Absolutely true. I often think the only good that came out of Britain was Billy-boy, and the Beatles. Here's one that usurped William; one of my all time favorite quotes from 'Madame Bovary' (by Gustave Flaubert); it still makes me cry: " Whereas the truth is that fullness of soul can sometimes overflow in utter vapidity of language, for none of us can ever express the exact measure of his needs or his thoughts or his sorrows; and human speech is like a cracked kettle on which we tap crude rythyms for bears to dance to, while we long to make music that will melt the stars..." Ugh. God...TOO much.
If you're content with the unoriginal, then that is what you seek out. There are some great stories of our time, and of our generation, but you have to want to step out of the comfort of the past. Sam & Chester (anyone for that matter) I encourage you both to read: http://www.amazon.com/Design-Dying-Timothy-Leary/dp/006018700X The thing is with new idea's and story's they have to be sought out, they have to be discovered.
Please. How could you proclaim "unoriginal? Unoriginal to you, perhaps, but not the same for me; I'm all about keeping an open mind however, It's history that teaches me, persuades me. In that, will we find solace, as well as truth. Keep your O' Learys' . I'll keep mine.
how do you keep an open mind by limiting yourself to history? seems a rather limited view of the spectrum.
It seems to me that the attraction people have to the written prose or poetry is in the inspiration of knowledge from a different perspective. It is just one method with which one can acquire wisdom. Historical prose such as one finds in Shakespeare has the benefit of a broader perspective where one can reflect on the ideology of both the writer as well as the popular mindset of the people of that time. One can then consider the broader implications that this mindset or ideology has on a society in general. Modern text has not the same benefit at least not to the same extent. And as far as Timothy O’Leary goes while worthwhile for the benefit of provoking thought and entertainment value. I would find that a person famous for his illustration of perspective outside the realm of reality of little value other than that. That being said I have to admit that while I admire the idea that someone can find inspiration in Shakespeare I personally find him to abstract and tiresome to bother with. Requiring me to re-read lines sometimes several times to understand where he is coming from.
I admit my statement was a tad glib, and an overgeneralisation. But I hardly think "dying with dignity" is a new idea. What's more, far from being depressed by the notion of there being few new ideas around, I'm incredibly excited by the process of finding new ways to express them. Will Self, DBC Pierre, E Annie Proulx and Peter Carey spring immediately to mind as examples of authors who I think are finding amazing new ways to execute ideas. The thing is, though, if you remain unfamiliar with older texts, you equally limit yourself. And it becomes hard to tell a new idea from a new form of expression.
You made my point for me, although I have to admit, much more elequently. Before I read the book in the aforementioned link, I also thought, this has been done a thousand times already...but there were more than a few genuine and original thoughts about mankind and the human race as a whole, worth a gander I would reckon 8) I, myself try to maintain a decent balance of indulging in history, and exploring new idea's, thoughts. I stu
