5.6.25 - The paradox of freedom
There was a moment in the Woman in the Dunes where I thought, this could all be in his head. As in the story, he might not even be in the sand.
The second or third part of the story he no longer mentions the sand when the previous 100 pages it has been all about the sand. This man might be having a mental breakdown.
It reminded me of Kafka and the paradox of freedom. Kafka was paranoid for good reason. His society was one which was surveilled and monitored. Secret police and the long arm of the state was everywhere. But, like the man in the sand story, you have a sense that he has no idea what he would do with his freedom.
The illusion of freedom is there is no such thing as absolute freedom and you can stay free in your mind even if you are imprisoned. Is the issue then not freedom alone, but justice as well - equality. Once again, love wins out. It's not about the small rearrangement of furnitures, but the big picture and the big picture has got to be love.
I watched Glow Up - it's a show I enjoy watching just to see what people think they are doing. The latest episode was filmed in the stage of Cabaret in London. It was getting the girls ready for Cabaret. If you ask me, gender fluidity has never been an issue for me. Never. It's hard baked into Asian culture. OK, it was made a little weird by the fucking Victorians which I have come to completely hate by the way, but it is really not an issue.
All of this song and dance, literally about men wearing make up and women - I don't know - I just find it so over the top. It is just constant. Also I don't wear make up, I know, its ironic.
But what is happening here? It's all a distraction from the real issues which we should be focussed on. I think I watch things like Glow Up to know how the enemy think - but also it was interesting last night when all the contestants CRITCISED decadence. They really did not like the theme at all and talked about the dark side of excess. That's something I guess.
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