You don't know who I am, but this piece deeply touched me. I could say a lot about it. Thank you so much for writing it! I have been thinking this lately; that my phone (or really, the internet, in a lot of ways) is more then addictive, that it is some cosmic test or punishment: that my life, in some important way, is being stolen by a force that sneaks itself back in no matter how hard I try. So thank you - I really appreciate it.
Oh Charlie, that’s such a nice comment, thank you! wow i love how you called it a ‘cosmic test or punishment’, i felt that way too when i was writing this (and when i was writing my letter from April!). You might appreciate my letter from april (my lent of rest and relaxation), because it’s tangentially about similar things, and if anything me writing about the internet again in august shows that its so challenging to divest oneself from social media, despite one’s best efforts! but anyways i appreciate it so much! keep me posted about your journey with the internet!
Thalia, thanks for the comment! So glad that you like references to the classics, I always find myself drifting towards the classics whenever i need literary guidance. Likely that classic or two will make its way into the september letter… I hope you’re well, and thanks for reading!
I have so many thoughts on this one - and I'll start by saying that I loved this one, as much as I loved the Van Gogh one from a couple of months ago.
The quote about the fish in the water: I find myself constantly referencing it as I try to explain how so much of what I see around me can be explained by colonialism / late stage capitalism, but we're in it so we can't even see it.
The swimming / floating - what a beautiful metaphor, although I don't know if I should even use that word, truthfully, because it was used literally not just figuratively. Either way, I loved it.
My sister read Huck Finn and told me about it a really long time ago. I never read it, to be honest. But I remember she started saying, "On account of the feud" all the time. Like, "I'm going to the store to get some milk, on account of the feud" and so the book became a bit of a joke for us. But your description here, it's make me reconsider. I might have to read it, or at least, I've gained a much deeper appreciation for it.
And the description of Dante's lowest depth of hell, and the parallel to the internet.... I felt that in my bones too...
I’m seeing this comment so late but, thank you!!! Huck Finn is a really great book, i’d really recommend it but it’s also a book that i highly recommend with caveats if only because of the rough (racist) language! The language makes sense for the time and the book, but it’s also hard to tell anyone that it’s going to be a ‘fun’ read because it absolutely won’t be in many ways!
The fish in the water anecdote is really on my mind lately, especially in regards to the genocide. Wallace’s anecdote is all about clearly articulating things as they actually exist, and that’s exactly what we need to be doing when it comes to Palestine; relentlessly telling the truth, reminding people that the water is around us and that it can also be different and better than how it is now. Wallace would absolutely be doing that if he was alive, and so too would Twain (I think!!).
I’m thankful for you and how you continue to share resources about Palestine. Thinking of you <3
I am howling - you have no body fat. of course your ass sinks first, it is the mass you have. so much surface area, no fat. that said… the moment you entered the water there was no need to teach floating because you swam. and not doggy paddle but head under the water and swim 7 feet and come up and breath and go back under. maybe you were trying to float and dunk back under and swam. oof. maybe. you also never crawled and ran soon after walking.
but yeah… the desire to stand still and refuse to compete, to just be true to your soul (which of course no one can do well all the time and still eat unless you are born rich)… idk so many wanted to compete with me and i just could no longer care to do it (unless it was sport or family game night then… game on).
I need to read Huck Finn and not what was probably an incredibly poor composite for young kids.
but i bet we can get you to float… maybe in a float tank or hawaiian salt saturated spot where there is assistance so you know what that feels like. i often feel like it is more a constant balancing of all the limbs. but yeah… at least you don’t have the fear of drowning since you’ll just swim back up to the surface like the fish who lives in the water and not on top of it. you have always liked the depths, kid.
Hi Michael!
You don't know who I am, but this piece deeply touched me. I could say a lot about it. Thank you so much for writing it! I have been thinking this lately; that my phone (or really, the internet, in a lot of ways) is more then addictive, that it is some cosmic test or punishment: that my life, in some important way, is being stolen by a force that sneaks itself back in no matter how hard I try. So thank you - I really appreciate it.
Oh Charlie, that’s such a nice comment, thank you! wow i love how you called it a ‘cosmic test or punishment’, i felt that way too when i was writing this (and when i was writing my letter from April!). You might appreciate my letter from april (my lent of rest and relaxation), because it’s tangentially about similar things, and if anything me writing about the internet again in august shows that its so challenging to divest oneself from social media, despite one’s best efforts! but anyways i appreciate it so much! keep me posted about your journey with the internet!
Michael- I love references to classics. And I haven’t revisited Huck Finn in some time. A great reminder. Hope you’re well this week? Cheers, -Thalia
Thalia, thanks for the comment! So glad that you like references to the classics, I always find myself drifting towards the classics whenever i need literary guidance. Likely that classic or two will make its way into the september letter… I hope you’re well, and thanks for reading!
I have so many thoughts on this one - and I'll start by saying that I loved this one, as much as I loved the Van Gogh one from a couple of months ago.
The quote about the fish in the water: I find myself constantly referencing it as I try to explain how so much of what I see around me can be explained by colonialism / late stage capitalism, but we're in it so we can't even see it.
The swimming / floating - what a beautiful metaphor, although I don't know if I should even use that word, truthfully, because it was used literally not just figuratively. Either way, I loved it.
My sister read Huck Finn and told me about it a really long time ago. I never read it, to be honest. But I remember she started saying, "On account of the feud" all the time. Like, "I'm going to the store to get some milk, on account of the feud" and so the book became a bit of a joke for us. But your description here, it's make me reconsider. I might have to read it, or at least, I've gained a much deeper appreciation for it.
And the description of Dante's lowest depth of hell, and the parallel to the internet.... I felt that in my bones too...
I’m seeing this comment so late but, thank you!!! Huck Finn is a really great book, i’d really recommend it but it’s also a book that i highly recommend with caveats if only because of the rough (racist) language! The language makes sense for the time and the book, but it’s also hard to tell anyone that it’s going to be a ‘fun’ read because it absolutely won’t be in many ways!
The fish in the water anecdote is really on my mind lately, especially in regards to the genocide. Wallace’s anecdote is all about clearly articulating things as they actually exist, and that’s exactly what we need to be doing when it comes to Palestine; relentlessly telling the truth, reminding people that the water is around us and that it can also be different and better than how it is now. Wallace would absolutely be doing that if he was alive, and so too would Twain (I think!!).
I’m thankful for you and how you continue to share resources about Palestine. Thinking of you <3
I am howling - you have no body fat. of course your ass sinks first, it is the mass you have. so much surface area, no fat. that said… the moment you entered the water there was no need to teach floating because you swam. and not doggy paddle but head under the water and swim 7 feet and come up and breath and go back under. maybe you were trying to float and dunk back under and swam. oof. maybe. you also never crawled and ran soon after walking.
but yeah… the desire to stand still and refuse to compete, to just be true to your soul (which of course no one can do well all the time and still eat unless you are born rich)… idk so many wanted to compete with me and i just could no longer care to do it (unless it was sport or family game night then… game on).
I need to read Huck Finn and not what was probably an incredibly poor composite for young kids.
but i bet we can get you to float… maybe in a float tank or hawaiian salt saturated spot where there is assistance so you know what that feels like. i often feel like it is more a constant balancing of all the limbs. but yeah… at least you don’t have the fear of drowning since you’ll just swim back up to the surface like the fish who lives in the water and not on top of it. you have always liked the depths, kid.