Monthly Archives: August 2015

The first book to seriously challenge mock The Age of Reason and the inadequacies of optimist Leibniz philosophy (“the best of all possible worlds”). The narrative is a massive negative catalogue of violence, absurdity, meaningless coincidence, sexual violence, human vice. … Continue reading →

“Social media, lotto tickets, and cheap Tim’s coffee are the opiates of the Canadian masses.” –R.D.

Lean against the warm van waiting for the others to return from a grave. Cotton ball clouds roll across the blue sky above. Afternoon tree shadows trembling on grass. A hundred yards away the freeway traffic never ceases its preoccupied … Continue reading →

the two key questions for one’s own consciousness and personal process are: 1. Do I feel free, especially innerly free from whatever limits, limitations, stressors, anxiety, fears, etc? 2. Do I feel a pleasurable or beautiful fullness and stillness–a satisfying inner … Continue reading →

The plot of Conrad’s novel is interesting enough to form the basis of a movie which Mark Peploe wrote the screenplay for and directed. The movie is voice-overed by Davidson, a character in the novel who has occasional contact with … Continue reading →

It is a revelation to go from Conrad’s earlier novels to this one, written as WW1 was starting. Conrad’s style changed greatly and his sentences are shorter and plainer while his diction is less obscure and much easier to digest … Continue reading →

“Thinking is the great enemy of perfection. The habit of profound reflection, I am compelled to say, is the most pernicious of all the habits formed by the civilized man.”

“Character is higher than intellect… A great soul will be strong to live as well as think.”

“My mama used to love me but she died.” –Hud As his father (Melvyn Douglas who won an Academy Award) puts it, Hud doesn’t do anything for anybody else; he is totally selfish and worried only about his own agendas. … Continue reading →