Aside from the demise of the careers of so many famous people, and not simply famous, but extremely talented people who might have contributed widely and deeply to our lives and culture, Social Media has been a disaster for truth and fact-checking. Once truth is thrown out you have anarchy. Now its more important to be popular and cool than boringly correct. Well known, rather talented people have torpedoed their careers through making some dumb emotionally driven, ill conceived rant or comment on SM, which is sad because the internet, as they say, is forever, and if you apologize and say you screwed up, well, that just makes you look weak and the trolls smell blood and go in for the kill. Rather unfair. but its good for business.
Everything everywhere and more of the same
Cixin Liu, I have managed to read about four of Cixin Liu's books. He is undoubtedly a master of science fiction, and no, I'm not saying that to set him up for some type of clever undermining critique. This really is the very best science fiction one could ever read. Its brilliant stuff: deep, clearly … Continue reading Everything everywhere and more of the same
Kafka, the Absurd, and The Trial
My beat -up 1977 copy of The Trial by F. Kafka None of us chose to be born. Personally I am extremely happy to have been born, and have no regrets whatever in this regard. This doesn’t take away from the fact none of us chose to be here in this space time on this … Continue reading Kafka, the Absurd, and The Trial
Reading Kafka
To Read Franz Kafka (1883-1924) To read Kafka is to be immersed in a world of psychologic rather than in a world of logic, reasonableness and cause and effect. The word Kafkaesque, which has become common parlance, depicts humanity in an alternate reality in which a person is gripped by a labyrinth of repressive, incomprehensible … Continue reading Reading Kafka
The Ghost Writers of Lyrica
Very often States large and small deploy Arts funding systems to help Artists develop their work, and sometimes, with the best of intentions, it doesn't work out as intended. Sometimes, as in this particular example, when a state sets out to help artists, it comes at a price.
More Notes on Story
In terms of navigating and understanding the world we live in, few things are more important than the idea of story. Through the mechanism of story we piece together what we perceive as reality in terms of cause and effect. We are therefore part of a bigger story. Story telling thus can give a supremely … Continue reading More Notes on Story
Music and Me
For the longest time music has had the profoundest effect on me. Though quasi orgasmic in its effect some respects, I would more liken the effect of music on me to be more like a trip. It was only after I actually began to use drugs as an adult that I very quickly realized that … Continue reading Music and Me
History and Fiction, or Whatever You’re Having Yourself…
In the country I live in right now, Poland, I see the suppression of intellectuals, especially historians, and thinkers and writers, primarily through the use of the courts. A Warsaw court on Tuesday (January 2021) forced some historians to apologize to the niece of a World War II-era Polish mayor whom they reported in their … Continue reading History and Fiction, or Whatever You’re Having Yourself…
Things I never Knew about the Poet William Blake – that is, Until Recently.
One of the most important poets in the English language, or indeed any language, was born November 28, 1757 in London, England. He remained largely unknown during his lifetime. Though he had an established reputation as an engraver of considerable gifts, his reputation as a poet, something that he achieved world historical repute for in … Continue reading Things I never Knew about the Poet William Blake – that is, Until Recently.
The Useful Idiot
Donald Trump's disastrous destructive four years of US presidency, undoubtedly the worst POTUS in history and a cautionary tale for all leaders, is but the latest part of what makes up many decades of his toxic career. Its a career screened by a showman's capacity to obscure what actually went on. To himself and to … Continue reading The Useful Idiot
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