Friends of Aesthetic Realism
       Countering the Lies
“It’s a lie, and not a well told one at that.
  It grins out like a copper dollar.”

                  —Abraham Lincoln

Statement by Christopher Balchin, Social Studies Teacher

As to the lie about higher education, Mr. Balchin writes: The idea that Aesthetic Realism discourages a person from furthering their education is ludicrous. I graduated with a BA in philosophy, politics and economics from Brasenose College, Oxford. I’ve taken approximately 24 college courses since I began studying Aesthetic Realism. In fact, while I was having Aesthetic Realism consultations, my consultants encouraged me to study Spanish, because many of the students I teach speak this language at home and having more knowledge of it could make me a more effective teacher!

I don’t know anything that encourages a person’s mind more than Aesthetic Realism. It encourages you to see everything more accurately. That’s what it’s done for me, and I already had what most people would call a pretty good education—and Aesthetic Realism has encouraged me to value that education truly, the way I always should have. I’m more grateful NOW for what I learned at Cranbrook School and Oxford University than I ever used to be. And since I began my study of Aesthetic Realism I received a master’s degree from the City University of New York (City College).

As to other statements by Adam Mali. Adam Mali’s characterization of Aesthetic Realism, the Aesthetic Realism Foundation, and people who teach or take courses there, is bizarre. I’m not even going to dignify his foolish statements about vacations, leisure time and suchlike. He says “individualism is definitely discouraged.” I don’t know what planet he was on, to say this. He’s like a child who had the opportunity to study with Liszt and then complains years later, “I would surely have been a great pianist if Herr Franz hadn’t discouraged all my attempts to learn the piano!” The way he writes takes Aesthetic Realism out of the real world into some weird nightmare realm where he looks noble and hurt, and it’s just not true.

I particularly object to the way he writes about Ellen Reiss, the Class Chairman of Aesthetic Realism, who is my teacher in both the Aesthetic Realism Explanation of Poetry class and the professional classes where I am learning how to teach Aesthetic Realism. One of the reasons I respect Ms. Reiss very much is that she always wants you to be fair to, thoughtful about, interested in other people—as she is—whether they study Aesthetic Realism or not, whether they are in New York or Japan, whether they are someone you never met or your own mother. I see this firsthand in every class I go to. It’s her purpose in every class and it’s beautiful. She also happens to be (and you’d never have an inkling of this from his spleen) the funniest person I’ve ever met, and her humour is the kind where you laugh and feel clean. She certainly doesn’t tell me what to do; she teaches me how to see things and people in a way I am increasingly proud of—which is what she does for everyone. Because of what I’ve learned from her (and from other teachers and colleagues), I’m a kinder son, a better husband, a better friend, a better teacher, a more integrated person, a better union delegate, a better citizen, have a sharper mind, a sweeter disposition, a warmer heart, and I could say much, much more.

 

READ WHAT'S TRUE—
  • Read statements by many individual men and women
  • Reviews from the NY Times Book Review, Saturday Review, Library Journal, Harlem Times, Popular Photography, and more
  • The poetry by Eli Siegel, so greatly respected by William Carlos Williams and many others
  • Read lectures by Eli Siegel on subjects as diverse as literature, love, & economics
  • What is learned in classes taught by Ellen Reiss

  • A Little Anthology of Comments (Some Funny We Hope) on Further Misrepresentations.

    >> Continue

    "On the Pleasures and Advantages of Anonymity: An Ode"—
    >> Continue

    A Dramatic and Cautionary Tale about an Unknown and Very Unimportant Person

    There once was a young man of ancient Greece named Milos. And Milos knew Socrates. He did not like Socrates because the great man asked far too many questions.... >> Continue

    Statements by Friends of Aesthetic Realism

    Barbara Allen
    Frances Amello
    Jerry Amello
    Christopher Balchin
    Mara Bennici
    David Berger
    Alice Bernstein
    Rachel J. Bernstein
    Barbara Buehler
    Gina Buffone
    Beverly Sue Burk
    Maureen Butler
    Jeffrey Carduner
    Margot Carpenter
    Lori & Robert Colavito
    Albert Corvino
    Nicholas Corvino
    Henry D'Amico
    Matthew D’Amico
    Ernest DeFilippis
    Vincent DiPietro
    Carol Driscoll
    Donita Ellison
    Anne Fielding
    Lorraine Galkowski, RN
    Pamela Goren
    Edward Green
    Avi Gvili
    Ames Huntting
    Mark Lale
    Dale Laurin
    Rose Levy
    Timothy Lynch
    Lorraine Mahoney, RN
    Derek Mali
    Glenn Mariano
    Haroldo Mauro Jr.
    Joseph Meglino
    Pauline Meglino
    Allan Michael
    Marvin Mondlin
    Robert Murphy
    Michael J. Nadeau
    Meryl Nietsch-Cooperman
    Ruth Oron
    Arnold Perey, PhD
    Lauren Phillips
    Jack Plumstead
    Maria Plumstead
    Rosemary Plumstead
    Rev. Wayne Plumstead
    Marcia Rackow
    Zvia Ratz
    Ann Richards
    Anthony C. Romeo
    Leila Rosen
    Rhonda Rosenthal
    Sally Ross
    Claudia Senatore
    Sheldon Silverman
    Jeffrey Sosinsky, MD
    Barbara Spetly McClung
    Joseph Spetly
    Faith K. Stern
    John Stern
    Arlene Sulkis
    Devorah Tarrow
    Jaime R. Torres, DPM
    Dennis L. Tucker
    Francine Weber
    Steve Weiner
    Miriam Weiss
    Carrie Wilson


    Also see the Aesthetic Realism Online Library  the Aesthetic Realism Foundation  Terrain Gallery  What scholars, writers, artists & teachers are saying  the Aesthetic Realism Theatre Company  & Links

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