rattus rattus’ blog

“Do not believe in anything simply because you have heard it. Do not believe in anything simply because it is spoken and rumored by many. Do not believe in anything simply because it is found written in your religious books. Do not believe in anything merely on the authority of your teachers and elders. Do not believe in traditions because they have been handed down for many generations. But after observation and analysis, when you find that anything agrees with reason and is conducive to the good and benefit of one and all, then accept it and live up to it.”
— Buddha, founder of Buddhism

That’s a difficult one.

Don’t trust blogs!

Following my own advice, I bought a bag of Jamaica Blue Mountain coffee beans. Today, a friend visited me and, of course, we had to taste some cups of espresso. My friend said she likes the Jamaica Blue Mountain whereas I found it to taste sour.

Thinking about it there is no way I could ever know what she tasted nor what made her say she liked it. Once I start asking it’s different.

Have you ever seen an optical illusion?

Really? How do you know?

How do you say nothing? How do you explain silence? Can you paint no colors? What could illustrate the unknown? Can one lie?

What would a blogger blog about his inability to blog? The Man Who Couldn’t Blog likes to tell you in his blog but he can’t blog which is why he can and why his blog is such a marvelous blog about no blogging.

Why don’t the newscasters cry
when they read about people who die

Why don’t human ecologists cry when they give their talks, when they take part in conferences and discussions, or when they present their posters?

At least they could be decent enough
to put just a tear in their eyes

Why don’t we cry?

Well mama said
It’s just make believe
You can’t believe everything you see
So baby close your eyes to the lullabies
On the news tonight

Quotes from Jack Johnson‘s song The News.

Knowledge

modifes

knowledge.

Make knowledge increase choice.

Even promoting Slavoj Zizek is probably bound to lead oneself into the realms of self-contradiction. What helps is that Zizek himself is refreshingly honest and open about being a liar, a human being, yet a “monster” — his words, too.

There is a wonderful documentary film about Slavoj Zizek called “Zizek!” by Astra Taylor, released 2005, which well illustrates Zizek’s playful attitude towards life’s paradoxes and otherwise. Lauded and recommended though rarely shown in cinemas.

I hate writing. … my whole economy of writing is in fact based on an obsessional ritual to avoid the actual act of writing.
— Slavoj Zizek, author of quite a number of books