CULTURED WITHOUT NOTICE: MASONRY THE MASTERS CLASS

How we share the experience of masonry tells us a great deal about the culture of a lodge, far beyond the reach of ritual, or protocols, to a place where administration doesn't go, a reflection of the inhabitants.  Older cultures have the advantage. They were built before the colour of public life and living was reduced to a uniform beige, as if the colour blind laws of atrophy were inescapable.  Today, when emotional division is manifest in our politics and religion, being otherwise is fraught. Being unable to compromise, we abandoned the task. Yet there is a yearning to be where masonic culture has gained traction. There is a culture of refinement to be enjoyed. It requires dedication and division of labours. It effects all the senses. It is how we communicate who we are, privately. Being materialistic we decided long ago, to change the menu, to something that would appeal to more pedestrian tastes in hopes of attracting interest.  It catered to a particular group at the expense of other groups and if success is measured in volumes it was a credit to us all. Until that day when it became listless, tasteless and could not compete with the new menus it was the only version known to masonry in post colonialist areas. The magical mystery tours were over there, never here.  Who knew that time would shrink the space between molecules? Who knew the appetite for knowledge would burst out, because the social environment we need to perfect our studies was being brought to us? Who knew we would be on the brink of witnessing the next adaptation of FM as if we are spectators to something wonderful.  Is it fair to think FM is a Master Class in living? If we accept the premise, the peformance we see may not be as much a reflection on FM as it is a statement about confusing hopefulness for reality.  Too many times we have left the door open without watch. Strangers wandered in,not interested in the work but idly curious.