2,385 words

Nine Inch Nails released the albums Ghosts V: Together and Ghosts VI: Locusts simultaneously on March 26th, 2020 with a whopping price tag of free. Trent Reznor, the group’s central creative member, announced the surprise records with a Tweet: “Anyone out there?” (more…)

4,910 words

“All of humanity’s problems stem from man’s inability to sit quietly in a room alone.” — Pascal, Pensées 139

“Be still, and know that I am God.” — Psalm 46:10 (more…)

2,201 words

Part 2 of 3

Trans. G. A. Malvicini from L’Arco e la Clava [The Bow and the Club] (Milan: Scheiwiller, 1968)

10. Labor. Regarding changes in the value attached to words, changes that clearly indicate a radical change in world view, the most typical case is perhaps that of the term labor. In Latin, this word had a mainly negative meaning. (more…)

1,556 words

A story is told (whether from the Zen tradition, the Bushidō tradition, or modern Japanese cinema I don’t remember) of an encounter between a Samurai warrior and a Zen monk. The warrior approaches the sitting monk and draws his sword. The monk remains impassive. “Don’t you realize that I have no qualms about killing you?” roars the warrior. “Don’t you realize that I have no qualms about dying?” quietly replies the monk.  (more…)