I have been thinking a lot about the abyss and what happens when you stare into it. In fact it was about a year ago that I was sitting on my friend Molly’s back porch when I declared (and let it be noted I don’t often declare), “People always say don’t stare into the abyss, but you know what I’m not staring at it, it’s staring at me!” I meant it truly and I suppose I have been thinking about it ever since. I talked about it all through my spring class here at Penland, because I felt like I was finally standing, staring blindly right into that abyss. Then just today I picked up this book by Joseph Campbell called “The Power of Myth” and read the line, “One thing that comes out in myths is that at the bottom of the abyss comes the voice of salvation”. Maybe just maybe this is why I am so drawn to folklore, isn’t folklore just a version of myth?
If you stare into the Abyss long enough the Abyss stares back at you.
—Nietzsche
May 21, 2010 at 2:42 am |
What is up with Rumplestiltskin? I find it one of the more agravating fairytales — so many bad decisions!
May 21, 2010 at 6:12 am |
Yeah, everyone makes bad decisions its hard to pinpoint the moral. Weren’t you in a Rumpelstiltskin play when we lived in Germany?
May 21, 2010 at 10:22 am
I was the director! And I always felt an affinity to it because of that, but when I read it to Ada recently I wasn’t sure who to root for!
May 21, 2010 at 7:46 am |
nuts! i forgot you were passing through yesterday! i had all this god swag to give you!
May 21, 2010 at 7:50 am |
god swag?
May 21, 2010 at 10:23 am |
Also, I think it is fine to stare at the abyss as long as you don’t fall in.
May 21, 2010 at 10:39 am |
oh yeah, i’m not falling in, just having a staring contest
May 25, 2010 at 10:48 am |
good swag, i meant good swag.
i could probably find some god swag if you’re disappointed.