Rilke & Kafka

Poets

“Writing letters,” Franz Kafka once complained (in a letter) to Milena Jesenská, his Czech translator and the object of his tortured love, “is actually an intercourse with ghosts and by no means just with the ghost of the addressee but also with one’s own ghost, which secretly evolves inside the letter one is writing.” In a letter, a version of yourself has to be pinned to the paper, made into something that can fit inside an envelope. Because of the inevitable delays of the mail, the self that finally reaches its recipient will bear only a spectral relation to the self that you have meanwhile become. And when their letter arrives, in response to yours, the lags compound. Ghosts commingle in the mail, and all the while actual correspondents remain painfully out of touch.

For Kafka, this doomed the project of immediacy—“How did people ever get the idea they could communicate by letter!”—but for Rilke and Kappus it was an essential feature of letter writing’s occult technology. “So much has to happen,” Rilke warned Kappus, in his second letter, “has to go right, a whole constellation of circumstances has to be in place, for anyone to actually advise, much less help, another person.” They were in many ways out of synch, misaligned. But, precisely because their letters produced so many ghostly selves, they made it possible for Rilke and Kappus to meet in a higher realm. The constellations we see in the night sky have, after all, been formed by light sent from vastly distant points in space and time.

№ 720. Happy Feet: Paris

№ 719. The Cruellest Month

April Fools

April is the cruellest month, breeding
Lilacs out of the dead land, mixing
Memory and desire, stirring
Dull roots with spring rain.
Winter kept us warm, covering
Earth in forgetful snow, feeding
A little life with dried tubers.

--- TS Eliot

№ 718. Lau Pa Sat

 

№ 717. Typefaces & Fonts

When you read — a book, a traffic sign, a billboard, this article — how much do you really notice the letters? If you’re like most people, the answer is probably not at all.

But even if you don’t really notice them, you might sense it if something has subtly changed. That’s a feeling some people have had in recent weeks when they turn on their Microsoft Word programs.

Glasbergen

№ 716. Change, Direction and Speed

 

№ 715. Goodbye, Things.

7 Powerful Lessons from "Goodbye, Things: The New Japanese Minimalism" by Fumio Sasaki:

1. Happiness Comes from Within, Not Possessions: The book argues that the pursuit of material possessions often leads to stress, anxiety, and a sense of emptiness. True happiness comes from cultivating meaningful relationships, pursuing passions, and living in alignment with your values.

2. Decluttering is a Liberating Experience: Letting go of excess belongings can be a deeply liberating experience. It can free up your physical space, mental energy, and emotional baggage. This allows you to focus on what truly matters and live a lighter, more fulfilling life.

3. Less is More: Sasaki advocates for a minimalist approach to life, suggesting that having less paradoxically leads to more. With fewer possessions, you have more time, energy, and freedom to pursue your passions and experience life to the fullest.

4. Curate Your Space, Reflect Your Values: The book encourages you to surround yourself with only objects that bring you joy, utility, or beauty. This creates a space that reflects your values and priorities, fostering a sense of peace and well-being.

5. Gratitude for What You Have: By focusing on the things you own and appreciate, rather than what you lack, you cultivate a sense of gratitude and contentment. This shift in perspective leads to a more positive and fulfilling life.

6. Quality over Quantity: The book encourages prioritizing quality over quantity when acquiring possessions. Invest in fewer, well-made items that you truly cherish and use regularly, rather than accumulating cheap, disposable goods.

7. Minimalism is a Journey, Not a Destination: Sasaki emphasizes that minimalism is not about achieving a perfect state of emptiness. It's a continuous process of decluttering, evaluating, and refining your relationship with your possessions. The goal is to live with intention and purpose, focusing on what truly matters to you.

Letting go of things can be challenging, but the rewards are significant. By embracing minimalism, you can create a life that is more intentional, fulfilling, and free from the burdens of material possessions.

BOOK: https://amzn.to/498vw6o

№ 714. Emotional Weather Report

Big Brother sells. It sells because it still entertains --- even in this 21st century age of TikTok, crypto-x, and AI. The video bites are such a guilty pleasure, much like eye candy or caffeine.

Calvin & Hobbes