"The East, however, was not burdened with the concept of a transcendent father - saviour in which the monotheistic religions expressed their longings. Taoism and Buddhism had a rationality and realism superior to that of Western religions. They could see man realistically and objectively, having nobody but the 'awakened' ones to guide him, and being able to be guided because each man has within himself the capacity to awake and be enlightened.
Buddhism helps man to find an answer to the question of his existence, an answer which is essentially the same as that given in the Judeo-Christian tradition, and yet which does not contradict the rationality, realism, and independence which are modern man's precious achievements."
Erich Fromm, German social psychologist, psychoanalyst, humanistic philosopher, democratic socialist and a Frankfurt School's critical theorist
Saturday, March 27, 2010
Monday, March 22, 2010
a clockwork orange
as climate change takes a holiday and the freaking humid-cum-irregular season passes us, this little island welcomes back the other season it knows best - rain, wet, damp, i-so-want-to-sleep-in.
everyone rejoices. except one, i think.
my dad.
my room has lotsa windows. if it rains at night, it can get quite messy. there was once i left my mac exposed and i woke up to it wet. i almost cried. but anyway. so you see i need to get up and close the windows if it rains at night, but i seldom can. but they're usually in safe hands.
the past weeks, with that horrendous weather, windows were gaining cobwebs. now, the menace is back. of splashing rainwater. meaning sudden pours can be expected at the most unexpected of hours.
thanks, papa.
everyone rejoices. except one, i think.
my dad.
my room has lotsa windows. if it rains at night, it can get quite messy. there was once i left my mac exposed and i woke up to it wet. i almost cried. but anyway. so you see i need to get up and close the windows if it rains at night, but i seldom can. but they're usually in safe hands.
the past weeks, with that horrendous weather, windows were gaining cobwebs. now, the menace is back. of splashing rainwater. meaning sudden pours can be expected at the most unexpected of hours.
thanks, papa.
Friday, March 19, 2010
i like motion pictures
Paris, Je t'aime is just brilliant.
i had thought it was a full-length feature of a few short stories, but it was more hardcore than that. it's basically a collection of short films, made by 21 directors, presented by an ensemble cast that include Natalie Portman, Nick Nolte, Steve Buscemi, Juliette Binoche, Willem Dafoe, Maggie Gyllenhaal and Elijah Wood. behind the camera were luminaries like Wes Craven, Gus Van Sant, Gurinder Chadha, Christopher Doyle, Alfonso Cuaron, Tom Tykwer and the Coen brothers.
and in a December which i saturate myself with films of every other genre, i felt disconnected with the idea of love/romance, and unsure if it would hit me the way it should. but Paris, Je t'aime being Paris, Je t'aime, is more than capable of anything. it is the benchmark. it is insane, yet incredibly simple.
if you haven't caught it, and if you're into short films, just imagine giving such renowned directors 5 minutes each to tell a story about love, each set in an arrondissement in Paris, the City of Love. simply mind-blowing. an omnibus homage to a city perfect for telling us about love, connectedness, strangers, boundaries and endless surprise.
these are my favs~
Montmartre
everyone seems to be in love around him, as he observes from his car. then everything he wished for fell into his arms.
Le Marais
the wonder of a stranger, a soulmate. undertones of gay love. brilliant ending.
Loin du 16e
about how circumstances control us, yet the agency of who we are can surprise us with its power.
Bastille
teaching us the wonders of love and how it never fails to twist and turn beyond our imagination, through a common denominator - pain.
Tour Eiffel
through the medium of mime, a love story about search and discovery unfolds.
Parc Monceau
intricately designed and filmed in a single shot, a bleak forbidden love surprises.
Place des fetes
age-old quandary of a love too late. this short also encapsulates one-sided love and how destiny can bring together the most unexpected.
Pere-Lachaise
using the ghost of Oscar Wilde to relate the fantastical nature of love. with his world-famous site of love as backdrop, an ordinary couple explores and appreciates their relationship.
Quartier Latin
a haunting and bittersweet portrayal of love grows old and becomes affection and respect.
14e arrondissement
a middle-aged American woman tours Paris alone, by choice and by circumstances. loneliness and contentment so powerfully existing in a single being. so in love with the city, and everything French, she narrates the whole way in rough French.
i had thought it was a full-length feature of a few short stories, but it was more hardcore than that. it's basically a collection of short films, made by 21 directors, presented by an ensemble cast that include Natalie Portman, Nick Nolte, Steve Buscemi, Juliette Binoche, Willem Dafoe, Maggie Gyllenhaal and Elijah Wood. behind the camera were luminaries like Wes Craven, Gus Van Sant, Gurinder Chadha, Christopher Doyle, Alfonso Cuaron, Tom Tykwer and the Coen brothers.
and in a December which i saturate myself with films of every other genre, i felt disconnected with the idea of love/romance, and unsure if it would hit me the way it should. but Paris, Je t'aime being Paris, Je t'aime, is more than capable of anything. it is the benchmark. it is insane, yet incredibly simple.
if you haven't caught it, and if you're into short films, just imagine giving such renowned directors 5 minutes each to tell a story about love, each set in an arrondissement in Paris, the City of Love. simply mind-blowing. an omnibus homage to a city perfect for telling us about love, connectedness, strangers, boundaries and endless surprise.
these are my favs~
Montmartre
everyone seems to be in love around him, as he observes from his car. then everything he wished for fell into his arms.
Le Marais
the wonder of a stranger, a soulmate. undertones of gay love. brilliant ending.
Loin du 16e
about how circumstances control us, yet the agency of who we are can surprise us with its power.
Bastille
teaching us the wonders of love and how it never fails to twist and turn beyond our imagination, through a common denominator - pain.
Tour Eiffel
through the medium of mime, a love story about search and discovery unfolds.
Parc Monceau
intricately designed and filmed in a single shot, a bleak forbidden love surprises.
Place des fetes
age-old quandary of a love too late. this short also encapsulates one-sided love and how destiny can bring together the most unexpected.
Pere-Lachaise
using the ghost of Oscar Wilde to relate the fantastical nature of love. with his world-famous site of love as backdrop, an ordinary couple explores and appreciates their relationship.
Quartier Latin
a haunting and bittersweet portrayal of love grows old and becomes affection and respect.
14e arrondissement
a middle-aged American woman tours Paris alone, by choice and by circumstances. loneliness and contentment so powerfully existing in a single being. so in love with the city, and everything French, she narrates the whole way in rough French.
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