Thatnegativeview, I thinkneedstobecombinedwith a morepositiveviewwhichtellsusthatthereareotherwaysnotjustmaybenotthinking, butsomeotherwayofcrossingthatboundaryondoesit?
We'relandingintherealmofthetranscendentandknowingitfrominside, I thinkonthatthisissomethingthatwe I understandveryquicklyinpersonalrelations, thatwhen I when I addressyou, I knowthat I'm addressingsomethingwhichaddressesmetoo.
Butfrom a placewhere I couldneverbe I couldn't lookatmyselffromthoseeyeson.
Butnevertheless, thereareleapsoftheimaginationwhichcanputmeinyourpointofviewonDhefromthatpointwho I cancometounderstandexactlywhat I am, butin a completelydifferentwayfromsimplytheordinaryempiricalknowledgethat I haveofmyself.
And I thinkthatthatsortofinterpersonalunderstanding, I wouldsaywecanadaptto a lltheotheraspectsofourworld, whichismysterioustousmusic, forinstance.
Butthat's a beginning, and I wanttoreturntomusic a bit a bitlater.
Jordan.
Well, I thinkit's usefulasanadjuncttothat.
SoSothat's a Rogermentionedthattranscendentiswhatwebumpupagainstwhenwerealizeourignorance.
Butyoucanalsothinkaboutittechnicallyso, and I thinkweknowenoughabouthowthebrainworksnow, sothatnotthatweknowmuchsothatusefulthingscanbesaidaboutthat.
I youtendtorepresenttheworldinthesimplestmannerthatyoupossiblycanthatworksforwhatyou'redoing, andsoyoudon't actuallyseetheworldyouseesufficientlyuseful, lowrepresentlowresolutionrepresentationsoftheworld.
Andsowhatyouseeintheworldinsomesenses, a setofanimatedcartoonsand a lotofthatisactually a consequenceofyouseeingnothingbutyourmemorybecauseyourbrainisorganizedsothatinsteadofgoingthroughallofthedifficultyofhavingtolookatthethinginitself, youlookatwhatyouassumetobethere, andifyoucouldgetawaywiththat, somuchthebetter.
Andyoucanshowthiseveninthereligioussensetosomedegree, becauseyoucouldsaythatthere's anelementtothetranscendentthatinstillspeoplewith a senseofreligioussignificance.
Andthenthatputsthemin a placewherethetranscendenttendstorevealitself, sometimesanoverwhelmingforce.
Sothisitisnotsomefictionthatthisexists, it's what's transcendentismorerealthantherealitythatyouperceiveWell, let's pickthispickuponthatbecausetheancientsinthemidevilshad a clearsensethatitwasn't theworldthatwaschanging.
Itwasweourselves.
Aswemakeanascenttowardsdeepertruths, higherformsofthebeautiful a cz, weourselvesbecomemoreselfconscious.
Soit's nottheworldthat's changing, butbutus.
I wonderifyoucouldsayhowyouunderstandthenatureofthatascent, thatthatmovementandwhatbringsitabout I wouldbe a bitwaryofthemetaphorofascent.
Youknow, I thinkinPlatoisquiteclearwhathemeant, thathewantedustoactuallytotranscendourearthlyperceptionsandourearthlywayofseeingthingsonLookontheworldfromfrom a God's eyeperspectiveondhe, thiscouldbedoneifweentertheworldofthepureformsonDSOonleaveempiricalrealitybehind.
I think, actually, insofarastoexperiencethatthetranscendentthat I, as I understandit, isavailabletousmodernpeople.
Butinmyowncase, itistheconcentrationontheempiricalreality, whichat a certainpointflipsfrommeresensoryunderstandingThiovisioninthatofitscommunicatingsomethingtome.
And I thinkthisiswhattheliteratureandartandmusicdo.
It's notjustthereasaninertobjectbeforeyouonthatsenseofthetranscendenceislikediscoveringyourselfin a mirror, seeingintheworldas a wholethatthinginyouthatyoucouldneveridentifyinwords.
Youknowthesubject, whichislookingatiton.
It's not a mistakemystery, butit's somethingthatyoucan't thenexplainasthedifferencebetween a goodwriterand a badwriter, ofcourse, isthat a goodwriterwilldescribesomethinginsuch a waythatthethingdescribedhasthesoulofthereaderinit.
Sosothatmightbethatdistinctioninpartbetweenthethingandthemeaningfulthing, right, Andthat's a that's a verymysteriousphenomenon.
Andthatmeans, insomesense, thatthereis a calltoyouthatisn't fromwithinyou.
I mean, I don't knowhowelsetoputitexactly, becauseyouwalkinto a bookstorein a book.
WillWillwillrevealitselftoyou, youknow, ororyouhave a conversation, andpartoftheconversationwilltriggersomethinginyouoryourreading a scientificpaperandmuchofitsdull.
Andthenallof a sudden, there's somethingthatsparksoutwardthat's like a portthat's a portalintothetranscendent, andthatis a placewherethefactandthemeaningconverge.
Andthat's a phenomenonwedon't understandverywellhassomethingtodowithitsconvergencewiththenarrativethatdrivesuswhateverthathappenstobe.
Ifyou'reteachingliteratureormusicologyororhistoryofartoranything, youareopeningyoungpeopletothosemomentswhentheworldceasestobe a mereaccumulationoffacts.
That's a goodwayofthinkingaboutitandthencanimaginethatthattranscendentobjectalsohastointeractwithyouandtheworldmomentbymoment.
Andhisbeliefwasthatthosetimeswhenthatspaceofmeaningopenedupsothereisthatconvergencebetweenthefactandandthegrippingofthefactwasthemanifestationoftheself, whichisthistranscendentobjectinthespecificmomentoftimeandspace, andtherefore a callforwardtomovetowardsrevealingthattotalityasmuchasitcanberevealed, andsothatitwouldbepartlyandthatwouldbepartlyrevealedbythenfollowing a meaningfulpathway.
It's notwordsonpaper, it's a It's a portaltotheirTotheirfurtherdevelopmenttowardsthis, thisthemanifestationofthishigherandmoretranscendentmotivebeingthat, liketheHinduideaofthetransitionfromSamSarettaBrahman, isn't itthatyousaidyoupassedthrough?
Ah, a barrierthatcan't actuallybedescribedbecauseyoucanonlyknowitwhenyou'reontheothersideofit, butwhenyou'reontheothersideofit, you'relookingbackatthethingthatyou'veleftandseeingitasitwereforthefirsttimeonknowingwhatitmeans.
I guessthat's a littleconnectslittlebitwithwhatDouglaswassayingaboutaboutcode a ridge.
YouknowthatColeridgewasanadvocateof a formofeducation, a formofknowledgewhichshowsthemeaningofthingsasopposedtothemerefactsaccumulatedbyBenthamandpeoplelikethat.
Youknowthatthatthewholefeministviewoftherelationshipinmenandwomen, forinstance, whichisfoundedonthisdeepmyththatmenareexercisingexercisepowerasagendatousethefashionableworldthewordoveroverwomenandthatallstudyofthisisjust a wayofrevealingthatpowerandonthecapillariesthroughwhichitflows.
And I thinkthere's a willtobelievethison.
Whyisoneofthebigquestionsthat I thinkwetry, wehavetotrytounderstand?
Let's say, becausewemightthinkofpowerasunderandauthoritysomethinglikethat, becauseweneed a definitionofpower, and I thinkthatthere's a resentmentatworktherethat's very, verydeep.
I thinkit's deepinthebiblicalsense, whichisthatthereis a proclivityforthosewhodonotmanifestwhattheycouldmanifestintheworldandtherebyfailtowatchthesuccessofthosewhodomanifestwhattheycouldmanifestintheworldandsucceedandbecomeembitteredbythattremendouslyembitteredandthentolabelthatispowerandthentoattempttodestroyit.
It's not a visionthatsuccessfulpeoplehavethedivisionthattheyhaveatanylevelofreality, andyoucanactuallycombatthattosomedegreebymakeithighresolutionagainbymakingexamples.
It's veryfewpeoplewhoarewillingtopursuetheirideologyofzerosumof a zerosumrealitysofardownthatthey'llactuallyusethattocharacterizethemostintimaterelationships.
Now I wouldsaythatsomeonewhodoesthatbytemperamentisliterallypsychopathic, becausethepsychopathicviewoftheworldisabsolutelythatit's a zerosumgame.
Andififif a womandecidestohave a child, thensheisgoingtoundergo a seriesofextraordinarilyradicaltransformationsandshe's alsogoingtoendupinthesituationwhereinalllikelihood, somethingelsebecomesfundamentallymoreimportantthanher, andthey'resothereis a There's a submightbevoluntarysubjectGatien, butthere's a subjectGatientonatureandboom, andthat's builtintothefabricofexistence.
And I thinkit's veryeasynottowanttograpplewiththatbecauseit's such a profoundproblem.
Andthen, too, tomakethat a secondaryconsequenceofsomethinglikeunbalancedpowerrelationshipsbetweenthegenders.
LikewiseonDDE, youknowthesensealsointhesegreatevents, oneisoccupying a positioninthein a moralspacethathasbeenoccupiedbygenerationsbeforeoneandsoonthisnormalizingofthesehugetransitions.
I thinkit's somethingthatthatwehaveordersdependeduponreligiontoprovide.
Thisissacredizing, yes, andhavingtakenthatawayororignoreditortryingtolivewithoutexactlywithouttheideaof a sacramenton, we'reactuallyat a losswhenthesegreattransitionsoccur.
Wellintendedtomeisbecauseitisthecase, infact, thattotoengageintheintegrationofsexualitywithyourindividuallifeis a seriesofsacrifices.
So, forexample, ifyougetmarried, that's a sacrificebecauseit's a sacrificeofallotherpeople.
Andsoit's a sacrificeofthatpossibility.
Andthentohave a childisthesacrificeofallthethingsthatyoucouldhavedoneotherwisethanhavingthatchildandtwobuttwoto a CZ.
Youpointedouttomakethatpartof a broadertraditiontosaythat, well, thatis a sacrifice, andthereis a lossthatgoesalongwiththat.
Butwhatyougainas a consequenceisoffofimmeasurablesignificanceincontrasttothelossandoneofthethingsthat's reallystruckmeinthislecturetourthat I'vebeendoing.
Sobeinginabout 100 citiesandoneofthethingsthat I'vebeentalkingtopeopleabout, itismeaning, and I supposeit's meaninginrelationshiptothetranscendentandthenecessityofmeaningasanantidotetosufferingintomalevolence.
Andthehypothesisissomethinglikewell, meaningistobefoundinresponsibilityandThisis a It's a revelationtopeoplebecausetheyhaven't conceptualizeditthatwaybefore.
It's it's theIt's thebearingof a sacrificialburdenandthatthatactuallyworkstoenrichand a nobleyourlifeinwaysthatmakethetragicelementof a tolerablehuntinghadtokeepyoufrombitterness.
Andsothesethingsthatareputforwardassubject.
Gatien, likethesubjectGatienofWomantothetothecatastropheofBirth, Let's say, oreventheindignityofpatriarchalunionisallof a suddensomethingthatyoucantakeonasanaspirationalgoalratherthansomethingthat's a mereimpositiononyouronyourmomenttomomentfreedomas a relieftopeopletohearthatandtoknowit.
Ofcourse, I agreewiththat.
Butthereisalsothesensethatintheworldwhichwelive, whereobviouslypeoplehavebeingdetachedto a greatextentfromtheanycontinuousreligioustradition, therestillis a senseoflossispeopletheydon't knowthattheyweremissingsomethingbutdon't knowquitehowtoidentifyiton.
And I thinkit's whatitsurelythatis, partofwhateruptsinallthesestrangeacademicdisciplineslikegenderstudies, whichsimplyhaveistheirgoaltheunderminingoftheexistingorderwithoutanythingpositivetoputinitsplace.
And I don't knowwhatthatthere's thoseacademicstudiesrecruitpeopleallthetimefromthisfundofofofisolation, thisfromthecenturysenseoflosswithoutanabilitytoidentifythethingthat's beinglost.
That's thecultlikeelementofthembecausetheydo, I wouldsaytosomedegreepreyonpeoplewhoseinterpersonalrelationshipshavebeenirreparablydamagedright.
I have a hypothesisaboutaboutthefeministendofthepostmodernradicalleftistmovement, soandthisissomething I'vetalkedaboutmuchinpublic, butbutwell, Butheregoes.
Itshouldgivemeinlotsoftrouble.
SosoAndthere's a varietyofthingsthataretangledtogetherhere, sowedon't knowhowfemalebiologywouldmanifestitselfpolitically.
Malebiologydoes.
Femalebiologyisgoingto.
That's becausefemalepoliticalactivityonthelargestpossiblescaleis a relativelynewphenomenon.
Soonethingthat a womanreallywantstoknowabout a man.
Orperhapsyoumightsayonethingthatfemininitywantstoknowaboutmasculinityisthatit's not a predatorytyrant.
Okay, soandhere's why.
I mean, firstofall, there's fragilityandfemininesexualityto a greaterdegreethanthereisinmalesexuality, becausewomenbearhigherpriceforsexualmisadventure, let's say, andperhapsmorepronetoexploitationbyforce.
Butmorethanthat, partofbeing a womanishavingthepossibilityofbringingsomethingextraordinarilyfragileandvulnerableandvaluableintotheworld, andthefirstconcernmightbe.
Areyou a predator?
Fundamentally.
Areyou a predator?
Andsowhat I seehappeningintheinthefeministdisciplineslikegenderstudies, isthepoliticizationofthataccusation.
Andtheaccusationisprovedtomethatyou'renot a predatorlikeinyourfund, inthefundamentalelementofyourmasculinity, notonlyhistorically, butnowbecausethecostofyoubeing a predator's istoohigh.
Now I feelthatthat's aninappropriate.
I thinkthat's what's drivingthedemolitionoftheideaofpresumptionofinnocence.
Thecourageous, a courageouspartofthewoman's journey, let's say, istofacethemonstrosityof a manandtoinviteoutofthatsomethingmorenobletoemerge.
Andthere's courageinthatingenuinerisk.
And I thinkthatthat's foregoneintheaccusationprocess.
Andthentheotherelementofthatseemstometobethatwell, ifyouare a predatorandyourirredeemableinyourpredatorynature, thenthebestthingtodoistorenderyouharmless.
Andifwe'regoingtoobscuretherelationshipbetweenconfidenceandpowerandassumethatallofyourstrivingupwardismerely a manifestationofpowerthanwhatwe'lldoisweakenedyouasmuchaspossiblesothatharmlessnesscanreplacevirtue.
And I seeallofthatdrivingtheseresentfuldisciplinesinthere.
AndtheRadioAmis, theemasculationoftheman.
Yeah, that's theevilqueen.
Yeah, yeah, becausewehavetheevilking, right?
That's thetyrannicalpatriarchy.
Well, theevilqueenislurkingsomewhere.
Yes, Sotheproblemis a lotofthisistrue, butsocietydoesnotseemtohavethecapacitytoputthattoonesideandcelebratesthenormal.
Thefactthatmostmenandmostwomenarenotlikethatonthatthereisthereis a a naturaldesireandneedofthesexestoloveeachother, tobeunitedandtocreateChildrenandsoon, andthattheoldstabilitythatthatwasbuiltuponthishasgone.
Andsoandthat's thecase, I guess, until 1960 thepublicationofTheFeminineMystiqueorsomethinglikethat.
Butthat's theentirecourseofhumanhistorythatwhenthewhenitseemstomethattheappropriatestoryisthatmenandwomenlaboredmightilyundertheirterribleconstraintsforforuncountedcenturies, cooperatingtogetherbyandlargetotobuildsomemodicumofsecurityandfreedomandstabilitysothattheycouldraiseChildrenandhave a somewhatharmoniousandproductivelife.
Andthen, allof a sudden, it's becomenotonlyquestionabletoputforththatas a proposition, butsomehowtyrannicalandinessence, justforpositingitas a reality.
Butthat's partlybecause, isn't itbecauseofthispeculiarviewthatunderlyingallthis, there's a kindofsocialstructurethatthisisbeingcreated.
Buttherehasbeen a sortof a kindofalmosthystericalinvasionofeverythingbytheideaofhumanchoicethatififthereis, ifthereis a a structure, towtherelationtomenandwomen, thenweoughttobeabletochangeiton.
Ofcourse, change.
Itmightmeanthat I havetochangemysexinordertoconformtothewaythingsare.
Isn't thatverypolarizedfracturethatfracturedpolarization, a signof a lossof a commonhumancultureofAh, a universalplaneinwhichweallweallareishumanbeings?
Andsoififthat's ifthat's ifthatisso, I supposewhat I taketobesoveryurgentinourtimeand I wonderitmightbedifficulttofindanyonewho, atleastwhenyougodownto a highenoughlevelofresolutions.
YousayJordanwouldnotthinkthisistrue, thatwemustrecoverthatsenseofourselvesasentitiesthatparticipatein a universalandtranscendentplane, thatwehave a commonculture, that I seemyselfin.
I knowittakes a longtimeforFacebookaddictedyouthtoreadandAnnaKarina, butthere's stillhope, youknow, andandthey'relikelytolistentoitifitbecomesanaudiobook.
I mean, umsoSolet's let's thinkaboutliteraturefor a bit.
Andso, no, ifyoureadsomethinglike a Dostie s keynoveloranaccredited, you'renotreallyreadingtheaccountof a singleperson's life.
Whatyou'rereadingisit's liketheauthorhastaken a varietyoflivesandamalgamatedthemandunifiedthemintosomethingthat's likeIt's like a compilationoflives.
Soit's life.
It's likelifewritlarge.
That's whatfictionis.
It's moretruethanrealitybecausejustlike a mathematicalabstractioncanbemorerealthanthethingthatitrepresents.
Insomesense, thefictionisit's likeit's like a portrait.
Ifyousitfor a portrait, you'llsitandtheartistwillpaintyou, andthenyou'llsitagainandthenyou'llseeitagain, andthenyou'llseeitagain.
Andsotheportraitisactually a compositeofyou, andsoit's got a richnesssometimesthat a photographcan't match.
A fictionalcharacterisactually a complicitofmanypeople, andsotheopportunitytoread a greatworkoffictionistheopportunitytoplaceyourselfintheperspective, notofmerelyanotherpersonlikeyoudo a normaldiscourseinthemundanesetting, buttoplaceyourselfintheperspectiveofah, compiledcharacter.
Soyou I experiencedthatextraordinarilypowerfullywithDostoyevsky's crimeandpunishment, toputmyselfinthepositionofthisstudentwhowasnihilisticandwhohadeveryreasontocommitmurder.
Andit's anunbelievablyintensenovelbecauseeverybodyinthenovelishyperreal, andwethinkoffictionasfalsityororor a CZuntruth.
I justwrotetheforwardtoSoldierNixon's 50thanniversaryversionofTheGulagArchipelago.
Theabridgedversionand I ranacrosshisferventwishthatwhatpeoplecouldlearnfromwhathecommunicatedallthehorrorandsufferingtoputthemselvesinthepositionofboththeperpetratorandtheandtheaccusedsimultaneously, andtodecidethatthat's nottheroadtowalkdown.
Andthatis, I think, anexerciseoftheimaginationwhich I valuegreatlyon.
Um, youdon't necessarilycometotheconclusionthattherefore, I don't wanttobelikethat.
ItmightbejustenoughtosayNow I seethatthatthat's a possiblehumanbeingonyourknowledgeofthepossibilitiesisamplifiedonyoursense, yourabilitytopositionyourselfinthosepossibilities.
Also, I thinkright, Sothat's a matterofdifferentiationaswellasdirection.
Yes, And I thinksometimesinmymorediremomentsthatthisoppositiontoculturalappropriationright?
Sotheideathat I'm notallowedanymoretoimaginemyself, sayfictionallyas a womanorusoris a characterfromanotherethnicity, oreventoplaytherolethatroleasanactor, I thinkthatit's it's partoftheassaultontheideaoftheindividualandthenonzerosumgamebecauseitprecludesthepossibilitythat I couldtakeontheroleofanotherinanunderstandingmannerandactuallyfacilitateddialogue, andthatunderminestheclaim.
I wouldsaythateverythingisonly a secondaryconsequenceofpowerbecauseif I canactuallybridgethatgap, well, then I'm notisolatedinmygroupormyethnicityorwhateveritis I can, I canbecomepartlyyouandwecancommunicate.
And I wouldsay, becauseofthat, literatureandartis a greatthreattoideology, especiallyofthegroupidentitykind.
Andofcoursethey'reperfectlyawareofthat.
WhichiswhytheradicalsonthatsideoftheequationaredoingeverythingtheycantoTo I reporterfromTheNewYorkTimes, whowrote a ratherscurrilouspieceaboutme.
ShehaddonetheliteraturedegreeitatColumbia, a brightwoman, andshetoldmeinallhonestyandanapparenttransparencythatshehadnoideathisishowdeepthisis.
Thishasbecomesaturatedintoourculture.
Shehadnoideauntilshe, untilshehadgraduatedfromColumbia, thattherewasanyotherwayofreading a workofliteratureexceptthroughthepostmodernlensandthepostmortarlenses.
TheElementaryTeachersFederationofOntariowantstostartteachingliteraturefrom a postmoderncriticalperspectiveinelementaryschooltodemolishit.
Well, thereweare.
I mean, I'm infavorofcultural, culturalappropriation.
I mean, I'm a productofit.
I appropriatedtheideaoftheEnglishgentlemanand, youknow, tryandmademyselfbeiton.
I knowit's a failure.
I that's partofdoingit.
Well, yeah, but I'veunderstoodtheworldfromtheinsideandanotherway, but I justwrote a bookofstorieswhichwasjustreviewed, butsomebodywhosaysthesstoriesmakeculturalappropriationinto a virtue, so I feltgoodaboutthey.
Theybeginwithaninsideviewofthepsycheofofah, terroristofonArabterroristswhohas a legacyofvengeanceonDDE, whois a failureonand, uh, whoseloss I trytomakerealinthefeelingsofthereaderashereadsitondheon.
Five, I think, isthatfiveshortstorieseachwhichareportraitof a characterat a certainmomentintime.
I thinkit's safetosay, Rogerthatthey'realltragicstories.
In a sense, what I foundsomovingaboutthosestoriesisthattheseareindividualsinstatesofdislocationanchorlis, seekingdepth, meaningtruth, stabilityonandyet, intheirconfusionintheirdarkness, willingagainstthatverythingthattheyseekor, youmightsay, violatingtheirtransgressing, thatsacredthingthatthey'relongingfor.
That's notwhat's beautifulaboutthebook.
Uh, what's beautifulisthatinthereading, thereader, herorhimselfcomesto a senseofwhatthatlongingisforpositively, a senseofthethestabilityoflove, orofhomeorofrelationship.
AndandAnd I supposewhat I wanttoaskfollowinguponthisisthatthatseemstome a profoundlyredemptivevisionthatyouhaveinthatinthosebeautifulstories, Rogerthat, thatit's showingthepersistenceofthebeautifulandofthegood, eveninitsabsencethat I canreadthatstoryandhave a perceptionofwhatpositively I am.
I amlookingfor t Refertosomethingthatyousayinoneofyourbooks, Jordan, thatthateventhroughanexperienceofevil, onecandevelopanapprehensionofwhatthegoodisandwonderingifhecouldeachsaysomethingaboutthethatyouknow, either, eitherthereis a realitytothesetranscendentthingswherethereisnot a condition.
It'd eitherjust a constructgoodnessorbeautyandtruth, ortheyhave a transcendentandandsovereignpersistentreality.
And I'm wonderingifyoucouldeachsaysomethingaboutthethepersistenceorsovereigntyofthesethings.
EvenamidstourdarknessandsufferingWell, I wouldsaythatintragedywhentragedyisreallyeffective, thereis a redemptionofferedinthisthroughsufferingthatthetheexceptReadweencounterthepossibilityintragedythat a humanbeingcan, throughthemostnoblemotives, alsobringabout a potdownuponhimself.
Buthereissomebodywhowhohasfaceditdowninsomewaythathisnose, hisnobilityofnatureandhisabilitytogoouttowardsothersin a conditionofloveandrecordreconciliationhasnotbeentakenawayfromhim.
Onthespectacleofthatisallthemoreintensebecausenevertheless, youknow, deathintervenesandtakeshimaway, asitwilltakeyouandmeaway, butwithouthavinghadthechancetoreveal a nobilityoreventoacquireit.
Youknow, I thinkthatforthatreason, it's veryimportantthatinliterature, noblecharactersareseenin a conditionofloss.
Sometimesthatthatah, ndetheirtheirredemptioncomesbecauseeventhoughthey'velostwhatweallmustintheend, losethereisthatinthemwhichisstrugglingtowardsreconciliationwiththeirownconditiononwithothers, it's thesensethattheyarelivingasanother, notasherself, youknow, that's that's I thinkit's a crucialthingthattheGulagArchipelagoisoftenviewedasanendlessdocumentationofthehorrorsoftheSovietenterprise.
Thebookisaboutsoldierinit, sinceobservationsofpeopleinthoseterriblesituationswhodidnotcontributetotheterrorandwhotranscendedit, andthatunbelievablypowerpowerfulimpactobservingthathadonhimandthepersonaltransformationheunderwentas a consequenceofobservingthosepeopleandthedecisionhemadebecauseofseeingthemintheirultimatelytragiccircumstancestranscendthattotototransformhislifefromthebottomupandtowritethisgreatbookandtorevealtheuttercatastropheofthatentireideologicalmovement.
I mean, ififif, if, ifevilanddarknesswerethesovereignprinciples a zitway, saymetaphysically, well, theycouldjustbeallthelightscouldjustbecompletelyblackened.
Andyetthat's notwhatwesee.
And I'm wonderingifyouwouldeachcommentonthewhatyoutaketobethewhatwouldbeaboutwhatmightbe a theologicalarticulationofthefactsontheground.
I totallyagreewithwhatJordansaidabouttheGulagArchipelago, Um, andthatgoesbacktoDoss.
TaskisfromtheHouseoftheDead, hisaccountofbeingin a czarist, muchmilderkindofimprisonment, butneverthelessitwasfullofalmost a vacationhome.
Incomparison, I agree, butnevertheless, hedescribedthesecharacterswhoforwhomthateverythinghadbeentakenaway.
Buthealsonotesthatineachofthem.
You I canfindthesparkofGodsomethingwhich, youknow, checkrepeatedwhenhemadethisintotheintothewonderfullibrettoforhisoperaandontheotherchecktrytoshowinmusichowthesederelictcharactersweresuddenlyshinewiththatwiththatlightfromanothersource.