I echo your sentiments entirely on bookstores. *sigh* But, like I said... a job's a job. I'd rather be working here than some corporate office supplies store, or something o.O
I'll have a look at the community.
Somehow, tonight, I'm all out of words that won't reach people immediately. I'm all talk with the people I have in real time, but somehow, when I take an approach like a post or letter - like this, or the letter I wrote my sister - I'm dry. It's a strange feeling. Likely just that I'm tired from work... today was one of two opening shifts, early mornings.
The community looked a little... puply, if you know what I mean. I appreciate that it exists... though I feel it may be serving more as a facet of a support system for these kind of people, rather than a focus for thought.
On the other hand, I'm not sure if it can do a whole lot more than that. To get really streamlined, focussed ideas, I think you need a feircer rapport. Closer knit conversations between fewer people, or a gathering in life where people can -actually- connect with one another on a more real level. On a broader level. I think one would be more likely to really absorb the energies and feelings of like minded people on a physical level, whereas progress is... slower made over such a distant, digial medium.
I meant to mention, and realized when I hit the post button.
A young man in the organic restaurant near where myself and my significant work struck up a conversation based on the reading material laying on the table at the time. Which would have been Ishmael. He said it had been years since he read it, and he didn't remember many of the details... but it had definately made an impression on his life, and he thought of it frequently day to day. He reccomended Herman Hesse, especially Sidhartha. Have you read it? If so, what do you think?
It was really quite interesting. I admire people who are able to just start talking to a complete stranger about something. I'm not entirely sure if I'm bold enough to do something like that in person, at this point.
i have tried to read siddhartha before, but i didn't get it, so i've put it down and filed it away to be read another day (something i quite regularly do with books, especially "classics")
everyone i know who has read ishmael has been changed by it. it's simply remarkable.
i'm somewhat shy with strangers in groups, especially with friends, but i am usually polite and embarrassedly talkative to people otherwise
When it comes to a stranger in a group of people that I know, it's a totally different thing. I feel an odd, though overwhelming, feeling of... expectation. These are people that know me to be a certain way, and if I am not that certain way with the stranger... it's wrong.
This is giving way to a reasonable extent, however. Through my latter highschool years, I think I did well to establish myself as a relatively impulsive person. I do things because I want to, and because I feel like it. So, if my intuition called me to behave in one way or another, there are few very close to me that would be surprised at such actions. Or, if they were, the issue would not be -that- it happened, but -why- (this being due to the fact that those close to me also understand that I put a lot of stock in 'gut feelings', and there's usually a reason behind them).
I believe what you say about everyone being affected by the volume. Quinn puts together his case with such meticulous logic, that I often find myself thinking 'Why has this not occurred to me?'. It's disconcerting, but in a pleasant, productive-feeling manner.
As to Hesse... it hasn't been Sidhartha that has interested me in the past so much as a few of his other books. I couldn't tell you the titles now, as that I do not remember them, but if I saw them again I would so... some time when I have some free roaming time that I don't feel guilty using to roam freely, I'll take a look.
Also, have you read much of the poet Kahlil Gibran? We have... almost a shelf and a half of his work in our section, and 'The Prophet' has been reccomended to me more than once. It has not, however, beckoned to me yet... I've picked up books of his more than once and flicked through the pages hastily, and have not had the overwhelming need to stash it and look at it in more depth yet. It's not the right time, if I'm meant to read it.
I do understand, however, your stashing of books for a potentially indefinate postponment of later. I've done it more than once myself. Oddly enough, 1984 is in that pile right now. I was eating through it like brushfire, and was over halfway done when something in me just... shut off like a light. Reading it became a chore. So I put it down, and will need to finish it some time.
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branchandroot
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Date: 2003-08-01 10:48 pm (UTC)I'll have a look at the community.
Somehow, tonight, I'm all out of words that won't reach people immediately. I'm all talk with the people I have in real time, but somehow, when I take an approach like a post or letter - like this, or the letter I wrote my sister - I'm dry. It's a strange feeling. Likely just that I'm tired from work... today was one of two opening shifts, early mornings.
Take care.
no subject
Date: 2003-08-02 09:25 pm (UTC)it's the ishmael community on livejournal, but i don't think i like it very much
there are never any new ideas there
i know that feeling
no subject
Date: 2003-08-02 11:50 pm (UTC)On the other hand, I'm not sure if it can do a whole lot more than that. To get really streamlined, focussed ideas, I think you need a feircer rapport. Closer knit conversations between fewer people, or a gathering in life where people can -actually- connect with one another on a more real level. On a broader level. I think one would be more likely to really absorb the energies and feelings of like minded people on a physical level, whereas progress is... slower made over such a distant, digial medium.
no subject
Date: 2003-08-03 07:07 pm (UTC)i've tried before to meet a person from ishmael-supporting website, but it didn't happen...
no subject
Date: 2003-08-02 11:54 pm (UTC)A young man in the organic restaurant near where myself and my significant work struck up a conversation based on the reading material laying on the table at the time. Which would have been Ishmael. He said it had been years since he read it, and he didn't remember many of the details... but it had definately made an impression on his life, and he thought of it frequently day to day. He reccomended Herman Hesse, especially Sidhartha. Have you read it? If so, what do you think?
It was really quite interesting. I admire people who are able to just start talking to a complete stranger about something. I'm not entirely sure if I'm bold enough to do something like that in person, at this point.
no subject
Date: 2003-08-03 07:05 pm (UTC)everyone i know who has read ishmael has been changed by it. it's simply remarkable.
i'm somewhat shy with strangers in groups, especially with friends, but i am usually polite and embarrassedly talkative to people otherwise
no subject
Date: 2003-08-04 12:05 am (UTC)This is giving way to a reasonable extent, however. Through my latter highschool years, I think I did well to establish myself as a relatively impulsive person. I do things because I want to, and because I feel like it. So, if my intuition called me to behave in one way or another, there are few very close to me that would be surprised at such actions. Or, if they were, the issue would not be -that- it happened, but -why- (this being due to the fact that those close to me also understand that I put a lot of stock in 'gut feelings', and there's usually a reason behind them).
I believe what you say about everyone being affected by the volume. Quinn puts together his case with such meticulous logic, that I often find myself thinking 'Why has this not occurred to me?'. It's disconcerting, but in a pleasant, productive-feeling manner.
As to Hesse... it hasn't been Sidhartha that has interested me in the past so much as a few of his other books. I couldn't tell you the titles now, as that I do not remember them, but if I saw them again I would so... some time when I have some free roaming time that I don't feel guilty using to roam freely, I'll take a look.
Also, have you read much of the poet Kahlil Gibran? We have... almost a shelf and a half of his work in our section, and 'The Prophet' has been reccomended to me more than once. It has not, however, beckoned to me yet... I've picked up books of his more than once and flicked through the pages hastily, and have not had the overwhelming need to stash it and look at it in more depth yet. It's not the right time, if I'm meant to read it.
I do understand, however, your stashing of books for a potentially indefinate postponment of later. I've done it more than once myself. Oddly enough, 1984 is in that pile right now. I was eating through it like brushfire, and was over halfway done when something in me just... shut off like a light. Reading it became a chore. So I put it down, and will need to finish it some time.
no subject
Date: 2003-08-04 12:39 am (UTC)i have read the prophet, and some collections of thoughts and so on... i liked it, but not overwhelmingly so
it took my 5 years to begin to read 1984, but i read it in 2 days... i thought it was brilliant, and still do.