h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Great article. I've just posted it on my recommended reading list. I shall look forward to reading more.

Thankyou! I'll be honest, I was expecting a torrent of abuse for that, more specifically the last few paragraphs. I didn't think I would get away with suggesting that tampons would have been teabags a few years ago. But everyone that has been kind enough to express an opinion has been extremely supportive.

It doesn't really come across in the text, but the hermetic mode of thinking really appeals to me. I really am making effort to incorporate its ideals into my everyday life. It's difficult at times, because I freely admit that I can be a bit short tempered with people that I don't perceive as being as clever as me - I know that sounds hopelessly arrogant. But now, those people that I used to mock, I try to make an effort to see something special in them, something that they can bring to my life that no-one else can. It's difficult, but truly worth it when I see that one spark of the divine in someone I previously devoted my life to deriding.

I read somewhere - and am fond of endlessly repeating! - the quote that lies are as valid as the truth, because without lies, the truth means nothing. I think that's an important point too.

I've just re-read what I've written, and it sounds hopelessly pompous! But what I've said is true. I think at times we could all do with looking a little bit harder for the good in other people. I think getting to know my daughter better has helped me think this way, as has watching my nearly three year old nephew grow up. He came to stay with me a couple of times when his own house was having work done to it, and even watching him mis-behave is an experience. I used to steal a quick look at him before I left for work in the mornings, just for that sly, dummy in mouth smile he would give me on the odd occasion he was awake already. They make me feel like a God just for knowing them.

I like the way you describe your feelings. You definitely express humility rather than pomposity or arrogance. I think a very great many people practice an hermetic spirituality without ever realising it.

There is a wonderful etymology that I am reminded of which I'm sure you know already:

enthusiasm - meaning literally 'filled with God'

I have always been drawn towards passionate, enthusiastic people because they inspire and fuel that divine spark.

My New Webster's Dictionary lists the etymology of enthusiasm as 'enthousia', which they define as being 'possessed by a god' (small g). Now, my learned and difficult-to-spell friend Twophlag Gargleblap has been helping fill my head with sumerian nonsense, and the pedant in us would have us point out in The Exorcist, the young girl was 'enthused' with Pazuzu, if I quote Twophlag correctly. I now understand why, at school, my french teacher always said it was harder for foreign students to learn english thatn vice versa!

Have you ever seen the Eddie Murphy film 'Coming To America'? It's quite old. I imagine that encapsulates your last statement. Eddie Murphy has the chance to marry his parent's choice of girl, who despite being about as aesthetically pleasing as a human can get, had no spark in her at all. She did whatever her husband-to-be asked. But he travels to America from deepest fictional Africa (a difficult place to get to, the roads are terrible!) to look for the girl with the 'spark'. For me, hell must be being married to the former. Hell must be not having one opinion or idea of your own, whether it's worthy or not.

And I only came back to say what a great little hit-counter that was on your site!

It's certainly not heaven being married to the latter (from immediate personal experience), but it does makes for a rich, fascinating and entertaining life.

The etymology of words, and how their use and meaning evolves over time is deeply revealing. As it happens I wrote something relevant in another forum last night (see http://www.h2g2.com/forumframe.cgi?forum=31909&thread=37489). I guess you could view euphoria and melancholy as forms of possession by different gods. Is that how extreme moods were regarded in the past?