Born 206 years ago today.
From Moby Dick:
Is it that by its indefiniteness it shadows forth the heartless voids and immensities of the universe, and thus stabs us from behind with the thought of annihilation, when beholding the white depths of the milky way? Or is it, that as in essence whiteness is not so much a color as the visible absence of color; and at the same time the concrete of all colors; is it for these reasons that there is such a dumb blankness, full of meaning, in a wide landscape of snows- a colorless, all-color of atheism from which we shrink? And when we consider that other theory of the natural philosophers, that all other earthly hues- every stately or lovely emblazoning- the sweet tinges of sunset skies and woods; yea, and the gilded velvets of butterflies, and the butterfly cheeks of young girls; all these are but subtle deceits, not actually inherent in substances, but only laid on from without; so that all deified Nature absolutely paints like the harlot, whose allurements cover nothing but the charnel-house within; and when we proceed further, and consider that the mystical cosmetic which produces every one of her hues, the great principle of light, for ever remains white or colorless in itself, and if operating without medium upon matter, would touch all objects, even tulips and roses, with its own blank tinge- pondering all this, the palsied universe lies before us a leper; and like wilful travellers in Lapland, who refuse to wear colored and coloring glasses upon their eyes, so the wretched infidel gazes himself blind at the monumental white shroud that wraps all the prospect around him. And of all these things the Albino whale was the symbol. Wonder ye then at the fiery hunt?
(Added 2015: read that outloud. I dare you. I double-dog dare you.)
Via Brad:
"Poor Hoffman — I remember the shock I had when I first saw the mention of his madness. — But he was just the man to go mad — imaginative, voluptuously inclined, poor, unemployed, in the race of life distanced by his inferiors, unmarried, — without a port of haven in the universe to make. . . . This going mad of a friend or acquaintance comes straight home to every man who feels his soul in him, — which but few men do. For in all of us lodges the same fuel to light the same fire. And he who has never felt, momentarily, what madness is has but a mouthful of brains." (Correspondence)
"[I]t is often to be observed, that as in digging for precious metals in the mines, much earthy rubbish has first to be troublesomely handled and thrown out; so, in digging in one's soul for the fine gold of genius, much dullness and common-place is first brought to light. Happy would it be, if the man possessed in himself some receptacle for his own rubbish of this sort: but . . . [n]o common-place is ever effectually got rid of, except by essentially emptying one's self of it into a book; for once trapped in a book, then the book can be put into the fire, and all will be well." (Pierre)
"I forgot to mention, that last night about 9 1/2 P.M. Adler & Taylor came into my room, & it was proposed to have whiskey punches, which we did have, accordingly. Adler drank about three table spoons full — Taylor 4 or five tumblers &c. We had an extraordinary time & did not break up till after two in the morning. We talked metaphysics continually, & Hegel, Schlegel, Kant &c. were discussed under the influence of the whiskey." (Correspondence)
"We incline to think that God cannot explain His own secrets, and that He would like a little information upon certain points Himself. We mortals astonish Him as much as He us. But it is this Being of the matter; there lies the knot with which we choke ourselves. As soon as you say Me, a God, a Nature, so soon you jump off from your stool and hang from the beam. Yes, that word is the hangman. Take God out of the dictionary, and you would have Him in the street." (Correspondence)
""Dolt & ass that I am I have lived more than 29 years, & until a few days ago, never made close acquaintance with the divine William [Shakespeare]." (Correspondence)
From: The Confidence-Man: His Masquerade
"I am pleased to believe that beauty is at bottom incompatible with ill, and therefore am so eccentric as to have confidence in the latent benignity of that beautiful creature, the rattle-snake, whose lithe neck and burnished maze of tawny gold, as he sleekly curls aloft in the sun, who on the prairie can behold without wonder?" As he breathed these words, he seemed so to enter into their spirit — as some earnest descriptive speakers will — as unconsciously to wreathe his form and sidelong crest his head, till he all but seemed the creature described. Meantime, the stranger regarded him with little surprise, apparently, though with much contemplativeness of a mystical sort, and presently said: "When charmed by the beauty of that viper, did it never occur to you to change personalities with him? to feel what it was to be a snake? to glide unsuspected in grass? to sting, to kill at a touch; your whole beautiful body one iridescent scabbard of death? In short, did the wish never occur to you to feel yourself exempt from knowledge, and conscience, and revel for a while in the care-free, joyous life of a perfectly instinctive, unscrupulous, and irresponsible creature?
Via Ed (lots of Melville there):
But not yet have we solved the incantation of this whiteness, and learned why it appeals with such power to the soul; and more strange and far more portentous—why, as we have seen, it is at once the most meaning symbol of spiritual things, nay, the very veil of the Christian’s Deity; and yet should be as it is, the intensifying agent in things the most appalling to mankind.
(from Moby Dick).
Via Flowerville, from Pierre, or The Ambiguities.
From these random slips, it would seem, that Pierre is quite conscious of much that is so anomalously hard and bitter in his lot, of much that is so black and terrific in his soul. Yet that knowing his fatal condition does not one whit enable him to change or better his condition. Conclusive proof that he has on power over his condition. For in tremendous extremities human souls are like drowning men; well enough they know they are in peril; well enough they know the causes of that peril; -- nevertheless, the sea is the sea, and these drowning men do drown.
ibid:
But is life, indeed, a thing for all infidel levities, and we, its misdeemed beneficiaries, so utterly fools and infatuate, that what we take to be our strongest tower of delight, only stands at the caprice of the minutest event—the falling of a leaf, the hearing of a voice, or the receipt of one little bit of paper scratched over with a few small characters by a sharpened feather? Are we so entirely insecure, that that casket, wherein we have placed our holiest and most final joy, and which we have secured by a lock of infinite deftness; can that casket be picked and desecrated at the merest stranger's touch, when we think that we alone hold the only and chosen key?
From Moby Dick:
Though amid all the smoking horror and diabolism of a sea-fight, sharks will be seen longingly gazing up to the ship's decks, like hungry dogs round a table where red meat is being carved, ready to bolt down every killed man that is tossed to them; and though, while the valiant butchers over the deck-table are thus cannibally carving each other's live meat with carving-knives all gilded and tassled, the sharks, also, with the jewel-hilted mouths, are quarrelsomely carving away under the table at the dead meat; and though, were you to turn the whole affair upside-down, it would still be pretty much the same thing, that is to say, a shocking sharkish business enough for all parties; and though sharks also are the invariable outriders of slave ships crossing the Atlantic, systematically trotting alongside, to be handy in case a parcel is to be carried anywhere, or a dead slave to be decently buried; and though one or two other like instances might be set down, touching the set terms, places, and occasions, when sharks do socially congregate, and most hilariously feast; yet there is no conceivable time or occasion when you will find them in such countless numbers, and in gayer or more jovial spirits, than around a dead sperm whale, moored by night to a whale-ship at sea. If you have never seen that sight, then suspend your decision about the propriety of devil-worship, and the expediency of conciliating the devil.
From Moby Dick (and for Savid Dampselle and that other guy who was in Dampselle's Gaithersburg High School English class up on D-Wing above the Auto-Shop classroom/garage):
“Squeeze! Squeeze! Squeeze! all the morning long; I squeezed that sperm till I myself almost melted into it; I squeezed that sperm till a strange sort of insanity came over me, and I found myself unwittingly squeezing my co-labourers' hands in it, mistaking their hands for the gentle globules. Such an abounding, affectionate, friendly, loving feeling did this avocation beget; that at last I was continually squeezing their hands, and looking up into their eyes sentimentally, as much as to say,—Oh! my dear fellow beings, why should we longer cherish any social acerbities, or know the slightest ill humour or envy! Come; let us squeeze hands all round; nay, let us all squeeze ourselves into each other; let us squeeze ourselves universally into the very milk and sperm of kindness.”
Oh, you read Melville's traditional High Egoslavian Holy Day post this far? Thank you!
2019: I wrote earlier this year I can't imagine reading Moby Dick again because of whaling, I can imagine reading again, maybe, but not soon.
2019: Someone else with my qualms and reason to read it again soon
2019:
- The problems of Bartleby
- Twelve billion tons of ice melted in Greenland yesterday
- Reading, and mourning, *Moby Dick* on the cusp of climate catastrophe: Melville’s 200th birthday coincides with the human-made sixth extinction, as well as with the emptying, warming, and clogging up of the world’s oceans via overfishing and the dumping of plastics. Such facts imbue his novel with renewed and melancholy relevance. Reading his book about a sentient, majestic, and desperate-to-live marine mammal in a period when the planet’s whales — and all other creatures — are under such threat grants the work a grim ecological cast.
- And then there is Chapter 77, *The Great Heidelburgh Tun,* on decapitating the slaughtered whale to extract profit, what my copy opened to when I picked it up just now, and...
2020: Read Benito Cereno in March, and, re: Moby Dick, I am in negotiations with myself whether if I skip the slaughters is it reading the novel
2021: I read the torturing, murdering, and rendering of whales and I will never do it again
2022: Laugh, I was going to below the fold this post but my goddamn free blogging platform seems to have eliminated that option! I have very vague intentions to reread *Confidence Man* before Melville's 205th birthday
2023: Nope, didn't read, but did reread William Gass' *Omensetter's Luck* last Fall, he would have been 99 two days ago
2024: Hey, the Brad who provided content above just had his independent bookstore in Oakland destroyed by fire, please go throw the coins in your pocket and between your sofa cushions at him to help him rebuild the business (and then buy your books there). Also too, a reread of *Pierre* is being contemplated though not yet committed to.
Have I ever mentioned that I love Melville? Oh, the condensed Moby Dick? Was ELEVEN YEARS AGO'S Giftmas present from my daughter C. Have I ever told you I love my daughter?
Have I ever mentioned that I love Melville? Oh, the condensed Moby Dick? Was ELEVEN YEARS AGO'S Giftmas present from my daughter C. Have I ever told you I love my daughter?
Shout gratefully acknowledged. Sadly, the other guy in Sampselle's 11th-grade class 48 fucking years ago is still too intellectually lazy to like Melville.
ReplyDelete1/at another blog one was asked to name favorite explicitly or implicitly political songs - I wrote
ReplyDeleteMonster, by Steppenwolf
illustrated video at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sk3sURDS4IA
I used to think of myself as a citizen, and among other things gave generously to a candidate for the presidential nomination of a particular party in 2016 and 2020, in the hope that things might be made better through the political process
now my view is that the only course that makes sense for me is to - as Voltaire metaphorically put it in Candide - to "cultivate my own garden"
stuff will happen, and more stuff will happen - and techno-industrial civilization is heading for a brick wall at full speed - again, speaking metaphorically
George Carlin said it best - enjoy what you got, it's not gonna get better
great music of many kinds, delicious food, art and literature and the marvels of the natural world and scientific and technological achievements, amazing athletic and artistic feats, friendship and love - dig it - and recognize the universal applicability of George Harrison's "all things must pass"
[end of self-quote from other blog]
2/and turning from music and literature to the topic of delicious food - yesterday I read the ingredients for Beyond Burger Plant-based Patties, said to be "clean eating" - and I ate and enjoyed one of these clean-eating patties a week ago, although it was garnished with authentic, potentially local bacon:
Water, Yellow Pea Protein*, Avocado Oil, Natural Flavors, Brown Rice Protein, Red Lentil Protein, 2% or less of Methylcellulose, Potato Starch, Pea Starch, Potassium Lactate (to preserve freshness), Faba Bean Protein, Apple Extract, Pomegranate Concentrate, Potassium Salt, Spice, Vinegar, Vegetable Juice Color (with Beet).
*Peas are legumes. People with severe allergies to legumes like peanuts should be cautious when introducing pea protein into their diet because of the possibility of a pea allergy. Contains no peanuts or tree nuts.
[end of quote from Beyond Burger webpage]
I wondered - what about the two chemically named and hence ostensibly nonfoodlike ingredients? Wikipedia asserts:
Methylcellulose, among other uses, is sold as Citrucel, a bulk forming laxative.
Potassium lactate is a compound with formula KC3H5O3. It is the potassium salt of lactic acid and appears as a clear, hygroscopic, syrupy liquid suspension that is typically 60% solids. The substance can be concentrated to contain up to 78% solids. It is produced by neutralizing lactic acid, which is fermented from a sugar source.
Potassium lactate is commonly used in meat and poultry products to extend shelf life and increase food safety, as it has a broad antimicrobial action and is effective at inhibiting most spoilage and pathogenic bacteria.
3/if I were to make a list of literature I might read for the first time while I still have the chance, I would put on it Mary Shelley's 200-year old novel about the Modern Prometheus - as for re-reading, I have on hand an unread copy of the Norton Critical Edition of Gulliver's Travels, a book I previously read through in an un-annotated edition while on an ocean voyage from America to Europe at the age of eleven.
1/twelve, not eleven
DeleteI took the book off the shelf last night - the print seems uncomfortably small - maybe a lighted magnifying glass would help - temu offers highly discounted purchasing options - recently I read a piece by Sam Wells, "Desired Things":
We take for granted that others toil in fields and slaughterhouses and travel the earth to bring food to our grocery stores; all we do is produce a card and pay for it. We assume someone will work night and day to make roads and vehicles...and bring oil out of the ground so we can move around. We seldom ask whose sweat produced our shoes, our computer, or our shirt (which we boast about having bought so cheaply), and when we get a bargain we scarcely pause to consider which link in its supply chain got no reward.
2/Tom Murphy continues with his "Metastatic Modernity" YouTube series - he seems very somber and low energy - in a month he has done about half of his planned episodes - he says at his blog
The name conjures a grave cancer diagnosis—terminal, in fact. This intentional association captures my sense that modernity is fated to self-terminate, like any cancer, on account of its complete reliability on non-renewable materials, accumulating ecological damage, and failure to exist as a part of an ecological whole in reciprocity with nature. It has no long-term place on this planet.
But, because modernity is just one of many possible ways for humans to arrange their lives, a failure of modernity does not translate to a failure of humanity.
3/I read this morning that Aerosmith has announced that, due to their lead singer's irreversible vocal injury, their performing career is over.
4/All things must pass away.
where Murphy says "complete reliability" I would have used the term "reliance" or perhaps "dependence" - but the context makes his meaning clear even if it is not quite le mot juste
Delete"Aw crap," said the Whale. "I missed the anniversary."
ReplyDeleteInspiring barrage of Melville; I can only read him as long as I stop thinking about him. Otherwise he's the most crushing cautionary tale... like learning that DEVO were still treated like losers long after I'd assumed they were canon, or like learning that the actress playing "Dawn Weiner," in Welcome to the Dollhouse... was/is Dawn Weiner in real life... and so forth. It's really as though most of" Society" (as it has always existed) is that Cracker centurion wearing aviators, drawling *you ain't from around these parts, is you..?* ... to everything Great.
ReplyDeleteclimate change is mentioned above - a chatbot, at my request, summarized tom murphy's opinion change about climate change - i regard this as an accurate summary of his views:
ReplyDeleteTom Murphy's Shift on Modernity
Tom Murphy, an astrophysicist, underwent a gradual shift in his perspective on modernity primarily due to his deep dive into the complexities of planetary limits and the unsustainable nature of our current growth-oriented model.
Here's a breakdown of his evolving views:
Initial Perspective
Initially, like many, Murphy likely viewed modernity as synonymous with progress and human advancement. The achievements of technology and the rising standards of living were seen as positive outcomes of this era.
The Shift
His perspective began to change as he delved deeper into astrophysics and the realities of our planet. Key factors influencing his shift include:
Understanding Planetary Limits: Through his scientific work, Murphy realized that Earth is a finite system with finite resources. The concept of infinite growth on a finite planet became increasingly incompatible in his mind.
Energy and Environment: His teaching on energy and the environment exposed him to the challenges of resource depletion, climate change, and environmental degradation. These issues highlighted the unsustainable nature of our current consumption patterns.
Quantitative Analysis: As a scientist, Murphy is inclined towards data-driven analysis. His quantitative assessments of resource availability and consumption rates reinforced his growing concerns about the long-term viability of our modern way of life.
The Outcome
This evolution led Murphy to become a vocal critic of the prevailing growth paradigm. He now emphasizes the need for a fundamental shift in our societal values and priorities, focusing on sustainability, resilience, and a deeper connection with the natural world.
In essence, Murphy's shift from a more optimistic view of modernity to a critical one was driven by a growing awareness of the scientific realities of our planet and the unsustainable trajectory of human civilization.
[end of quote from Gemini AI]
codeswitching by compliant chatbot - urban vernacular vs. bureaucratic corporatespeak - in my opinion the second one is more convincing, perhaps due to larger training sample
ReplyDeletemoby dick plot summary by gemini.google.com
1/Yo, Check This Moby Dick Plot
Aright, so, this dude, Ishmael, he be chillin', feelin' kinda down, you know? So, he hops on a boat, 'bout to sail the sea. He meetin' this crazy captain, Ahab, man's obsessed wit' a white whale, straight-up mad 'bout it. Whole crew, they ain't feelin' it, but Ahab, he don't care, 'bout to chase that whale to the end.
Now, this whale, Moby Dick, he be a legend, big and strong, like a whole 'nother world. Ahab, he got a grudge, lost a leg to that beast. So, he's on a mission, vengeance on his mind. Crew, they scared, but they gotta follow, 'cause Ahab, he the boss.
Shit gets intense, storms, sea monsters, and all that. The crew, they start to break, some fearin' for they lives, others just want off that boat. But Ahab, he ain't stoppin', ain't no turnin' back.
In the end, man vs. nature, Ahab vs. Moby Dick. It's a showdown, a battle for the ages. Ahab, he goes down swingin', but the whale, it ain't no pushover neither. Whole crew, they scattered, some lost, some livin' to tell the tale.
2/Moby Dick: A Strategic Project Overview
Project Objective: To conduct an in-depth exploratory analysis of a large, aquatic mammalian entity, codenamed "Moby Dick," with the primary goal of resource acquisition.
Key Stakeholders: Captain Ahab, a seasoned project manager with a demonstrated history of leadership, and a diverse, cross-functional team of maritime operatives.
Project Scope: The project encompassed a comprehensive, long-term expedition to identify, track, and ultimately engage with the target entity. Data collection and analysis were core components of the project lifecycle.
Challenges and Risks: The project was characterized by a high degree of uncertainty and risk. Environmental factors, technological limitations, and the unpredictable nature of the target organism presented significant obstacles to project success.
Resource Allocation: Substantial investments were made in human capital, equipment, and logistical support. A cost-benefit analysis was conducted to justify resource allocation and prioritize project objectives.
Project Closure: The project concluded with an unforeseen and catastrophic incident resulting in the total loss of assets and human life. Lessons learned from this project will be incorporated into future initiatives to mitigate similar risks.
Note: Due to the sensitive nature of the project and the loss of key personnel, a full post-project evaluation has not been completed.
Ishmael, a young sailor with a thirst for adventure, sets sail on the Pequod, a whaling ship captained by the legendary Ahab. Ahab, a one-legged man with a haunted look in his eye, is obsessed with capturing Moby Dick, the white whale that took his leg.
ReplyDeleteAs the Pequod sets sail, Ishmael befriends Queequeg, a tattooed harpooner with a gentle heart. Together, they navigate the treacherous waters of the Pacific Ocean, encountering giant squids, breaching whales, and the occasional mermaid.
One day, the Pequod encounters Moby Dick, a majestic creature with a white hump and piercing eyes. Ahab, enraged, launches his harpoon, but Moby Dick dodges it with ease, sending the harpoon back at Ahab, who falls overboard.
Ishmael dives into the water to save Ahab, but instead finds himself face-to-face with Moby Dick. The whale, sensing no ill will from the young sailor, offers him a ride on its back. Ishmael accepts, and together they swim through the ocean, marveling at the underwater world.
Ahab, rescued by his crew, is shocked to see Ishmael and Moby Dick swimming together. He realizes that his hatred for the whale was misplaced and that the creature is not a monster but a magnificent being.
The Pequod returns to land, and Ahab and Ishmael decide to build an amusement park together, featuring Moby Dick as the star attraction. The park becomes a success, attracting visitors from all over the world.
Ishmael and Ahab become the best of friends, their shared experience with Moby Dick forging a bond that transcends their differences. They live happily ever after, surrounded by the joy and laughter of their amusement park.