"I keep going, and I don't know: have I gotten into the stench and shame, or into light and joy? That's the whole trouble, because everything on earth is a riddle."
-Mitya Karamazov in The Brothers Karamazov
London, 2016.
I read this great work of Dostoevsky last winter and wrote down quotes nearly every page on scraps of paper for the first stretch because it was so rich, so insightful, so beautifully written; then I realized it was unrealistic to do that as I read--but that hurt, because it felt like I was finding jewels and throwing them away as I went!
I often read into the wee hours of the morning because I was so gripped by the genius and delicacy of the work--the incredible insight in the plight of modern man and his questions about meaning and life. At the close of a chapter where I would make myself stop, I would often clutch it to my chest in some kind of literary euphoria.
One of my thoughts while reading was who these days can take up that torch of genius--who has the commitment, insight, depth, and determination to be the "masters" of our times, writing worthy classics and building the architectural feats to pass on to the coming generations?
We need to be willing to birth greatness and beauty again--not just cheap artistic "products" in order to make a quick buck (you likely know by now if you've been following me I am generally not that excited by most current "bestsellers" which are often--no, not always, but often--more like candy than meat and vegetables..I'm of the school that believes art should nourish not merely entertain). We need to find a willingness to make a high personal cost that great work necessarily demands.
Perhaps cryptos will set the stage for that, for a new renaissance of quality art in every category, as I've been thinking lately. If I, for example, could make a real and fairly dependable little but supportive income doing little bits of my artistic and writing work day to day, then maybe I could finally afford the time and resources in order to move toward my very best work; it's a new and strange form of "patronage"!
Of course, every real artist does the best work they can regardless of circumstance, but in the end there are bills to be paid, and the stress of that can often keep us from the focus and attention needed for truly great and lasting work.
Authors like Dostoevsky are just so, so good. We need our own. Maybe Steemit will be home to them--that's a real hope of mine.
xx,
Kay
If you'd like to hear one of my own work-in-progress songs, click here.
Heck ya! This platform seems like the best option for people who have to work to pay all their current expenses but still want to contribute with their passions and interests. It seems like a natural place to transition from one type of work to another.
Dostoevsky seems deep, I've been meaning to read some of his work. There's something to be said for writings from the past, the vocabulary seldom speaks to our contemporary minds directly, so they are a bit more work, but so,so beautifully written if you put in the work. They help show how poor our education system is in teaching us here in the states. I'm reading some Emerson now and he's fantastic.
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It is really is turning out to be that.
Dostoevsky is wonderful - you definitely should read him! That is true about the classics, or any great art: it demands more of us, for sure--but also GIVES us so much more as a result. We get what we put in/are willing to fight for!
I've read very little Emerson--should probably add to the list.
Thanks so much for your comment! xx, Kay
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The Brothers Karamazov was a masterpiece. I believe it was his capstone, I think he finished writing the book a year or so before he died. The Grand Inquisitor deconstructed me. It was exhilarating. You make a point I've considered for some time now. Where are the masters of our time? Hopefully you're right, maybe this new world will bring with it greater depths in artistic expression. Fingers crossed.
But, something about the Russian soul is so compelling. Dostoyevsky taught me the meaning of ambivalence with this book and I love him for that. Thank you for sharing your thoughts.
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The only Dostoevsky Novel I have read is Notes from Underground I loved it, I tried Crime and punishment but no doubt I had gotten distracted by Huxley or Orwell.
I know that for me personally meeting the bills does stifle my creative vision, even through I know I should focus on what is great, rather than what is expedient.
Once my crypto investment blows up I can focus on my craft for 1 - 2 years without worrying about finances :D
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