Keeping expectations low, living modestly and, above all, knowing how to say no to opportunities to change previous precepts. That’s how satisfaction is almost obtained, ultimately achieved by spending the time on what one wants.
Category: Notes
The Unspoken Truth of Literary Criticism
The unspoken truth of literary criticism is that, in the end, the construction of characters, the dramatic arc, the description of settings and other silliness do not matter when what is created is the isolated product of mental ingenuity. Enough with the lies! What matters in literature is the transubstantiation into letters of living, personal experiences that have been engraved in the author’s innermost being and which, as humane, deserve universal interest.
The Radical Decision of Cioran
It comes to mind the radical decision of Cioran who, banishing his mother tongue from his hand and tongue, vowed never to earn a living except by penning, that is, never to betray his recognized vocation in order to earn more money in some other occupation. The result was an obvious and permanent lack of comfort, to say the least for a writer who isolated himself in a rented cubicle, supporting himself on handouts and eating in a popular restaurant, when his intellect would have allowed him infinitely greater possibilities. All this seems to suggest that we should always ask ourselves mentally before opening a book: how much did this gentleman give up to write?
Disappointment Is Always Proportional to Expectation
Disappointment is always proportional to expectation. To say so may be an unnecessary platitude, but the truth is that it takes an incredibly great strength to put the brakes on big, imponderable dreams at moments when they seem plausible. If one does not do it, one risks the equally incredibly great disappointments that come with them, the risk of which perhaps justifies repeating this platitude until the brain is convinced that, often, the best thing to do is not to dream.