Ecce Homo

Hegel and I have a thorny history.

It all began Freshman year when I wrote possibly the worst paper I have ever written in my life. I have no shame in admitting that Elements of the Philosophy of Right went right over my head. I was a Neuroscience Major at the time.

The course was taught by the avuncular and soft-spoken Stephen Crites who acted as if he lacked a foothold in anything outside of his self. I remember being awe-struck when I learned that he not only knew German, but that he studied Hegel in his original tongue. Again, for a Neuroscience Major that was unbelievably badass.

Shortly after his retirement, my friends and I spotted him at Taco Bell.

There was something infinitely charming about a man, who after 50 years of close-textual readings of Hegel had finally gathered enough conviction to postulate that Hegel might have possibly been talking about God, munching on the least World-Historical-of-Foods, the Taco Bell Mexican Pizza.