A Tribute to Alan Watts. “I have tried for years, as a philosopher, [to say what reality is], but in words it comes out all wrong: in black and white with no colour.
It comes out that life is a perfectly and absolutely meaningless happening —nothing but a display of endlessly variegated vibrations, neither good nor evil, right nor wrong—a display which, though marvelously woven together, is like a Rorschach blot upon which we are projecting the fantasies of personality, purpose, history, religion, law, science, evolution and even the basic instinct to survive. And this projection is, in turn, part of the happening. Thus, when you try to pin it down you get the banality of formal nihilism, wherein the universe is seen as a “tale told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, signifying nothing.” But this sense of “turning to ashes in one’s mouth” is the result of trying to grasp something which can only come to you of itself. When you say the music is abominable, listen to the sound of your own complaint. “Q. A. Q. Alan Watts: Society is a Hoax.
Alan Watts ~ A Lullaby For Big Kids. Alan Watts on Death, in a Hauntingly Beautiful Animated Short Film. By Maria Popova “Think about that for a while — it’s kind of a weird feeling when you really think about it…” Philosopher and writer Alan Watts (1915-1973) is best-known for authoring the cult-classic The Way of Zen and popularizing Eastern philosophy in the West alongside John Cage.
In this hauntingly beautiful animation based on a Watts lecture, produced by Luke Jurevicius and directed by Ari Gibson and Jason Pamment, Watts considers what death might be, exploring the notion of nonexistence and pitting it as “the necessary consequence of what we call being.” UPDATE: A reader points out that the animation comes from a video for “Sometimes the Stars” by Australian band The Audreys from their 2010 debut album of the same title. What you see here is a mashup of the video and an Alan Watts recording. What’s it gonna be like, dying? Complement with Watts’s poignant probing of what you would do if money were no object.
Donating = Loving Brain Pickings has a free weekly newsletter. Share on Tumblr. Alan Watts ☮ The Way of Waking Up. Alan Watts - Thought. Introducing Alan Watts? It’s unlikely this will be an introduction for most Disnfonaughts but as the community grows it’s worth welcoming newcomers with a few of the basics.
Trust me when I say he’ll be useful to you if you’re unaware of his work[1]. Open Culture has highlighted the arrival of the complete 1959 series of television shows which helped to make his name in the US. If you’re familliar with his work you’ll have skipped this, prepared yourself a good fat tasty portion of Zen and already be watching the master weave some ‘classic’ spells. Open culture writes: The British-born interpreter and popularizer of East Asian Buddhist thought generated most of his media in the San Francisco of the 1950s and 1960s, and his televised lectures, produced for local public station KQED, must have offered many a San Franciscan their very first glimpse of Zen.
. [1] Early rumours surrounding The Discordian Holy text “Principia Discordia” placed him as its author. Nick Margerrison 0Share 33Share. Alan Watts: Buddhism And Christianity - Pt. 1 of 2. Alan Watts: This Is IT: Become What You Are. Alan Watts - The World As Just So. Alan Watts - The World As Self. Alan Watts and Terence McKenna: Our Need For A Sense Of Unity. Alan Watts - Way beyond seeking - complete. Alan Watts on the Evolution and Future of Technology.
Alan Watts on the Evolution and Future of Technology Share This Tweet This I used to frequent the Psychedelic Salon (www.matrixmasters.net/salon/) for their various speeches and came across a speech by Alan Watts discussing how technology has evolved from paintings and where it is headed.
Unfortunately, I lost the link to the speech and went on a 2 year search to find it with no luck. Posted by John You must sign in or join to comment! Join HE.