Life in late capitalism can be vexing, alienating, fragmenting, and otherwise frustrating. There are many wonderful things in my life, but I'm more likely to talk about what's bad rather than what's good. I'm going to try to post one good thing here each day, and if you would join in by adding a good thing from your day in the comments, I'd love it--I'd absolutely love it. --RR
10/17: happy ending
Our monthly faculty meeting didn't last long this evening, which meant that when I got home there was still time to do some preparation for tomorrow's classes. So I finished reading Daphnis and Chloe, and what a delight it has been! I'll look forward to hearing what the students have to say about it tomorrow. In the meanwhile, I'm grateful to be able to close my work-day with a novel that has a happy ending. Happily-ever-after is not the norm in most of the Classical literature I teach; I appreciate this pastoral reprieve from epic and tragedy.
What I wouldn't give for a "pastoral reprieve from epic and tragedy" most days, and I don't even teach the classics! Just feeling like the world is tipping more toward epic tragedy than pastoral comedy (comedy as in happily-ever-after, not haha).
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Yes indeed, the world feels out of balance. Pastoral is a welcome reminder that at least one can write serious literature and think philosophical thoughts without having everything necessarily and always veering toward the tragic.
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