"Even if the other person says nothing, I really think what we say is shaped by our imagined reception of that person's specific consciousness.
Yeah, and epistemologically by what they know. By your knowledge of their knowledge."
This exchange brought to mind the novel Embers by Sándor Márai, which is a total embodiment of this thinking, because the entire novel is a man narrating his deeply held feelings to someone who actually never even speaks.
Elif's comment about "Speaking for novels, I think a lot of our political woes come from not understanding, not taking seriously, childhood psychological injuries," reminded me of a book I LOVED called 'The Home-Maker' by Dorothy Canfield Fisher, an author who, through her character Stephen, does seem to take the weather of childhood very seriously and how doing so can lead to a healthier family life, even politically.
Great interview! Thoroughly enjoyed. re: what happens when the loveless come to power... I kept thinking about this during The Rest is History's series "Horror in the Congo" on King Leopold of Belgium. The two hosts even kind of joke about how his (King Leopold's) miserable childhood led to him being a miserable adult, which led to millions dying in the Congo... And b/c you both are literary people, there's a bonus conversation on The Heart of Darkness that's worth a listen tooo. Ha.
Thank you so much, Amelia! Yes- isn't the idea of "the loveless in power" chilling? I wonder if anyone has done a thorough study of the childhoods of brutal leaders... I will definitely take a listen.
"Even if the other person says nothing, I really think what we say is shaped by our imagined reception of that person's specific consciousness.
Yeah, and epistemologically by what they know. By your knowledge of their knowledge."
This exchange brought to mind the novel Embers by Sándor Márai, which is a total embodiment of this thinking, because the entire novel is a man narrating his deeply held feelings to someone who actually never even speaks.
Oh I’d love to read it, thank you!
its very good!
Elif's comment about "Speaking for novels, I think a lot of our political woes come from not understanding, not taking seriously, childhood psychological injuries," reminded me of a book I LOVED called 'The Home-Maker' by Dorothy Canfield Fisher, an author who, through her character Stephen, does seem to take the weather of childhood very seriously and how doing so can lead to a healthier family life, even politically.
Sam -thank you for the recommendation, would love to check out the book.
Oh, I should have mentioned, there's a free ebook version available through Project Gutenberg: https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/72140
Great interview! Thoroughly enjoyed. re: what happens when the loveless come to power... I kept thinking about this during The Rest is History's series "Horror in the Congo" on King Leopold of Belgium. The two hosts even kind of joke about how his (King Leopold's) miserable childhood led to him being a miserable adult, which led to millions dying in the Congo... And b/c you both are literary people, there's a bonus conversation on The Heart of Darkness that's worth a listen tooo. Ha.
Thank you so much, Amelia! Yes- isn't the idea of "the loveless in power" chilling? I wonder if anyone has done a thorough study of the childhoods of brutal leaders... I will definitely take a listen.