Dear Subscriber,
The worst confrontation I’ve ever had with a fellow academic was an argument about the old dictum of whether a student was “an empty pitcher to be filled with knowledge by a teacher,” or “an already knowledgeable mind that needed to learn techniques and ways to build upon that knowledge for specific purposes.”
It’s always been my philosophy as a teacher that the second option was my preferred method, but my supervisor, because he believed his way was the only true method of student learning, did not approve of my teaching at all. Thus, I lost my job, and my arguments fell on deaf ears. I found out that he came from the Texas State college system where students were also often seen as empty pitchers.
I am reminded of the improvised saying (by me) that “Empty pitchers have big ears.” Why? Because those students already have common sense and hear that my method is the best method. 
This newsletter’s theme is, of course, dystopias, both fictional and real. I am often pulled into the Hindu belief that we are now living in the apocalyptic and necessary change called the “Kali Yuga Age.” Philosophically, this means when the balance of evil humans to good humans swings in favor of the evil ones. Therefore, we must eventually experience the destruction of the universe in order for the new universe to be born populated by wise and peaceful folks again. Oh well. I can’t wait!
While I wait, I enter anthologies that appeal to my own idea of dystopia in addition to creating parallel universe dystopias frozen in 1943 Poland. My writing is my only means of self-expression to utilize my subconscious, which is the larger portion of the mind that is beneath the surface of existence in the “real world.”
For example, with the tremendous rise in homeless populations, urban crime, and shooting deaths, these kinds of underground bunker apartments may become the future of life on this planet. I wrote a story (still being considered by a Crime Noir publication) called Recovery based on a fictional business of opioid recovery homes. In the story, my protagonist visits a former missile silo owned by a Black billionaire that’s similar to what’s described here. 
As my special “doomsday” subscriber, you can read my story for free here. However, I may bug you about buying the entire anthology called The One Percent: Tales of the Super Wealthy and Depraved when it comes out in the fall through Rockandahardplace.com. I’m certain all the stories will be very cool if you enjoy speculative dystopias that make seriously satirical fun of the super-rich.
That’s about it. If you want to buy an entire series of my historically dystopian mysteries from the past, then go here.
Kind regards, and have a great week!
James Musgrave
