Thinking about the first portion of your post mostly, was waiting for quotes from The Grand Inquisitor poem in The Brothers Karamazov, when Jesus comes back to earth but is imprisoned by the Grand Inquisitor. That humanity can’t tolerate freedom and needs constraints with the illusion of freedom in order to not suffer. I still think about this book frequently almost 30 years after reading it.
kind of found myself in a similar thought process. i recently returned to a physical part of my job, and i have been missing that out so much (which i would not have realized before) especially because my mind just relaxes there. no need to think things through, many times the job task is physically draining and tedious but at least there is no room for overthinking. so even though it is such a pain sometimes, in the evening i still feel happy and satisfied.
Your existential struggles are legitimate! I love that Tolstoy quote and the Zen proverb, and I would have very much enjoyed being present for the conversation with your climber friend.
A very interesting subject and one I have had to confront these past few years. If you not read The Bound Man, by Ilse Aichinger, I recommend it. It is a beautiful short story about a man who gets tied up by robbers and then stays that way and becomes quite adept at moving while bound.
Thinking about the first portion of your post mostly, was waiting for quotes from The Grand Inquisitor poem in The Brothers Karamazov, when Jesus comes back to earth but is imprisoned by the Grand Inquisitor. That humanity can’t tolerate freedom and needs constraints with the illusion of freedom in order to not suffer. I still think about this book frequently almost 30 years after reading it.
There probably is never the right balance of autonomy and constraints. Coming to terms with that is probably futile as well.
kind of found myself in a similar thought process. i recently returned to a physical part of my job, and i have been missing that out so much (which i would not have realized before) especially because my mind just relaxes there. no need to think things through, many times the job task is physically draining and tedious but at least there is no room for overthinking. so even though it is such a pain sometimes, in the evening i still feel happy and satisfied.
"limitations are liberating" love that one :)
Your existential struggles are legitimate! I love that Tolstoy quote and the Zen proverb, and I would have very much enjoyed being present for the conversation with your climber friend.
A very interesting subject and one I have had to confront these past few years. If you not read The Bound Man, by Ilse Aichinger, I recommend it. It is a beautiful short story about a man who gets tied up by robbers and then stays that way and becomes quite adept at moving while bound.