[lit-ideas] Re: Dis Traction of August
- From: Michael Chase <goya@xxxxxxx>
- To: lit-ideas@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Fri, 20 Aug 2004 10:30:25 -0700
Le 20 ao=FBt 04, =E0 09:28, Paul Stone a =E9crit :
> <snip>
>
> I think this
> "limited" time has a span that largely depends on the person choosing=20=
> to
> acknowledge their dreadful mortality. For most of us, we eventually=20
> find
> ourself walking down Rue De Wakening with a healthy dose of realite in=20=
> the
> form of a friend's death, a parent's death, a child's death, or some=20=
> other
> stark reminder that people DO die -- including us.<snip> The common=20
> ingredient:
> they all make distractions: distractions from this sad, wretched life=20=
> which
> can be very fulfilling if you don't stop to wonder about it. <snip>
> In a fit of Donneian epiphany, I suddenly realized that I have a=20
> serious
> mental problem -- I'm conscious. And for every micro-second that I AM=20=
> and I
> don't have something else to think about, I think about the fact that=20=
> I'm
> conscious. It's horrible and so I try to distract myself.<snip> =
The=20
> fact is (if I am permitted to use such macho, scientific words) that a
> lot of people need a constant impediment to the realization that they=20=
> are
> alive. Because that means that they are going to die. And that is =
scary
> shit. It's ironical, scary shit that we waste our life worrying about
> dying.
M.C. Many thanks to Paul for what is probably one of the most honest=20
and bullshit-free posts I've seen in a long time. I think most of us=20
have (at least) moments of realization like this=A0; if we *always* felt=20=
like this we'd be diagnosed as depressive, stuffed full of meds and=20
shipped off to some funny farm.
Paul's post raises all kinds of questions, but I'll hone them =
down to=20
two:
1. Given that many people often feel that life is hard to take=A0: is=20
this inevitable or not? Do we *have* to feel this way, or is there an=20
option=A0?
2. If there *is* an option, shouldn't it be at least a major part of=20
philosophy's job to try to find ways of changing this situation? If it=20=
refuses or fears to concern itself with such questions, doesn't=20
philosophy forfeit all claims to be taken seriously?
Best, Mike.
>
Michael Chase
(goya@xxxxxxxxxxx)
CNRS UPR 76
7, rue Guy Moquet
Villejuif 94801
France
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