes. He was a well known plumber in Cannes, France and ran quite the successful business for many years. His company slogan was famous across the region, “Jim’s Plumbing – Relax in the Cannes and We’ll Take Care of the Rest.”
What is little known however was the many year feud Jim and his brother Rene had over the sandwich order. Jim Descartes was adamant that when ordering a sandwich one must show respect for the baker – bakers operated sandwich shops in those days. You must order the bread, always the bread before the pastrami. Thus Jim Descartes’ unknown yet most famous utterance, “Ergo sum, cogito.” Translated literally as, “Rye, then the pastrami.”
Applying the colloquialism of the day factor, Jim Descartes was in fact doing two things, just like his famous brother Rene. He was ordering a sandwich in his own specific manner while also suggesting, “I am, therefore I think,” stating he in fact exists as a result of his ability to think.
For years Jim and Rene would argue and argue the question, “Do we exist because we think or do we think because we exist?” The argument which started out as simple good spirited sibling rivalry devolved over the years into a full fledged feud. Between the knock down drag out fights in bakeries and bars and the constant stream of profanities verbally hurled at each other it was decided by the town’s Council that one of the brothers must leave. It was Cannes, after all. The tourism industry was important and nobody wanted to see a philosopher and plumber fighting in the streets. It was bad for business.
And that is how Rene Descartes ended up in the Netherlands. And this, dear readers, this is exactly the sort of reporting we at Leuterers News Service are committed to bringing to you. Deep research with true investigative reporting creating fairly accurate and usually reliable stories to help you stay informed and hopefully improve your position with regard to that information.
In closing, the question posed above, “Where we are and how we got here.” having been addressed, yet possibly not answered is…. okay, likely not answered or even addressed. Alright, so it was ignored entirely. But be that as it may, the point is we are all Descartes brothers and sisters so let us not feud and rather share information and find joy in doing so and work toward feeling comfortable dancing naked around bonfires singing Grateful Dead songs under night skies shining with moons, planets, stars, galaxies, and endless possibility.
