This is in response to Jessea's last paragraph of her Manisfesto. (But yes, Jessea, I read the whole thing! It's really you! I like it.)
To continue with Plato a bit (since Stevens was using the horses and charioteer image in the essay and I think Plato rocks): Plato thinks that when we see something we find beautiful (like "I like this line here"), we recollect itsy bit of the Beauty that resides in heaven. And by this very act, the charioteer is able to drive the two horses a bit closer to heaven; our soul is lifted up closer to the Truth by seeing something beautiful. This is all Plato. Which I think it's beautiful.
How is this political? Again, I remain an idealist. I think I was talking to you, Jessea (was I? right?), that if politics exists ideally to bring about a fair, just, happy society, everyone should be able to do what makes s/he happy on the conditions that anything that makes anyone unhappy shouldn't make anyone happy. Seeing something beautiful and feeling good about it might be a political act by this rather impossible claim.
my politics !?!!
(thanks to Juliana) what is making me happy now is that I am gradually finding the companionship between what might be my politics and my poetics. it's about the english language (sorry if this sounds repetitive. I think it is. I'll be brief). I am getting excited about the fact that what I am writing now might actually speak to what I think the world might benefit from insignificant someone like me. I want the world to think about the english language more critically (in a good, knowledgeable way) and less go-with-the-flow-ly. But maybe the world is already thinking that. on that note, Juliana, may i borrow some of those books over spring break?
helps here plezz: how does something highly "out-there" and supposed-to-be universal like philosophy fit in with poetry? how do they relate? how would philosophical poems get placed politically? The last question is really for me. (wink)
To continue with Plato a bit (since Stevens was using the horses and charioteer image in the essay and I think Plato rocks): Plato thinks that when we see something we find beautiful (like "I like this line here"), we recollect itsy bit of the Beauty that resides in heaven. And by this very act, the charioteer is able to drive the two horses a bit closer to heaven; our soul is lifted up closer to the Truth by seeing something beautiful. This is all Plato. Which I think it's beautiful.
How is this political? Again, I remain an idealist. I think I was talking to you, Jessea (was I? right?), that if politics exists ideally to bring about a fair, just, happy society, everyone should be able to do what makes s/he happy on the conditions that anything that makes anyone unhappy shouldn't make anyone happy. Seeing something beautiful and feeling good about it might be a political act by this rather impossible claim.
my politics !?!!
(thanks to Juliana) what is making me happy now is that I am gradually finding the companionship between what might be my politics and my poetics. it's about the english language (sorry if this sounds repetitive. I think it is. I'll be brief). I am getting excited about the fact that what I am writing now might actually speak to what I think the world might benefit from insignificant someone like me. I want the world to think about the english language more critically (in a good, knowledgeable way) and less go-with-the-flow-ly. But maybe the world is already thinking that. on that note, Juliana, may i borrow some of those books over spring break?
helps here plezz: how does something highly "out-there" and supposed-to-be universal like philosophy fit in with poetry? how do they relate? how would philosophical poems get placed politically? The last question is really for me. (wink)
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