A fire broke out backstage in a theatre. The clown came out to warn the public; they thought it was a joke and applauded. He repeated it; the acclaim was even greater. I think that’s just how the world will come to an end: to general applause from wits who believe it’s a joke.
I love the clown painting and the quote is so right on. There is a Netflix movie I watched a bit ago, but recent enough to be relevant. In it there was an occurrence (I believe a comet or space junk) that was to destroy the earth. The heroes could not convince anyone of the impending doom. At first, of course. But the twist in the plot is that even after convincing people, no one would act. So eventually the world was to end. Right then. With people going on about their everyday business. A very powerful and sad movie. We are now—if not headed for—our very own clown ending. Laughing all the way as we refuse to act.
Posted by Poetic Outlaws: Plato is boring. In reality, my distrust of Plato is fundamental. I find him so very much astray from all the deepest instincts of the Hellenes, so steeped in moral prejudices, so pre-existently Christian…
Plato is a coward in the face of reality—consequently, he takes refuge in the ideal.
— Nietzsche
I love this and had not heard it before. And, I love the word pre-existently! Isn’t that something? Plus, pre-existently Christian. What a concept. I don’t know that I agree, but that isn’t the point, is it. So anyway, this is indeed more about Nietzsche than Plato just as all writings are. As we write about others we reveal ourselves. Of course my love for the radicals, the outliers, the rebels is why I write and post as I do.
I went up to pay the rent, late for the 15th but it’s a weekend so closed to the public. Then what to my wayward Surprise than bunches of cars in the parking lot. A light on in one of the back windows. Crappers. They’re holding a meeting, likely management for the Estates. I do not drop my envelope into the mailslot for such things. Just in case someone decides to empty the box and make a deposit with my check. The one that I hope will be covered tomorrow with an early deposit from the government, due on Wednesday. *Sigh* I’ll have to wander back out and around later.
While I was busy not-paying the rent, I forgot to mention that Simone de Beauvoir died on April 14, 1986. She was 78, so near 80 and yet full of life. Apparently she died in a hospital. It was stated that she had been struggling since an operation she had undergone in March. The actual cause of death does not appear to have been given. It is also interesting that the following day would be the anniversary of the death of her long-time love—John Paul Sartre.
“In old age we should wish still to have passions strong enough to prevent us turning in on ourselves.” I don’t believe she means looking inside, but rather becoming self-absorbed and immobile. As well as a champion for the recognition and treatment of old age: The Coming of Age, she considered how chance and choice converge to make us who we are. Among other writerly things.
Simone was born on January 9, 1908, in Paris, France. She was a French writer and feminist, a member of the intellectual fellowship of philosopher-writers who have given a literary transcription to the themes of existentialism.
May you so rest in peace, our dear friend and hero.
After this some kind of T.V. stuff happened and I got involved there. Now I’m watching something about those Middle Earth people and Dwarfs and Elves. Pretty cool though I thought that I had not ever watched this. Now it turns out I think I do know this. More than “About Having Been Here Before.” Moving on…Had to go out and back to pay the rent…
…while it was still somewhat light out. Before I got totally freaked out. And Ja, I did take a little dragon with me. Then I had this thought…is this what Fear is then? All of the small on-earth fears that we don’t even contemplate? Thought must be stopped or it could make us freak out. And then Really, Really, Freak-Out. As it would build year by year it would then become more and more ugly and more and more powerful. Powerful as in now an Identity of its own. I had to practically crawl to my apartment door. *Whew* Obviously I made it back as ’tis I doing the typing.
I went into the hospital toward the end of March. No biggie…the whole asthma/can’t breathe sort of thing. So I’m going to use that as that point forward. No significance with or to the hospital or breathing thing. Just a place to start. [As I type this I see that is untrue, indeed. The connection is obvious.]
Anyway, a benchmark. A bookmark. Going from there…
The kid went to Colorado for a surprise birthday party for Nick who turns 60. Two of the others, Randy and Peter, were also invited with their spouses. So, “Happy Easter” via thought waves. We don’t know about the other two: did they know and decline? (Nieces) Were they not invited?
I realize there was a time when I got little nudges that could have only come from a future knowledge. For example, when I sat down so that Keith would hand me the bunny, and he was so very precious and I was overwhelmed with such warmth and love. I had the thought: should you hold and pet the thing you will eat for dinner? Isn’t there an adult rule that you should not make a pet of something that is dinner?
Mother would periodically use German names as an expression of something unique. She could call someone a Dumbledorph. The foreign expression was easily understood. It was also understood that no other word would quite encompass the full meaning.
Holy Cows and such. I just saw where I put nothing up here in March. So I’m going to set this little jaunt free and work on some other things for here.
Did you know that Teilhard published nothing during his lifetime of his huge array of manuscripts? The Church would not allow it. As in the Catholic Church strikes again. For those who don’t know, Teilhard de Chardin is the priest darling of thinkers and plotters and puzzlers and such, one who combined science and philosophy. Probably in the left lane but who knows. I think Truth shouldn’t be put in a lane.
“You just assume that the universe is conspiring for you, not against you. … I think that the more you expect that, the more it actually works out.” -Susan Sarandon
Antecedents: “In early Christian works, the Greek word “pronoia” refers to Divine Providence, a continuing benevolent force that keeps the world in order.”
Above, a photo of Edward Gorey posted by the New Yorker. It has nothing to do with the subject of this post—pronoia—unless you consider it a gift, or that Gorey was here for the benefit of all of us which is true. Besides that I posted it because I like the photo. I said “Ohhhhhhh” when it appeared. I thought maybe you would too.
Writers Ink—Writing and Stuff 