In this passage from his 1953 book "The Captive Mind", Czeslaw Milosz tells us about the experiences of artists in the Soviet Union and Eastern European countries that came under its influence. In particular, the effects of the dictatorship of the one Method manifest in individual self-censorship and the gradually sedimenting conviction that things cannot … Continue reading Obligation to Be Clear
Spreading the Word: Feeling Lonely When Not Alone
Loneliness is a vulnerability we all, as human beings, are exposed to. While there are different ways each of us experiences loneliness, what we all share is the risk of feeling lonely. Perhaps it is an unavoidable risk, as much as we might want to escape it. But loneliness is not a single kind of … Continue reading Spreading the Word: Feeling Lonely When Not Alone
Literature and Philosophy
What is the relationship between literature and philosophy? It depends on how you understand each and, more broadly, on how you approach the matter of defining things. In his 2001 book "Philosophy's Literature", philosopher Andrew Benjamin explores, among other things, the way philosophy (or rather one of its dominant traditions - stemming from Plato and … Continue reading Literature and Philosophy
Hell Is Other People: What Did Sartre Mean?
French existentialist philosopher Jean-Paul Sartre famously said, "Hell is other people". This quote appears towards the end of Sartre's play Huis Clos (No Exit), first published in 1944. A disenchanted and desperate verdict; it comes from one of the three characters trapped together in one room. Without giving too much away, let me say that the play's … Continue reading Hell Is Other People: What Did Sartre Mean?
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