© 2007 Institute of Current World Affairs
The Institute awards long-term fellowships to develop a deep understanding of an issue, country, or region outside the US and to share that understanding with a wider public.
Institute of Current World Affairs - Home Page

Below is a hobbled text version of a PDF document.
In order to read the actual document please click the link below and register if necessary.
(One-time registration is free and very quick.)
Read article

5/8/1969 - On the Threshold by Roger Reynolds

INSTITUTE OF CURRENT WORLD AFFAIRS RR May On Threshold Uguisudani machi Shibuya Tokyo Mr Richard Nolte Institute Current World Affairs Fifth Avenue New York N Y 10017 Dear Dick Buckminster Fuller Tokyo invited friends dinner Karen I fortunate enough included The company varied including Fuller associate Commander Francis Fane specialist submersible operations young physicist actress Hidetoshi Shibata former right Matsutaro Shoriki controls empire including Yomiuri Newspaper Yomiuri Symphony Yomiuri Giants baseball TBS Television Network Sogo Department Store Yomiuri Japan response Disneyland Southern Illinois University where Dr Fuller residence asked Thai Government establish design science institute Bangkok topping launching conference From Bangkok stops India Oxford University connection architectural before returning United States Five later scheduled Israel ground breaking ceremonies kibutz designed The means atypical vital drinking orange juice sparingly remarkable quantities while others belabor their bodies cocktails coffee Conversation brisk floor New Otani Hotel overlooking Tokyo lights Japanese appear enjoy As nation Fuller observed This variance finds elsewhere world Energetic persons emerge everywhere behaviour characteristic entire peoples Though present thought about straight forward manner before admitted enthusiasm racteristic students intellectuals Japan those engaged menial tasks One privately reservation there considerable amount waste effort Fuller finds signifi relatively advanced stage history Japanese national should still emblazoned It testimony thinks people enduring funda mental comprehension importance regenerative scheme Universe He easily traces these other traits Japanese their original condition Sea People The Dr Fuller likes observe master doesn those relax their vigilance slacken their efforts RR Concerning stopover India renowned architect mentioned there indigenous barrier effectively helping people there improve their condition Since average Indian ligiously directed towards earning better energies squandered present likely endanger future prospects therefore rejected Shibata asked might educate peoples whose beliefs inhibit implementation sweeping changes increasingly necessary Fuller responded change perfectly obvious What change physical cstituents environment The proper environment allow ought It imperative individual begin discover himself rather being believe essentially approach present schooling Each human being continued discover God transcendent order observation pattern great religious figures Buddha Mohammed Christ They experienced realizations within themselves Fuller clearly rofound faith natural intuitive faculty resents which distorted repressed fixed often erroneous ideas adults Ideas succeed presence cultural linguistic barriers objects design science A aloft forced expend large amounts energy relatively slight Hence frequently small quantities insects seeds The young cannot carried within mother aerodynamic reasons which swiftly generated evolved temporary portable shelters Energy additives still required addition contained nutrients practice sitting which provides necessary energy transfer When nutrients consumed freely gained strength break shell emerge Species animals become ialized however doomed extinction Fuller noted As other elements world survived evolutionary forces reason their particular functions capacities plants photosynthesis animals instinctive ability differentiate between nourishing poisonous foodstuffs continues reason intuitive capacity recognizing generalized principles implementing Computers Dr Fuller feels obligations specialist allow think again Everything Fuller believes designed success human beings metaphorically breaking their shell becoming aware their function catalytic He incidentally insists distinction between brain physical recta physical weightless abstract uniquely human faculty which surveys larger inventory special experiences stored brain RR discovers scientifically generalized principles I asked whether thought intense physicality young persons modern reaction their subconscious recognition emerging responsibility adulthood By means answered Young persons become exceedingly intolerant wasteful useless systems educational structure attacked because clearly vulnerable The evening permeated examples drawn world ships When first gathered Dr Fuller showed series superb color photos Bear Island coast Maine These featured prominently newly acquired sloop INTUITION remarks which comprised essay donated CROSS TALK INTERMEDIA program about subsequent newsletters The observed became crossbeam structure became Inverted designed withstand buffeting below easily carried demands A string entomological relationships provide confir mation nautic naval church It frequently happens Fuller commented wooden constructions eventual replaced stone transition seems plausible As counterpoint Fuller continuing reference Japanese Sea People Shibata reminded festival Japanese Alps which consists basically hauling mountain Such ceremony could enactment archtypal portage connected original exploration Japanese Archipelago Fuller The migratory movement Japan clearly fixed though seems Mongolia Siberia through Korean peninsula through Ryukyu chain Though southern approach would suggest South Pacific origins I asked about Angkor Wat unique capitol Suryavarman II Ill3 Cambodia plicably abandoned Khmer people I remembered reading principle Gargantuan structure primitive column The response immediate exhaustive Constructions Angkor Wat Pyramids Dr Fuller solely Cosmological models intended facilitate entrance possible after The ancients familiar stationary North Star East West movement birth death rebirth cycle Thus sided monuments known surrounded water filled moats ocean gradually rising masses elevational point mountains Mountains mythologically function points which deities descended above which could logically ascend There large arched halls cosmological models Angkor Wat construct support intended earthly deities alone They stone mountains effect which provide shelter In after nobles attended finally common The historical provide present emperor deity nobles Magna Charta through Industrial Revolution present These developments according Dr Fuller cardinal moments history mankind Because condensed necessarily disconnected which memory allows above thoughts genuinely awesome experience spent formidable sacrificed One finds Buckminster Fuller remarks effect revelation seemingly obvious perspectives somehow across The breadth thinking capacity making remote associations illuminates enhances variety phenomena which habitual taken granted His lifelong impatience waste lethargic performance academic social intel lectual bureaucracies strikingly relevant admirable present youth And awareness frustration necessity remains luminously optimistic living eternal threshold between yesterday tomorrow aware multiplication experiences which improve understanding preparedness tomorrow Sinre Y Roger Reynolds Received New York May