{∅, {∅}, {∅, {∅}}} : Rage Against the Meat Grinder

Hentrich,

Thank you for your words. I think your posts are very enlightening and important to read.

I cannot listen to Steven Toltz´s book in my borrowed computer but I got someone´s smartphone and I listened to your voice for a few minutes. It reminded me of those actors´voices in the movies.

When you say we are numbers I think you are completely right. We are so many in this Matrix Prison Farm, as you call it, that the only way the system found to keep us under surveillance is by giving us numbers and letters. The Paraguayan IDs have bar codes with numbers and capital letters. We are no longer persons.

Stay well.

People call my tracfone with accent (from India) asking me to verify the last four digits of my social security number, asking me to verify name and address.   I hang up on them.   Creepy goddamn world.

-Herr Kaspar


https://www.bbc.com/news/technology-50117796

It is quite sad to note that India is a country of the scam artist. But I would very much like to resist the impulse to wax nostalgic about ancient India because I think even when the Upanishads were written, most of the people must have been scam artists.It is only a very tiny minority which was philosophical then..And that is how it is always going to be. Also, I do not nurse any hope of a moral uprising and any kind of substantial change.

Its true that I live in a part of the world which is called India.I do look up to the Upanishads.But I realised  its greatness only because of Schopenhauer.
To imitate Kafka-What do I have in common with Hindus? I hardly have anything in common with myself, and really ought to go stand myself perfectly still in a corner, grateful to be able to breathe.

Man is condemned to life, not to death…

exactly

Its true that I live in a part of the world which is called India.I do look up to the Upanishads.But I realised  its greatness only because of Schopenhauer.
To imitate Kafka-What do I have in common with Hindus? I hardly have anything in common with myself, and really ought to go stand myself perfectly still in a corner, grateful to be able to breathe.

If it makes you feel any better, Holden, I think this would give Schopenhauer great satisfaction knowing that he might influence the direct descendants of those whose scribes writings resonated so deeply with him.

Schopenhauer himself was quite critical of his Germany, that is, Hegel and the like. (see footnote)

George Carlin had made a profound statement concerning false pride in one's ethnicity.   He said that it is ok to be proud of one's own individual merits, but he found it ridiculous for someone to be proud of ethnicity or nationality, such as "proud to be Irish, Italian, American, etc"

It would be equally ridiculous to be proud of "being human."    It does not make sense for anyone to be proud of something they had nothing whatsoever to do with - the circumstances of their birth.  On the same token, I don't think we ought to be ashamed of such things either.   One might be ashamed of the behavior of one's ancestors, or even proud of their behavior, but this is not a personal kind of pride or shame.

I exist in a place called the United States of America, which is, in reality, occupied territory.  The natives were not considered citizens and pushed/corralled onto reservations, often the least desirable places to live.  Imagine the cognitive dissonance upon witnessing so-called "Christians" proud of slaughtering the natives. 

There are scam artists and hired soldiers the world over.   I certainly do not judge you, Holden, for the actions of these opportunists, who may simply be hired to collect unpaid doctor bills ... I had seen a doctor from India because, well, I am kind of partial to the people from your continent ("sub-continent?").   That is, I felt comfortable.   The doctor was only slightly helpful, and as I saw the size of the luxury vehicle he drove, I did not feel like too much of a deadbeat when I decided to stop going to the overpriced follow-up visits, getting blood work, etc.   

I think many medical professionals may possibly be quite "ethical," but the medical industry itself is very corrupt.  Similarly with the telecommunications industry, surely most of the engineers building the infrastructure of the ever-expanding "Internet" (= network of computers) may be quite honest and diligent; but this does not justify the mass-scale over-pricing of Internet service in the United States (of Amerika).

I do not see doctors and nurses and pharmacists as the "hero success stories" they are made out to be.

By the way, I have been extremely temperamental lately, like I am on the verge of a tantrum [FUUCK THIS WORLD!!!]  , and Captain Howdy has been suggesting I throw down some vodka or similar spirits.  Of course, I have thankfully resisted.

How to accept everything patiently and fearlessly?

_______________________________
footnote: rare philosophy theses from an academic: SCHOPENHAUER’S PHILOSOPHY OF RELIGION AND HIS CRITIQUE OF GERMAN IDEALISM by Nicholas Linhares

Thanks Raul.  If there is one thing about drinking alcohol that I genuinely did enjoy (relish, is more like it) is how it would help "lubricate my soul" and allow that certain voice to come forth ... the gruffness and raspiness.

There are very few novels I would wish to read out loud ... I find Steve Toltz to be hilarious.   That Martin Dean with all his notes and crazy ideas ...

If I ever start drinking again, I could fantasize about doing "philosophical" stand-up comedy where, like Doug Stanhope, I might polish off 6 or 7 Molson Ice during the routine.

It's just a fantasy.  I am terrified of crowds and would not even be inclined to make videos to post on ZooTube.   

I just can't stand to be poked with a stick - due to a hypersensitive ego ...   

Holden, I updated the links for:

1. Catcher in the Rye (spoken by yours truly, which makes it annoying to me personally)

2. Steve Toltz's A Fraction of the Whole.