At first, it is discovering oneself as an agent, pushing one’s own abilities to the limit, until one feels them exhausted, insufficient. Then, it is recognizing the impossibility of relying solely on them, and the need for greater support. Such support is possible! But in order to realize this, man usually has to fail first. It is when the world comes crashing down, when effort seems futile and longing impossible, that a man is able to realize just how wrong he can be in his judgments.
Tag: philosophy
Long Waits Are Always More or Less Painful…
Long waits are always more or less painful, because they shift our focus from what we are waiting for to the current deprivation. However, they accustom us to these hardships and, by necessity, teach us to face them without despair. Obviously, such a lesson is hardly pleasant, and if it were possible, no one would choose to learn it. When, however, time passes, when luck allows, and the wait finally ends, one can form a different judgment. And then one realizes that, without that wait, the previous state would fade from memory, and with it the exact notion of the true psychological grace that constitutes the current state.
The Man Loves Coffee. For Years…
The man loves coffee. For years, for his entire life, he has drunk it every morning and enjoyed it. He loves the warm sensation on his tongue, the flavor that lingers in his mouth, and the obvious mental boost he relies on to work. He considers himself a connoisseur of the drink, just as he believes in the real benefits it brings to his daily life. In short: coffee makes him happy. Then comes the day when he tastes a superior-quality coffee that leaves his palate in ecstasy. When he returns to the old coffee he used to drink, he clearly realizes it is rubbish. He investigates the matter and discovers that it is indeed rubbish, in which real coffee, though made from lower-quality beans, is mixed with a wide variety of impurities, including some too unspeakable to name, and the whole lot is over-roasted to mask its defects. From that day forward, the same coffee, the drink he once cherished so much and which had brought him pleasure his whole life, will never satisfy him again. And philosophy, as it always does, poses the question: is knowledge worth it?
The Visual Arts Possess a Special Capacity to Shock
The visual arts possess a special capacity to shock—instantly, unexpectedly—which, from the very first encounter, can create a memory that will never fade. This is, for example, what can happen to someone standing before a sculpture by Aleijadinho for the first time. The moment the eyes fix on the work and grasp its drama, it is as if it pierces them like a bolt of lightning; there is a startle, and that instant of bewilderment is etched forever in the mind. Afterward, one admires the details and reflects on the impossible feat; but from then on, it is that sudden shock that the mind will first recall whenever it evokes the name of the brilliant creator.