In regards to the beauty of a loved one's face: There's a fine quote from Dickens's Oliver Twist where Mr. Brownlow tries to recall the faces of people he's seen throughout his life: “He wandered over them again. He had called them into view, and it was not easy to replace the shroud that had so long concealed them. There were the faces of friends, and foes, and of many that had been almost strangers peering intrusively from the crowd; there were the faces of young and blooming girls that were now old women; there were faces that the grave had changed and closed upon, but which the mind, superior to its power, still dressed in their old freshness and beauty, calling back the lustre of the eyes, the brightness of the smile, the beaming of the soul through its mask of clay, and whispering of beauty beyond the tomb, changed but to be heightened, and taken from earth only to be set up as a light, to shed a soft and gentle glow upon the path to Heaven.”
Murnau was a master of light and dark in Faust as were many films of the time which explored the underbelly of ‘civilization’ such as Metrpolis, The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari, Nosferatu and even Battleship Potemkin. Filmmakers of that time were edgy not because it was in to be so but because film was in its infancy and every serious director was experimenting with technique.
Just started reading "Don't Cry" collection and have only read first two but loved them both. "Folk Song" is like nothing I've ever read. The poor turtles. Are we cruel by nature? Hearts of Darkness lost up that river somewhere? I was once catholic and it took me a lifetime to escape the guilt of the black original sin stain on my soul. Still not completely healed, but much better. Is there a part of all of us that is always capable of the worst? A different kind of original sin? Anyway can't wait to finish Don't Cry. haven't read Fairy Tale of Love yet. Happy New Year from very close to the Falls of Niagara. John Sweeney.
Thank you for the link to that film--I'd never seen it! Maybe no book has electrified me as much as Goethe's Faust. My freshman roommate in college was reading it for a class, and I happened to pick it up one night and couldn't put it down until I finished it in the middle of the night. I'm sure its impact was heightened because, while I read it in college, I didn't read it *for* college.
so i was only able to watch it last night, post-holidays, and admittedly, was a little stoned—but wow. it WAS so moving and beautiful. magical, even. like a dark fairytale, with that glorious light at the end. it could have been corny, and if it were described, might be. but seeing it makes it something different entirely. i want to watch the whole thing now. thank you for sharing.
One of those very rare ones who can look the void straight in the eye! Congratulations, you have achieved more "know thyself" than most. Your perspective is uncluttered, you should write!
I would take very little issue with your statement, "Like our heartbeat, this love is mortal. It cannot save us. It will not outlast us. But it is the sole source of comfort in an otherwise absurd existence." Consider the bit of the last sentence that reads, "sole source of comfort in an", be replaced by "the most powerful distraction known from". I ask you consider this because perhaps there are other ways we seek validations of our various sub-conscious notions to escape our mortality. Our "immortality projects", which is worth a google, but I suspect you are already keenly aware.
I did not mean to convey denial of mortality with the use of "distraction". I meant these many distractions (and sadly for me, I lump love in as one of them) are indeed necessary psychological adaptations and tools precisely to avoid confronting mortality.
Oh, I like Camus' view, it's nice, I just don't see it that way. I think our expressions of the capacity to love are convenient chemically assisted illusions.
Yes, I agree chuckling at myself. Many times I've thought how absurdly futile it is to spend time placing these tokens and proofs (We were here!) here on this inter-web thing. Which won't last anyway.
I think a group mortality project to say "we were here" would be good. Something like a massive solar powered greenhouse gas sequester-er, and of course we'd all get to sign it, and it would be designed to outlast the pyramids even if society failed despite the effort.
In regards to the beauty of a loved one's face: There's a fine quote from Dickens's Oliver Twist where Mr. Brownlow tries to recall the faces of people he's seen throughout his life: “He wandered over them again. He had called them into view, and it was not easy to replace the shroud that had so long concealed them. There were the faces of friends, and foes, and of many that had been almost strangers peering intrusively from the crowd; there were the faces of young and blooming girls that were now old women; there were faces that the grave had changed and closed upon, but which the mind, superior to its power, still dressed in their old freshness and beauty, calling back the lustre of the eyes, the brightness of the smile, the beaming of the soul through its mask of clay, and whispering of beauty beyond the tomb, changed but to be heightened, and taken from earth only to be set up as a light, to shed a soft and gentle glow upon the path to Heaven.”
Murnau was a master of light and dark in Faust as were many films of the time which explored the underbelly of ‘civilization’ such as Metrpolis, The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari, Nosferatu and even Battleship Potemkin. Filmmakers of that time were edgy not because it was in to be so but because film was in its infancy and every serious director was experimenting with technique.
Just started reading "Don't Cry" collection and have only read first two but loved them both. "Folk Song" is like nothing I've ever read. The poor turtles. Are we cruel by nature? Hearts of Darkness lost up that river somewhere? I was once catholic and it took me a lifetime to escape the guilt of the black original sin stain on my soul. Still not completely healed, but much better. Is there a part of all of us that is always capable of the worst? A different kind of original sin? Anyway can't wait to finish Don't Cry. haven't read Fairy Tale of Love yet. Happy New Year from very close to the Falls of Niagara. John Sweeney.
I love “Folk Song” too!
Having been directed down another delightful rabbit hole I see this "eternal feminine" concept. Hmmm...
Thank You Mary. Merry Christmas.
Thank you for the link to that film--I'd never seen it! Maybe no book has electrified me as much as Goethe's Faust. My freshman roommate in college was reading it for a class, and I happened to pick it up one night and couldn't put it down until I finished it in the middle of the night. I'm sure its impact was heightened because, while I read it in college, I didn't read it *for* college.
You have got to see the full movie, it is incredible. Emil Jannings as Mephisto is genius.
so i was only able to watch it last night, post-holidays, and admittedly, was a little stoned—but wow. it WAS so moving and beautiful. magical, even. like a dark fairytale, with that glorious light at the end. it could have been corny, and if it were described, might be. but seeing it makes it something different entirely. i want to watch the whole thing now. thank you for sharing.
“Liebe".....
You too Jennifer you must see it!
Love me some Goethe ❤️❤️🔥
Beautiful thought from Camus...
Good points. Love me some Camus.
One of those very rare ones who can look the void straight in the eye! Congratulations, you have achieved more "know thyself" than most. Your perspective is uncluttered, you should write!
I would take very little issue with your statement, "Like our heartbeat, this love is mortal. It cannot save us. It will not outlast us. But it is the sole source of comfort in an otherwise absurd existence." Consider the bit of the last sentence that reads, "sole source of comfort in an", be replaced by "the most powerful distraction known from". I ask you consider this because perhaps there are other ways we seek validations of our various sub-conscious notions to escape our mortality. Our "immortality projects", which is worth a google, but I suspect you are already keenly aware.
I did not mean to convey denial of mortality with the use of "distraction". I meant these many distractions (and sadly for me, I lump love in as one of them) are indeed necessary psychological adaptations and tools precisely to avoid confronting mortality.
Oh, I like Camus' view, it's nice, I just don't see it that way. I think our expressions of the capacity to love are convenient chemically assisted illusions.
Yes, I agree chuckling at myself. Many times I've thought how absurdly futile it is to spend time placing these tokens and proofs (We were here!) here on this inter-web thing. Which won't last anyway.
I think a group mortality project to say "we were here" would be good. Something like a massive solar powered greenhouse gas sequester-er, and of course we'd all get to sign it, and it would be designed to outlast the pyramids even if society failed despite the effort.