The Forgetful Self Does Not Grieve

A cool front came in.  It had gotten foggy. A fog alert is in effect. It is back down into the lower fifties. Dew condenses and drips from the eaves onto my head. Autumn colors rule. The trees reluctantly disrobe. Blowers whine.  Bagging begins.

Instincts dictate our duty and the intellect supplies us with pretexts for evading it – Marcel Proust – Tine Regained p208

Production makes its own demands on consumption, which cannot be ignored

People do not die for us immediately, but remain bathed in a sort of aura of life which bears no relation to true immortality but through which they continue to occupy our thoughts in the same way as when they were alive. It is as though they were traveling abroad. This is thoroughly pagan survival. Conversely, when we have ceased to love, the curiosity which people arouse dies before they themselves are dead – Marcel Proust – The Fugative p94

We know more many more

            People who we don’t know

Then we know people we do know

We imagine we know them

            As others who we know

            That we don’t know

                        Imagine them too

Sometimes we imagine we

            Know people who we don’t know

            With people who we do know

But not usually

Sometimes we imagine we know

            Imaginary people but we

            Usually do it in solitude

A thinking mind is not swallowed up by what it comes to know – Anne Carson – Ewros the Bittersweet, 1986

Every catastrophe has a natural history

What hampers us is a failure of history itself; namely, that advantage seems invariably to corrupt the ability that gained the advantage in the first place – Guy Davenport – The Hunter Graacchus, 1996 p133

16% of Americans feel safer since Osama bin Laden was killed. 14% feel less safe. 40% of Americans think that his death will make it easier to “win the global war on terror”. 60% of Americans had though that the capture of Saddam Hussein would have made it easier.

The forgetful self does not grieve about his forgetfulness precisely because one has forgotten – Marcel Proust – The Fugative p230

46% of all drug arrests are for offenses related to marijuana possession. 88% of marijuana arrests involve possession only. Since 2000 there have been 7.9 arrest for marijuana violations.

History must have examples. It is never an abstraction – Guy Davenport – The Hunter Graacchus, 1996 p206

I see you look

I see what you look at

I look at what you look at

I look to see if you’re looking

            To see what I’m looking at

I look

I see

I know

But do nothing

It’s not my fault

Among so-called immoral people, moral indignation is quiet as violent as among other people, only its objet is slightly different – Marcel Proust – Remembrance of Things Past – Time Regained p270

All times are normal times. It’s what happened to create (and to destroy and to preserve) those times which is extraordinary

Reality is the most effective mask of reality. Our fondest wish attained, ceases to be our fondest wish. Success is the greatest of disappointments. The spirit is most alive when it is lost – Guy Davenport – The Hunter Graacchus, 1996 p116

George Bush – I never liked. I couldn’t stand to see him smirk. Barak Obama – I’ve at times tried to like him – but his attempt to look sincere is so annoying especially the way he bends his  head to the left or to the right.

One lies all one’s life long, even, especially, perhaps only, to those who love one. For they alone make us fear for our pleasures, and desire their esteem – Conversely, when we have ceased to love, the curiosity which people arouse dies before they themselves are dead – Marcel Proust – The Fugative p197