I must confess, I have just done a quick speed-read but will return to do a better job of it. I think Michael Shannon is an underrated actor that I've always enjoyed watching, and I have read Kierkegaard's Concept of Dread, which was difficult. I might be interested in further dreadful discussion. Thanks.
Okay, I just finished reading the every word, and I have several points, both personal and arts oriented. First that comes to mind is, having grown up during the Cold War and "Duck and Cover" in school, the nuclear threat is my own apex of dread. The movie On the Beach comes to mind, and this disturbing animation that was shown on the Ed Sullivan Show (and greatly disturbed my husband as a child). https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BkhNED3-mnI
Interestingly, though the actual physical threat of nuclear annihilation is still very much present, dread of it has evaporated. Younger people have no feeling for it, and to them it seems a quaint thing like knitting or hand-writing letters to have a fear of nuclear armageddon.
Regarding the animation, it's a favourite of mine, and I've already taken bits of it to use in my own videos. A very beautiful and stark work, arguably it makes the end much too beautiful.
Plus a few points that occur to me as expansion to his points...
If we ever get to a discussion stage on this theme I’d want to ask you to expand on the class-consciousness of dread vs anxiety - whether “anxiety” as a treatable (with pharmaceuticals) and analyzable cousin to dread marks a certain privilege. If we look at the film it’s notable that Curtis (Michael Shannon) knows he’s in trouble and seeks therapy, but can’t afford “a proper psychologist”.
Also on whether you think absence/emptiness/the void (similar to Kierkegaard’s abyss of pure freedom, including the freedom to destroy yourself) is part of this compelx of emotions or a different thing entirely.
And finally the relation between individual and planetary-scale dread. Someone said the kindest thing you could tell a terminal patient or a condemned prisoner is that the world was going to end. Is there comfort in total world annihilation for the mortal human?
I must confess, I have just done a quick speed-read but will return to do a better job of it. I think Michael Shannon is an underrated actor that I've always enjoyed watching, and I have read Kierkegaard's Concept of Dread, which was difficult. I might be interested in further dreadful discussion. Thanks.
Thanks, come back whenever you get some time to mull over the ideas and contribute some of your own. Cheers!
Okay, I just finished reading the every word, and I have several points, both personal and arts oriented. First that comes to mind is, having grown up during the Cold War and "Duck and Cover" in school, the nuclear threat is my own apex of dread. The movie On the Beach comes to mind, and this disturbing animation that was shown on the Ed Sullivan Show (and greatly disturbed my husband as a child). https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BkhNED3-mnI
Interestingly, though the actual physical threat of nuclear annihilation is still very much present, dread of it has evaporated. Younger people have no feeling for it, and to them it seems a quaint thing like knitting or hand-writing letters to have a fear of nuclear armageddon.
Regarding the animation, it's a favourite of mine, and I've already taken bits of it to use in my own videos. A very beautiful and stark work, arguably it makes the end much too beautiful.
PS I used it in the video part of this short piece
https://thestrangenesskit.substack.com/p/bb-goes-to-cannes-and-has-a-vision
Really interesting breakdown Murph
Just going to stick this post by Caleb here so that it's convenient when the time comes to round out the discussion
https://substack.com/@middleamericanliterature/note/c-81732561?utm_source=notes-share-action&r=2uhhe8
Plus a few points that occur to me as expansion to his points...
If we ever get to a discussion stage on this theme I’d want to ask you to expand on the class-consciousness of dread vs anxiety - whether “anxiety” as a treatable (with pharmaceuticals) and analyzable cousin to dread marks a certain privilege. If we look at the film it’s notable that Curtis (Michael Shannon) knows he’s in trouble and seeks therapy, but can’t afford “a proper psychologist”.
Also on whether you think absence/emptiness/the void (similar to Kierkegaard’s abyss of pure freedom, including the freedom to destroy yourself) is part of this compelx of emotions or a different thing entirely.
And finally the relation between individual and planetary-scale dread. Someone said the kindest thing you could tell a terminal patient or a condemned prisoner is that the world was going to end. Is there comfort in total world annihilation for the mortal human?