Lowered consumption
One of the members of this household has been fasting and purifying lately. Since I had a similar process foisted on me via a germ not so long ago, I did not want to join in this activity. I'm inclined to think it's like trying to run your car on fumes, but maybe it will have positive results. One taste of a wonderful holiday cookie the other night kind of riled up a temptation to bake a few, just for that extra little something with the last few sips of morning coffee. But we really don't need any more extraneous calories around here. I don't think calories from cookies are any worse than any other source, but we can do without them.
Here's a passage from an Iris Murdoch character's musings which appealed to me: "Though I am a creative person, I am a puritan rather than an aesthete. I know that human life is horrible. I know that it is utterly unlike art. I have no religion other than my own task of being. Conventional religions are dream stuff. Always a world of fear and horror lies but a millimeter away. Any man, even the greatest, can be broken in a moment and has no refuge. Any theory which denies this is a lie. For myself, I have no theories. True politics is simply the drying of tears and the endless fight for freedom. Without freedom there is no art and no truth. I revere great artists and the men who say no to tyrants." (from Murdoch's 1973 novel, The Black Prince)
Don't cotton to all of it, but I do like that bit about politics.
Here's a passage from an Iris Murdoch character's musings which appealed to me: "Though I am a creative person, I am a puritan rather than an aesthete. I know that human life is horrible. I know that it is utterly unlike art. I have no religion other than my own task of being. Conventional religions are dream stuff. Always a world of fear and horror lies but a millimeter away. Any man, even the greatest, can be broken in a moment and has no refuge. Any theory which denies this is a lie. For myself, I have no theories. True politics is simply the drying of tears and the endless fight for freedom. Without freedom there is no art and no truth. I revere great artists and the men who say no to tyrants." (from Murdoch's 1973 novel, The Black Prince)
Don't cotton to all of it, but I do like that bit about politics.
posted by isabelita at 10:55 AM
4 Comments:
I am not a fan of Iris Murdoch, but I like that quote.
I've not read any of Iris Murdoch's work, but that one quote makes me curious. I like the certainty expressed in those words.
I did the fasting thing once back in the 1980s when I was getting started on my health kick (yeah, the one which has evolved into smoking all natural cigs and drinking 100% Blue Agave tequila) and I rather enjoyed it. A watermelon and other liquid fast was what I did and by the 2nd day I was feeling pretty darn good. Not sure why I never did it again. I think for me a requirement is to be in a solitary situation. No way am I fasting while watching txrad eat. :-)
Murdoch is a funny one for me. She eventually draws me in, though, even with the heavy philosophical underpinnings in her work. I am not an afficionado of philosophy, straight up.
Ha! I have never fasted by choice. They told me not to eat anything more when I went into labor with our son, but I snuck some crckers at one point. It's damned hard work, birthin' babies!
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