Black Winter Day
Member
i enjoy Kant, Sartre, Plato and, at times, Nietzsche.
ask NAD about Nietzsche, he's a huge fan...
ask NAD about Nietzsche, he's a huge fan...
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Krilons Resa
Jerry's married?!
Ive read all of the people both of you have suggested- but only bits and pieces of kant- enough to understand the foundations of his philosophy. I very much dislike Plato, and object to alot of Sartre.
Yeah Blood Stained we have the same favorite philosophers/writers.
I especially love: Dialogue between a priest and a dying man by De Sade. I read the first 100 pages of 120 days of sodom before I gave up, there is only so much depravity one can stand. Still the basis for his libertine characters and philosophy was very enlightening and entertaining.
I was looking into old Proust- seems his only real work encompasses like 7 novels of some 4500 pages, I think i ll just have to pass on the guy despite his reputation.
Yeah Blood Stained we have the same favorite philosophers/writers.
I especially love: Dialogue between a priest and a dying man by De Sade. I read the first 100 pages of 120 days of sodom before I gave up, there is only so much depravity one can stand. Still the basis for his libertine characters and philosophy was very enlightening and entertaining.
I was looking into old Proust- seems his only real work encompasses like 7 novels of some 4500 pages, I think i ll just have to pass on the guy despite his reputation.
Black Winter Day
Member
BSW: Camus? Sartre? it seems we have an existentialist in our midst...
have either of you read any Kafka? just wondering. i'm still trying to figure out what his message is half the time.
have either of you read any Kafka? just wondering. i'm still trying to figure out what his message is half the time.
Yeah Ive read everything hes ever written. Kafka's The Castle is an indictment of bureacracy and the state. The rest of his novels are all based on experiments or odd situations- like what would a man do in this situation- how would he feel? For instance if he woke up and was a bug.
I am a bit of an existentialist myself- i just reject Sartre and Heidegger for being the fascist or communist bastards they were- and for being impossibly bad writers.
I am a bit of an existentialist myself- i just reject Sartre and Heidegger for being the fascist or communist bastards they were- and for being impossibly bad writers.
Krilons Resa
Jerry's married?!
Krilons Resa
Jerry's married?!
I cannot stand Heidegger. There's another guy with a long name I cannot stand either. I forget his name.
Metamorphosis is a surrealistic viewpoint as a social outcast.
Metamorphosis is a surrealistic viewpoint as a social outcast.
I concur, I just read that Kafka himself crafted the character to be a beetle, not a man at all, there was no symbolism, he was a man, and woke up actually a beetle.
So how can you stand Being and Nothingness? its a terrible ripoff of Heidegger, and just as poorly written.
Do you like Schopenhauer? although alot of what he theorized has been proven quite wrong, from the origin of colors etc, his philosophy is still relevant and interesting; the combination of east and west, suffering and music.
Do you like Schopenhauer? although alot of what he theorized has been proven quite wrong, from the origin of colors etc, his philosophy is still relevant and interesting; the combination of east and west, suffering and music.
Black Winter Day
Member
i understand "the metamorphosis" and it's subject of alienation and isolation... but "the judgement" has been the subject of very much thought by me. a man with a happy life, an upcoming marriage and great success has his happiness thrown back in his face by his father, who reveals that the protagonist's previous beliefs and assumptions concerning a friend abroad and his own life are false and shameful, is thus sentenced to "death by drowning" and promptly commits suicide. is kafka trying to say something about humanistic assumptions or the frailty of happiness, what it would be like if life totally turned itself around in a matter of minutes. would suicide be the only option to such a miserable turnaround?
Well i havent read it in some time- perhaps you should look it up on the internet, or maybe i will to refresh myself.
Wow, too much to comment on! 
Nietzsche sucks. I do agree with his views on art, but that's about it. Damn funny writer though, Thus Spoke Zarathustra cracked me up when it wasn't too busy pissing me off.
Kerouac is outstanding. The Subterraneans was one of the most difficult books I've ever read (damn thing was seriously no more than 6 sentences spread over 120 pages), but very rewarding. Dharma Bums is my favorite thusfar, I'm going to start on Desolation Angels soon.
Naked Lunch by Burroughs is probably the most disturbing form of entertainment I've ever come across, including movies, books, music, art, etc. VERY good though, not sure if I could ever read it again, but I do plan on it. :Smokedev:
Sartre is a crack up. I've only read a select few plays, but they are great. I find his writing extremely fluid and engaging, but then again all this is translated so who knows how accurate or not what I've read is. No Exit is an incredible look at the afterlife though.
Hesse: about to start Steppenwolf, I've only read Siddhartha and thought it was great. Obviously Kerouac was inspired by this guy.
Camus: read something of his in the past... don't remember it. Must not've made much of an impact.
Fuck Hemingway. Read Old Man and the Sea, wanted to burn it when it was done. BORING AND SHITTY (aka GAY AND LYING).
I spent many years reading nothing but philosophy, but after college I got REALLY burned out on it, so I started reading a bunch of fiction. Lots of Kerouac, Rushdie, and Asimov along with the above mentioned have been keeping me awake into the wee hours over the past year or so. Took a full year off from reading altogether even, I don't think I opened anything but Car and Driver and Playboy after graduating.
Most important book in the history of humanity: Plato's Republic.
Nietzsche sucks. I do agree with his views on art, but that's about it. Damn funny writer though, Thus Spoke Zarathustra cracked me up when it wasn't too busy pissing me off.
Kerouac is outstanding. The Subterraneans was one of the most difficult books I've ever read (damn thing was seriously no more than 6 sentences spread over 120 pages), but very rewarding. Dharma Bums is my favorite thusfar, I'm going to start on Desolation Angels soon.
Naked Lunch by Burroughs is probably the most disturbing form of entertainment I've ever come across, including movies, books, music, art, etc. VERY good though, not sure if I could ever read it again, but I do plan on it. :Smokedev:
Sartre is a crack up. I've only read a select few plays, but they are great. I find his writing extremely fluid and engaging, but then again all this is translated so who knows how accurate or not what I've read is. No Exit is an incredible look at the afterlife though.
Hesse: about to start Steppenwolf, I've only read Siddhartha and thought it was great. Obviously Kerouac was inspired by this guy.
Camus: read something of his in the past... don't remember it. Must not've made much of an impact.
Fuck Hemingway. Read Old Man and the Sea, wanted to burn it when it was done. BORING AND SHITTY (aka GAY AND LYING).
I spent many years reading nothing but philosophy, but after college I got REALLY burned out on it, so I started reading a bunch of fiction. Lots of Kerouac, Rushdie, and Asimov along with the above mentioned have been keeping me awake into the wee hours over the past year or so. Took a full year off from reading altogether even, I don't think I opened anything but Car and Driver and Playboy after graduating.
Most important book in the history of humanity: Plato's Republic.
Black Winter Day
Member
NAD: i agree with you about most Hemingway to an extent. however, have you read "The Sun Also Rises"? it's a bit of a bore to read, but carries a great message about life and wasting your life away in the pursuit of comfort and pleasure. i haven't read any of his war novels, though i plan on it some day.
as for Camus, "The Stranger" is the absolute quintessential novel on existentialism. read it. it's not long and is actually entertaining in a detatched sort of way.
Naked Lunch is indeed twisted as hell, but it gets funner to read each time you do. i've read it twice and wasn't nearly as confused as the first time.
as for Camus, "The Stranger" is the absolute quintessential novel on existentialism. read it. it's not long and is actually entertaining in a detatched sort of way.
Naked Lunch is indeed twisted as hell, but it gets funner to read each time you do. i've read it twice and wasn't nearly as confused as the first time.
lizard
Member
I just got an email telling me House of Bush, House of Saud is available for me to go pick up.
House of Bush would be a great porn title
House of Bush would be a great porn title
It is an extremely slow day at work, I think I'm gonna go to Barnes and Noble to buy more Asimov.
lizard
Member
Ron Reagan died so I get friday off. I love it when other peoples' deaths give me a benefit! C'mon Carter, C'mon Bush the Elder! Come November, C'mon Bush II!
if those first two die, I could have a very leasurely summer!
if those first two die, I could have a very leasurely summer!
NAD, I agree with you on your assesment of Plato's republic, and that is precisely the problem, platonic thought has been fucking over the Western- and middle eastern world for 2500 years. Goddamn fascist bastard.
I actually very much enjoy Nietszche, I disagree with him on a number of things, and find him quite arrogant, but he is still a monumental thinker and writer.
Actually for recommendations on Camus, Le Homme Revolt is one of the most briliant writings on philosophy, ideology, politics and literature I have ever read. In fact his assesment that terrorism and ideology have to be fought through discourse, not war, is somehting Donald Rumsfeld finally figured out yesterday- or so it said in the paper. Also The Fall is quite brilliant as well, sort of a 20th century Notes from the Underground. Oh and the Plague, another brilliant book.
Anyone read any Thomas Mann, or Graham Greene while we are on 20th century novelists?
I actually very much enjoy Nietszche, I disagree with him on a number of things, and find him quite arrogant, but he is still a monumental thinker and writer.
Actually for recommendations on Camus, Le Homme Revolt is one of the most briliant writings on philosophy, ideology, politics and literature I have ever read. In fact his assesment that terrorism and ideology have to be fought through discourse, not war, is somehting Donald Rumsfeld finally figured out yesterday- or so it said in the paper. Also The Fall is quite brilliant as well, sort of a 20th century Notes from the Underground. Oh and the Plague, another brilliant book.
Anyone read any Thomas Mann, or Graham Greene while we are on 20th century novelists?
Couldn't disagree more.speed said:
Curious how you find him fascist though?Le Homme Revolt sounds intriguing. I need to find what Camus I've read, I searched my shelves last night and didn't find anything, so perhaps I was mistaken.
The republic- how can one not? The very idea that an intellectual elite should hold power in Platos state, is not different from Fascism or Communism. Plato if I remeber correctly was afraid the common man didnt have it in him to effectively govern his country- he was too stupid, power hungry etc., thus democracy was doomed to fail. In fact was it not Plato that thought art and thought should be censored? Did he not condemn a variety of plays and artisitic works as immoral- and thus harmful to the state?
His very concept of how a state can be ideal, is faulty. This is the basic idea behind communism and fascism, behind hegel. No state can be ideal as long as humans are involved, and any attempts to bring about these ideal states have by and large produced horribly oppressive regimes.
His very concept of how a state can be ideal, is faulty. This is the basic idea behind communism and fascism, behind hegel. No state can be ideal as long as humans are involved, and any attempts to bring about these ideal states have by and large produced horribly oppressive regimes.
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