What do you regard as the lowest depth of misery?
Loneliness, isolation and/or alienation: as often experienced when living in surburbia.
Where would you like to live?
San Fran, Beijing, Tokyo.
What is your idea of earthly happiness?
Too difficult of a question to answer. Many things make me happy. All of them sound corny, and the list is always growing.
To what faults do you feel most indulgent?
The deadly sins of greed and gluttony.
Who are your favorite heroes of fiction?
The Tibetan Monk in Journey to the West: patient to a fault, motivated by good intentions, courageous, all while being entirely spiritual.
Who are your favorite characters in history?
Hmm, I'd like to rewrite this question, if I might: Who is my least favorite character in history?
E.L. Bernays--the father of public relations, a dastardly man who founded an industry based on manipulation and dark tactics of persuasion.
Who are your favorite heroines in real life?
Frida Kahlo: amazing artist, lived without apologizing.
Who are your favorite heroines of fiction?
Hmmm, drawing a blank here. Could that be because the canon is based on a patriarchal system??? (wink)
Your favorite painter?
I could answer Frida Kahlo, but that would be too easy, wouldn't it? Let's say, instead, John Singer Sargent, who had an uncanny talent for combining realism with a touch of impressionism.
Your favorite musician?
Oh, gosh, I don't know. There's too many to choose from. Ummm, I can't do it!
The quality you most admire in a man?
The combination of two qualities: uninhibitedness and kindness.
The quality you most admire in a woman?
Same--it's genderless.
Your favorite virtue?
Honesty (from the perspective of Kant). Difficult in practice, interesting in theory.
Your favorite occupation?
Hmmm, perplexing question. My favorite as in, favorite thing I've done in my life, or the one that I might not have ever done but has captured my imagination somehow? I'll answer the latter: farmer.
Who would you have liked to be?
Foucault.
Sunday, July 13, 2008
A friend replies, number 16
What do you regard as the lowest depth of misery?
If someone believed that I had done something bad and I couldn't clear my name.
Where would you like to live?
Anywhere Mandarin speaking. Or Hong Kong.
What is your idea of earthly happiness?
Reading.
To what faults do you feel most indulgent?
Lying to yourself about the small things. I totally understand. It's still stupid, but I understand.
Who are your favorite heroes of fiction?
The un-sung hero. The best example of which is Sydney Carton. "It is a far far better thing I do now than I have ever done, a far far better rest I go to than I have ever known..."
Who are your favorite characters in history?
Normal people. If a person is still remembered, they probably did something spectacularly bad. Or if they are academics, I dislike the fact that we just remember one name when it takes an entire entourage (with many females) and loads of money to support someone doing research. A named person? Not interested.
Who are your favorite heroines in real life?
My female friends.
Who are your favorite heroines of fiction?
Sadly, there are not many to choose from. Heroines are a pretty sad lot and I can't really identify with them, for the most part. All of them are pretty or want to be pretty, and all of them are far too aware of their sex to be anything but limited by it. I'm with Virginia Woolf; the female sex will be nothing so long as she is a heroine first and a hero second.
Your favorite painter?
I have a favourite painting - The Necklace by William McGregor Paxton. No favourite painter.
Your favorite musician?
Impossible. More like an era - "Alternative" music from the mid-80s. The Bryan Eno, Bobby & Cynthia, Japan, XTC kind of stuff.
The quality you most admire in a man?
An interest in others besides himself.
The quality you most admire in a woman?
A strong ego.
Your favorite virtue?
Kindness.
Your favorite occupation?
I don't understand the question. No job is good in itself, it depends on the context. The 'best' job can be the worst if you are not cut out for it.
Who would you have liked to be?
An astronaut, if only it were possible.
If someone believed that I had done something bad and I couldn't clear my name.
Where would you like to live?
Anywhere Mandarin speaking. Or Hong Kong.
What is your idea of earthly happiness?
Reading.
To what faults do you feel most indulgent?
Lying to yourself about the small things. I totally understand. It's still stupid, but I understand.
Who are your favorite heroes of fiction?
The un-sung hero. The best example of which is Sydney Carton. "It is a far far better thing I do now than I have ever done, a far far better rest I go to than I have ever known..."
Who are your favorite characters in history?
Normal people. If a person is still remembered, they probably did something spectacularly bad. Or if they are academics, I dislike the fact that we just remember one name when it takes an entire entourage (with many females) and loads of money to support someone doing research. A named person? Not interested.
Who are your favorite heroines in real life?
My female friends.
Who are your favorite heroines of fiction?
Sadly, there are not many to choose from. Heroines are a pretty sad lot and I can't really identify with them, for the most part. All of them are pretty or want to be pretty, and all of them are far too aware of their sex to be anything but limited by it. I'm with Virginia Woolf; the female sex will be nothing so long as she is a heroine first and a hero second.
Your favorite painter?
I have a favourite painting - The Necklace by William McGregor Paxton. No favourite painter.
Your favorite musician?
Impossible. More like an era - "Alternative" music from the mid-80s. The Bryan Eno, Bobby & Cynthia, Japan, XTC kind of stuff.
The quality you most admire in a man?
An interest in others besides himself.
The quality you most admire in a woman?
A strong ego.
Your favorite virtue?
Kindness.
Your favorite occupation?
I don't understand the question. No job is good in itself, it depends on the context. The 'best' job can be the worst if you are not cut out for it.
Who would you have liked to be?
An astronaut, if only it were possible.
Thursday, July 10, 2008
A friend replies, number 15
What do you regard as the lowest depth of misery?
Lost of anyone you love.
Where would you like to live?
Heaven but I do not know where it is.
What is your idea of earthly happiness?
Have fun with friends and your families.
To what faults do you feel most indulgent?
Food. (I forget the word begin with a g.)
Who are your favorite heroes of fiction?
I cannot think of any because I forget all I have read.
Who are your favorite characters in history?
Sima Qian because he was a castrated historian.
Who are your favorite heroines in real life?
My wife because I am so afraid of her.
Who are your favorite heroines of fiction?
Probably I should read some pornographic fictions.
Your favorite painter?
林布蘭. but I do not know painting/
Your favorite musician?
I cannot remember anyone because I do not listen that much and because I cannot remember.
The quality you most admire in a man?
Someone like Sima Qian who was dare to complain and was castrated
The quality you most admire in a woman?
I cannot think of any.
Your favorite virtue?
[No answer given.]
Your favorite occupation?
My occupation now.
Who would you have liked to be?
A historian.
Lost of anyone you love.
Where would you like to live?
Heaven but I do not know where it is.
What is your idea of earthly happiness?
Have fun with friends and your families.
To what faults do you feel most indulgent?
Food. (I forget the word begin with a g.)
Who are your favorite heroes of fiction?
I cannot think of any because I forget all I have read.
Who are your favorite characters in history?
Sima Qian because he was a castrated historian.
Who are your favorite heroines in real life?
My wife because I am so afraid of her.
Who are your favorite heroines of fiction?
Probably I should read some pornographic fictions.
Your favorite painter?
林布蘭. but I do not know painting/
Your favorite musician?
I cannot remember anyone because I do not listen that much and because I cannot remember.
The quality you most admire in a man?
Someone like Sima Qian who was dare to complain and was castrated
The quality you most admire in a woman?
I cannot think of any.
Your favorite virtue?
[No answer given.]
Your favorite occupation?
My occupation now.
Who would you have liked to be?
A historian.
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