If You Have Ever Been Tempted By A Paleozoic Pal, Like A A Stuffed Trilobite Or A Full Size Eurypterid

“Humans are inherently selfish--" Then why do so many cultures value hospitality, to the point of dictating it in their religions? Why is it so common for hosts to offer their visitors their best food, and as much of it as they can? At some point, multiple cultures decided that they knew what it felt like to be alone and vulnerable, and promised each other to never let those who stay with them feel that way. That doesn't sound very "inherently selfish" to me.

the strange cool and sad thing about art is that most of the time there’s a want of an exchange and understanding. I am showing you this thing I made and you will understand me. in my experience it never works like that; every person will have a different meaning and interpretation of our work.

This is cool because personal interpretation is cool. but also there is an impossible void between the feelings and yearnings of the artist and the audience. An invisible call to be seen that will be ignored forever. The intrinsic horror of the unexplained, the un-belabored. This is, itself, art. An underbelly maybe. Can you hear me?

only 5 seconds

O holy night?? Tbh I didn’t know anybody under the age of fifty liked that song lol

Oh no anon, O Holy Night is the BEST. Listen.

First, it’s gorgeous and so moving. You can sing it in church on Christmas or while caroling, but still be blown away by an exceptional performance of it. The Romantic rises and falls, and the way it builds…it’s perfect. It’s been described by several ppl as the “lord of the rings” of xmas carols.

Second, it’s an explicitly very religious Christmas song written by a Jewish atheist composer who was trying to capture what he thought Christmas was like for christians. He created this incredible hymn of hope and the dawn of a new world during the darkest days of the year, and the coming of a person who would protect the meek and overthrow the powerful oppressors.

And then it was translated into English by a Unitarian Transcendentalist who used it as a rallying cry against slavery and racial discrimination. His translation somehow skewed even MORE hopeful and awed. I feel like it truly conveys what it feels like to celebrate a spark of hope in the middle of winter.

Third, it has an incredible history. Once the French churches found out it was written by an atheistic jewish man (in French), it was banned. However, it continued to be people’s favorite hymn, and the ban was universally ignored to the point it became known as the “religious Marseillaise.” There are stories of French peasants filing out of Christmas mass to stand outside of the church and sing the song in defiance of Churches’ prohibition of it.

Additionally, the lines in French are implicitly, and the lines in English are deliberately and explicitly, in favor of abolitionism, which is why it spread through North America so quickly: “chains shall He break, for the slave is His brother / and in His name all oppression shall cease.”

It was also the first song to ever play over airwaves (via violin) one Christmas Eve, as part of a chemist’s experiment. And it was allegedly sung by French, English, and German soldiers all together on Christmas during the Franco-Prussian War and in the trenches during WWI.

Ymmv anon, but MAN this song with its sweeping and building Romantic tone, explicitly defiant lyrics, and incredible history make it - for me - a very transcendental piece that really does seem to promise a “new and glorious morning” in the new year.

I need to make a proper intro on here…

Well put. (Source: Writing About Writing Facebook page)

Saint Jellyfish Exhorter by seok young choi