This past July, I reached seven years without watching a single movie. I didn’t miss them. And when I think back on that old habit of watching at least one a week—on a Saturday or Sunday night—I don’t feel any nostalgia. After all, how many hours were wasted on disappointing experiences? The evolution of cinema is regrettable: productions have become much more expensive, and obviously they have to pay for themselves. As a result, stories need to strike at least one chord with the average viewer; otherwise, they won’t succeed. Thus, it’s impossible not to give in to ready-made formulas, which immediately trigger a whole range of emotions. Dozens of staff members are hired and trained for this very purpose. Production companies invest astronomical sums, and the filmmaker can do nothing about it. Let everyone do whatever they please with the time they have; for my part, however, since cinema has become good entertainment, I am better off looking for something else to do.
Since Most of Our Time Is Always Devoted…
Since most of our time is always devoted to trivial matters, it should be easier to convince our minds of the need to try to imbue them with meaning. If only! What happens most often is that we see them all as nuisances, as boundless nonsense that erodes our time and motivation. In short, true existence seems to be limited to those rare moments when reason grasps the importance of what one is doing—and this, certainly, cannot be allowed to remain as it is.
Above All, It Is Essential to Banish…
Above all, it is essential to banish the possibility of despair and shield oneself in advance against this undesirable and potentially fatal trap. And then to learn to deal with guilt, death, discouragement, and suffering, always seeking to draw something good from them. Misfortune, as has been said, often comes in pairs; but it also opens a door, and it will always be that way.
Anyone Who Lacks the Desire for Agreement…
Anyone who lacks the desire for agreement, nor strives to prove others wrong and himself right, is bound to be an outsider. Such an individual will never adapt to any environment, though he may participate superficially in any of them. Identification, however, is impossible for him, and no one will be able to see in him a kindred spirit. Such impulses are components of normal human relationships: they unite and separate, but ultimately they categorize; to lack them is to shield oneself from any connection.