Wednesday, May 24, 2006

A Reason upon Compulsion?

Falstaff, the excessive comic character in Shakespaere's I Henry IV refuses to give "a reason upon compulsion." I feel compelled to write something in my log, and so feel resistive to doing so. I suppose writing and reading, like other forms of exertion, can be challenging at times. What is the term in running for reaching a point at which one feels one cannot go on, but if one breaks through the point, one can? Maybe the same is true of thinking. This brings me to related issues. Sports are so wonderful because they provide metaphors for other activities which are also incredibly challenging (like thinking). Imagine a movie about somoene training her mind or emotions. Seems pretty abstract, doesn't it? Borges says that reading a story is as much an experience as taking a walk or being in love (something like that). The mind/body difference maybe isn't so distinct. I better end this paragraph--my brain is tired, and it's time for a warm down. If I kept writing, would I get my second intellectual wind?

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