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 Rhonda Rosenthal, New York City Teacher

As to the lie about education, Ms. Rosenthal says: Not only is it a lie that higher education is discouraged, I am happy to tell that when I learned from Aesthetic Realism that “the purpose of education is to like the world through knowing it,” and what that means, I no longer wanted to drop out of college. I went on to do post-graduate work, and I became a teacher. My respect and high opinion of Eli Siegel, not “devotion,” is based on scholarship.

As to the lie about independence, Ms. Rosenthal says: Contrary to what these web pages want you to think, through my study of Aesthetic Realism I’ve become a more independent and a more thoughtful person. In Aesthetic Realism classes and consultations, I’ve always been asked to see what I feel and to know and state my own opinions. Some of the benefits of this are: I have more self-respect, and am likewise respected at work and in the community. My colleagues have elected me to various positions: for example, as union delegate, and to sit on search committees for principals. Their reason: “We know you will be fair.”

As to the lie about the family, Ms. Rosenthal says: My mother, who is 87 years old, studies Aesthetic Realism. In recent years she is excited to be studying anthropology. Together we are learning to see more meaning in the whole world, and to see the meaning in one another. I love her. I represent my family, most of whom do not study Aesthetic Realism, in saying that through what my mother and I have been learning our family is closer.

Once I was tormented because the way I felt about my father, the person I was most angry with, didn’t make sense to me. This made me cold to him. How swiftly that ended when I began to learn from Aesthetic Realism to see him as having feelings as real as my own. He passed away some time ago, but I’m sure he would join me in protesting the untruthful way Aesthetic Realism is portrayed on those web pages.

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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