I translated dozens of short stories into English this past year. And contrary to what I imagined, I enjoyed the time-consuming work, even though I was constantly faced with the inadequacy of translation. It was curious to laugh during the process, something that contrasts sharply with my mood when giving birth to those texts. I remember it well… After immersing myself in the creative process, the prevailing feeling was quite different. There is something indescribable that one experiences when giving birth to a work, while facing the difficulties of the task. Now, all that is in the past. I can remember it and relive it with a serene detachment, and laugh at the result of such intense distress.
Category: Notes
Perhaps the Main Reason for Modern Atheism…
Perhaps the main reason for modern atheism is that man today spends his life in a controlled environment, feeding a false sense of security, which takes the place of what he lacks most: the experience of extreme helplessness, of total dependence on his condition. It would not be difficult to cure him of his disbelief: it would suffice to put him in a small boat, on the open sea, in the middle of a storm, or alone, at night, in a dense forest, and he would certainly make peace with religion and return from the experience transformed, reciting a handful of prayers from memory.
Something That Stands Out in Humanity’s…
Something that stands out in humanity’s most recent great achievements, many of which are related to technology, is that none of them possess a grandeur comparable to the great achievements of the past. This is noticeable because they are predominantly isolated feats of intelligence, for which no greater virtues were required. In contrast, we have the madmen of previous centuries, whose exploits always begin with an inalienable personal risk. It is true that, using different parameters, it is possible to choose the former, because they bring about more pronounced transformations. But there is perhaps none of these new luminaries whose mere idea of embarking on a sailboat and venturing out into a stormy sea with precarious equipment, or exploring unknown territory on foot, does not provoke the utmost terror.
The Most Common Thing Is to Misjudge…
The most common thing is to misjudge a personality simply because it seems out of place. However, it is difficult to notice this, because it is impossible to immediately understand someone’s essence. This is only revealed under favorable conditions, which are often not possible to produce. That’s when the contrast becomes possible: the same man, in one environment, can display impressive qualities, while in another he can prove to be below average and make a pitiful impression. No matter how difficult it may be, one must strive not to be this man, recognizing that what is shown is exactly what, at that moment, is being cultivated.