Dear Companions, My dad used to tell me that great philosophers never come from warm climates. Meaning, when the weather is good, people do not worry about the deeper things. Numerous other experiences shaped my belief that philosophers and artists must face adversity in order to be great. But I guess in my naive imagination, I always envisioned something romantic, like a good looking drug addict, someone who wasn’t deeply depressed but rather
"Writing is adept at relieving discomfort and anxiety, not simply by diversion, but by extraction"-wow, I love this. I also saw this as also a polemic against amusement and distraction in a world which profits consistently off of distraction/amelioration. Thinking about revolution versus incremental reform. wondering- who are figures whose illness transformed them to be radical thinkers and players in the social/political/communal sphere that I haven't heard of, or glossed over that element of their biography? What does extraction or wholeness mean to them? for a future away message? thank you again for being both wordsmith and metaphysical dentist-
I completely agree - it’s truly a blessing and an inspiration when it’s not with drugs, depression, isolation and resignation, but with artistic and scientific creativity one meets the challenge of a crushing illness and emerges victorious.
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"Writing is adept at relieving discomfort and anxiety, not simply by diversion, but by extraction"-wow, I love this. I also saw this as also a polemic against amusement and distraction in a world which profits consistently off of distraction/amelioration. Thinking about revolution versus incremental reform. wondering- who are figures whose illness transformed them to be radical thinkers and players in the social/political/communal sphere that I haven't heard of, or glossed over that element of their biography? What does extraction or wholeness mean to them? for a future away message? thank you again for being both wordsmith and metaphysical dentist-
I completely agree - it’s truly a blessing and an inspiration when it’s not with drugs, depression, isolation and resignation, but with artistic and scientific creativity one meets the challenge of a crushing illness and emerges victorious.