Wednesday Wisdom

Statue: Robert Burns and his Dog, Boston MA

Who?

We all know the song "Auld Lang Syne" published by Scotsman Robert "Rabbie" Burns, published in 1788. However, it was written in the Old Scottish dialect making it seem like a foreign language. On New Year's Eve, as the clock ticks towards midnight, millions of people sing or most likely just hum this traditional song with it’s strange ole Scottish words.

Robert Burns (1759-1796) was a Scottish poet and lyricist, widely regarded as the national poet of Scotland. He is known for his contributions to Scottish literature and cultural identity, and his work continues to be celebrated and admired around the world. Burns was born in Alloway, Scotland, and spent much of his life working as a farmer, although he also worked as an excise man and a clerk. Despite his humble origins, he became a popular and influential figure in his lifetime, and his poetry and songs continue to be widely read and performed today.

What he produced

Some of his most famous works include "Auld Lang Syne," "To a Mouse," and "A Red, Red Rose." Singer Bob Dylan has cited "A Red, Red Rose" as the most influential poem in influencing the style of his songs while authors Steinbeck ("To a mouse") and JD Salinger ("into the Rye") have cited themes and verses in their writings. In England, he influenced literary giants of Romantic literature like Wordsworth, Cooley, and Shelly.

While he is the National poet of Scotland and revered around the globe for poems and songs, undeniably "Auld Lang Syne" is his most recognizable work. For everyone that has promised," I am finally going to learn the lyrics before New Years' eve" ......

Should auld acquaintance be forgot, And never brought to mind? Should auld acquaintance be forgot, And auld lang syne!

Chorus:

For auld lang syne, my jo, For auld lang syne, We'll tak a cup o' kindness yet, For auld lang syne.

And surely ye'll be your pint-stowp! And surely I'll be mine! And we'll tak a cup o' kindness yet, For auld lang syne.

We twa hae run about the braes, And pou'd the gowans fine; But we've wander'd mony a weary fit, Sin auld lang syne.

We twa hae paidl'd in the burn, Frae morning sun till dine; But seas between us braid hae roar'd Sin auld lang syne.

And there's a hand, my trusty fiere! And gie's a hand o' thine! And we'll tak a right gude-willie waught, For auld lang syne.

The chorus repeats the phrase "for auld lang syne," which means "for old times' sake." The refrain suggests that the singer and the person they are addressing should take a drink together as a way of celebrating their long-standing friendship and reminiscing about the good times they have shared. It conveys a sense of nostalgia and a desire to hold onto the memories and bonds of the past even as we head towards new chapters or adventures.

• The words "my jo" and "fiere" are Scottish terms of endearment. The word "pint-stowp" refers to a measure of whisky, and "gowans" are daisies. The phrase "sin auld lang syne" means "since long ago." The phrase "right gude-willie waught" means "a good-will drink."

• Statue: Robert Burns and his Dog, Boston MA (formerly in Winthrop MA)

2022: Why do we care?

Robert Burns most commonly associated with literary movement known as "The Romantic era" which was a literary, artistic, and intellectual movement that emphasized intense emotion as an authentic source of aesthetic experience. Moving away from previous literary styles like odes, epics, and satire, the Romantics pursued literary manuscripts and prose as a way to highlight the virtues of the individual and the spirituality of nature. Although he is considered “Romantic”, which comes from the French word Romaunt which means a story told in verse, Burns is also associated with the Scottish Enlightenment movement. He was influenced by fellow Scotsman Adam Smith and his book The Theory of Moral Sentiments. Scottish Enlightenment coincided with the birth of the United States and ideas such as individual liberty, fraternity, constitutional government, separation of church and state, tolerance, and social justice can be found in both Smith and Burns works.  

In Burn's poem "For a' That and a' That," the lines demonstrate the themes of equality and justice, promoting Enlightenment ideals.

"Then let us pray that come it may, (As come it will for a' that,) That Man to Man, the world o'er, Shall brithers be for a' that."

Poetry, music, and literature have always played an important role in spreading philosophical movements and bringing awareness to positive change. Robert Burns understood these ideals of Scottish pride and used his work to promote them.

More importantly, consider this a public service announcement to remind you of the words of ole Rabbie Burns on New Year’s Eve. 

Happy New Year……………………….

Philosophy is the art of thinking, the building block of progress that shapes critical thinking across economics, ethics, religion, and science. 

METAPHYSICS: Literally, the term metaphysics means ‘beyond the physical.’ Typically, this is the branch that most people think of when they picture philosophy. In metaphysics, the goal is to answer the what and how questions in life. Who are we, and what are time and space?

EPISTEMOLOGY: This is the study and understanding of knowledge. The main question is how do we know? We can question the limitations of logic, how comprehension works, and the ability (or perception) to be certain. 

LOGIC: The study of reasoning. Much like metaphysics, understanding logic helps to understand and appreciate how we perceive the rest of our world. More than that, it provides a foundation for which to build and interpret arguments and analyses. 

ETHICS: The study of morality, right and wrong, good and evil. Ethics tackles difficult conversations by adding weight to actions and decisions. Politics takes ethics to a larger scale, applying it to a group (or groups) of people. Political philosophers study political governments, laws, justice, authority, rights, liberty, ethics, and much more.

AESTHETICS: What is beautiful? Philosophers try to understand, qualify, and quantify what makes art what it is. Aesthetics also takes a deeper look at the artwork itself, trying to understand the meaning behind it, both art as a whole and art on an individual level. A question an aesthetics philosopher would seek to address is whether or not beauty truly is in the eye of the beholder.