Here's a D.F.W. quote except from another blog (aaron j l kelly) with a lot of meaning and gravity for me.
And the so-called real world will not discourage you from operating on your default settings, because the so-called real world of men and money and power hums merrily along in a pool of fear and anger and frustration and craving and worship of self. Our own present culture has harnessed these forces in ways that have yielded extraordinary wealth and comfort and personal freedom. The freedom all to be lords of our tiny skull-sized kingdoms, alone at the centre of all creation. This kind of freedom has much to recommend it.
But of course there are all different kinds of freedom, and the kind that is most precious you will not hear much talk about much in the great outside world of wanting and achieving…. The really important kind of freedom involves attention and awareness and discipline, and being able truly to care about other people and to sacrifice for them over and over in myriad petty, unsexy ways every day.
-- David Foster Wallace.
"The really important kind of freedom involves attention and awareness and discipline," from my point of view that's an interesting juxtaposition but one that is starting to make sense. Discipline and freedom don't usually pop up together in my thought patterns, or in my habits for that matter. Over the last few weeks however, I've had the increasing suspicion that how I reconcile those two words in practice will have a great deal of bearing on my future. I hope it this quote sinks deep into my rhythm of life over the next weeks.
Thanks David Foster Wallace.
Comments (2)
I've got to read more of his stuff though.
Leave a comment...