Particular bits of life

[Philos]

Folks,

This is a question about particular bits of life. We watched a Chinese film called 24City, written and directed by Jia Zhangke. In it the (real) characters would describe their lives by presenting an incident which had affected them deeply. The incident was life changing or deeply meaningful to them in some way. It was explanatory.

I got to wondering about my own life and how some images are burned in my memory and others not. How do we select such images and events to remember and what do they mean for us? When we tell of them what are we expressing?

This may be a tall order but I would like to hear of some particular bits, if you are up for it.

P.

 

[Artemus]

A bit cliche, but watching the miniseries "The Holocaust" and "Roots" in early high school. I'm sure that they wouldn't hold up well today, but I've never forgotten how evil people can really be.

 

[rousseau]

Alex, an anecdote you may like..

Partner and I were at a jazz show last winter, and the group performing was playing 'Time Remembered' by Bill Evans. During the performance I made it a point to close my eyes and let my mind drift where it would. When doing so I noticed that my prominent memories were always of people who had affected me in some way, and the stories I shared with them.

Outside of memory that serves as a warning or a cue, this leads me to believe that it's other people who give our lives meaning, and it's the stories that we share with them that stick most closely to our minds.

I think it was Sartre who said 'hell is other people', but I'd like to update this thought to 'hell is no other people'.

 

[Philos]

Alex, an anecdote you may like..

Partner and I were at a jazz show last winter, and the group performing was playing 'Time Remembered' by Bill Evans. During the performance I made it a point to close my eyes and let my mind drift where it would. When doing so I noticed that my prominent memories were always of people who had affected me in some way, and the stories I shared with them.

Outside of memory that serves as a warning or a cue, this leads me to believe that it's other people who give our lives meaning, and it's the stories that we share with them that stick most closely to our minds.

I think it was Sartre who said 'hell is other people', but I'd like to update this thought to 'hell is no other people'.

rousseau,

Agreed. I am currently trying to trace the grave of an old friend who died in the 1990s. I was at his burial but have forgotten where the cemetery is. We met through business and did lots of deals. One day he arrived on the train, as he lived 40 miles away and didn't drive. To my surprise he had no deal for me and just said "I've come to see you."

A.

PS - Yes it was Sartre and I like your update.

 

[Philos]

A bit cliche, but watching the miniseries "The Holocaust" and "Roots" in early high school. I'm sure that they wouldn't hold up well today, but I've never forgotten how evil people can really be.

Artemus,

Yes. Over recent years I have studied the holocaust in detail. It is hard for words to carry the strength of the message, but some survivor writers have found ways to express the depth of the depravity, in small ways and apparently slight incidents.

A.

 

[Ford]

I don't know that I'd classify them as deep or meaningful, but there are some events in my life that are burned into my memory in part because I put them there on purpose.

There's an old saying about how the most terrifying thing you can do is public speaking. Not for me. In fact I've enjoyed every time I've gotten up in front of a crowd. The bigger the audience, the better. I've done stand up comedy in front of hundreds of people, and emceed concerts in front of thousands. The largest crowd I've ever been in front of (that I have accurate figures for) is 14,000.

I remember clearly the time I figured out that it wasn't scary for me. The company I worked for put on a conference, and every division was supposed to put on a presentation. I was working as a part time radio DJ at the time, so they tasked me with being the announcer for the thing our division had worked up. I was supposed to step up to the lectern and deliver my lines in my best Rod Serling impression, which wasn't half bad if I do say so myself.

I walked out on stage at the appointed time, and that's when I noticed that there were about 500 people watching. After a moment of sheer terror (I've always been a shy person) I did my bit, and the audience laughed. Then they applauded. I've never done intravenous drugs before, but I imagine that this is what it must feel like...a shot of ego plugged right into your veins. A few years later I got up in front of 1,000 people. Then 2,000. Then more. As the audiences got larger, the fear vanished and turned into exhilaration. Then one night I was introducing some band at a music festival, I wasn't really looking at the crowd, reached down to adjust the mic and shouted "how's everybody doing tonight?" I looked up at 12,000 people cheering.

Is this what it feels like to do crack? I don't know, but it is damned addictive. Most of my time in front of huge crowds was introducing performers, but it gave me a glimpse into what they saw from the stage, and I understand - even if only a little - how performers can sometimes come into possession of an inflated ego. Having hundreds or thousands of people react to a few words you've said is a helluva drug.

 

[T.G.G. Moogly]

Seeing people be bullied was always painful for me, perhaps because I experienced it myself, as have many of us. And so the movie, "A Few Good Men" made an impression on me. If the movie had a moral it was that if you're strong, you should protect the weak, not bully them.

And so today when I'm in conversation I might say, "You're Willie," and they totally don't get it. All I mean, of course, is that I'm not going to pick on you even though you might deserve it, because you are clearly exhibiting a position of weakness. What have I accomplished in the end, really, by besting someone clearly weaker? I won't let you hurt me, but I'm not going to pick on you either.

It seems to me that if we thought this way generally, and behaved accordingly, our world would be a lot more peaceful and productive.