"What were you doing before you opened the cover of this book
and turned the title pages in order to read this sentence ?
What was I doing before I wrote that line ?
Let me tell you: I was writing a book of some kind or other.
Not a novel.
Almost anyone, it now seems, can write a novel.
Quite a few write excellent novels.
I am no-one, certainly not a nation.
I will have nothing to do with publishers.
I will have nothing to do.
I have nothing to do.
Soon I will have nothing.
Soon I will be nothing.
Soon."
13 comments:
We all be nothing Raúl
Not quite true--modern physics tells us that your atoms will be everywhere and eternal. Does that help or hinder? Or is that fact meaningless?
Life is meaningless Raúl
Are human beings a lab experimment? ,Raúl
My friend Karl found the following 'somewhere on Facebook' and sent it to me today:
"The big secret is that people think meaning will solve things, but this world is steeped in futility. What we really want is life. Real living, not this shadowy living-death. You do not have life inside you, any plans that revolve around you will end in failure; self-preoccupation is hell; hence people kill them-selves.
But, you can go the route of self-forgetfulness, what Buddhists call extinction of ego : out of self into others. The only solution I've found is to put the cup of my suffering into the ocean of the world's suffering. Find people that are fucked up. This world is stuffed with the lonely and cracked. Offer yourself up to them - listen to them, help them, spend time near them.
Forget yourself in the misery of others. Right here on FB there are thousands who've been savaged b the world. No one cares. They have no one to listen to them - you hear them. PM them. If you're open to anything, there is another way, PM me.
Give your life away before it strangles you.
The Self is a land of endless torment, flee it."
- What does 'PM' mean ?
I wrote back to him that I was a bit short on endless torment - in fact I enjoy life a lot, especially its meaninglessness, its trees and its dogs. It would be unbearable if it had any meaning for example, if it was just a cosmic experiment on meaninglessness conducted by super-mice.
Auban--
Thanks for the Karl quote--it is an excellent rendition of the Buddhist tonglen practice. And yes, thank you for your visceral enjoyment of life and the reassurance sensuality offers. Ironically, in the very Heideggerian sense, meaninglessness is meaning, so your answers to my rhetorical question were what I wanted. Logically, your answers of "meaningless" are tautologies as they were proffered in language, which by its nature can say nothing without meaning. Ironically, remaining silent was the only answer.
Señor Auban,
What you say is true. Futility surrounds us. But we, men and women, are seekers of meaning in this cold universe. I am sure that´s part of our genetic programming and reinforced by the social environment. We need to see a pattern in lives and in the world in general. That´s what makes people endure this madness. You write about the extinction of the ego. Well I tried to do that by drinking to death but it was useless. But I almost succeeded in the extinction of my brain. I also tried to see if in religion I could find any relief but what is the difference between having a beer and a religious service? You ever heard of U.G. Krishnamurti?
In your profile you write Painter.
Do you place your paintings in an art gallery or you own an art gallery there?
Señor Anónimo/Raúl -
You will find pages on UG Krishnamurti on my website (www.beyond-the-pale.uk/ugk.htm).
I am not a commercial painter, although I have sometimes exhibited in free spaces. My paintings are not saleable, although I have sold three or four. I have given away perhaps ten or so. My poetry is likewise uncommercial and freely available.
I do not recommend trying to extinguish the ego' - certainly not with alcohol. Much better to put it on a diet, make it elegant and slim, not big and bloated.
I was always uncomfortable with the idea of being egoless.
Therefore, I like your 'put it on a diet and make it elegant and slim.'
Starting today, I am following your suggestion.
to Raul: I am a fortunate owner of one piece by Anthony. It is placed in my computer room and Dína sometimes sleeps underneath it.
In Danish, the word for beer is Øl (url), the word is similar to 'Ale,' both are derived from the West-Saxon word 'Alu', which means 'religious ecstasy,'So, no, there is no difference between having a beer and a religious service.
Señor Hrdlicka,
Thank you for your comment. Although the person is more important than the nationality, are you from the Czech Republic?
Señor Rickerby,
Maybe this is a foolish question but do you know if the Arabic word Allah is related to the West-Saxon word Alu? Raúl
I should tell you that this is not a chat-site ! But I can answer your questions: Jindra is indeed a Bohemian of Czech nationality.
And the Arabic for God is not related to the West-Saxon word Alu. The only 'native' Arabic words which are related to words in European languages are primarily those connected with the arts and sciences, including the martial arts and the culinary science and art, many of which begin with al-
algebra, algorithm, almagest, alcove, alkali, albatross, alcohol - but also admiral, apricot, arsenal, artichoke, assassin, aubergine, average, azimuth and azure.
For words beginning with C-F go here .
Sorry. I just thank them for their replies Raúl
Post a Comment