Saturday, July 30, 2011
A Nation's Line
I jump from Plato's utopian state “to an unknown nation's unknown history from 1904 to 1990”. By this I mean Paavo Haavikko's book “Kansakunnan linja” [A Nation's Line]. This highly perceptive book ends up in the observation: “When the boundaries between states are obscured as a result of lowered economic boundaries, Finland faces a difficult question.” Getting united with Europe already loomed in the horizon at that time, but “How can one make such a beneficial and necessary deal as will need to be made with Europe without losing everything?” Haavikko tells us that Finns say they have been invited to a central table in a Europe that is under construction. No-one has said, though, if “what function the invitation would result in. The invitation is there. It must suffice for now.”
Haavikko does not speculate on what the function would be. We would have to be content with something or the other.
Wednesday, July 27, 2011
Thesleff's Plato
If I claim like Socrates did that I don't know anything, is it true? Am I just imitating that emphatic view without understanding its true content? Is knowledge just an observation of something or intellectual reasoning? In his book entitled “Platonin arvoitus” [Plato's Enigma], Holger Thesleff has set out to analyse the one-thousand-year-old mental edifice like a detective would. Because the author is a scientist, he does not coin any fairy tales but keeps strictly to Plato's texts. Quite concrete knowledge is then revealed. It becomes apparent, for instance, that Socrates was a bad teacher. The adolescents taught by him were usually spoilt. In “Phaidon” Plato mentions in passing that the earth is a round ball. It took a long time until Galilei expressed the same publicly again. Philosophy starts with wondering. With the world as it is, what would an ideal world be like. In his “The Republic” Plato let out all his knowledge and imagination, using Socrates as his voice. Thesleff points out that there is often a smile behind Plato's thoughts. Holger Thesleff also smiles, although the book is as robust and beautiful as the Parthenon.
July 26, 2011
Mischief Close to Our Home
Soon after the terrorist act in Norway, things also started to happen close to our home. The shelter of a near-by bus stop was busted, and a waste paper container was burnt. The European Union was supposed to join and protect people and improve the living conditions in our continent. I remember the joy when I didn't need to change currencies to enjoy a cheap travel to Greece or Spain. And no depression like the one we had in the 90's was supposed ever to come. Now we are facing a depression not only in Europe but in the whole world. Its threat is reflected in general anxiety.
Identifiers: depression, terror
July 21, 2011
Talking with Saara
We had Saara as our guest for a whole day. I made a short video of our discussions. We also watched videos from her childhood. Saara told me about her work as a musician, about her studies, interest in Japan and China. Oh, would I publish this video on youtube? I don't know, I should consult Saara first.
Identifiers: Saara
Sunday, July 17, 2011
50 Years – a Man's Best Age
Here is the fox himself in the midst of rowan berries! Markus shot photos of me when I turned fifty. Thinking about it afterwards, it was a good time. I made an inventory of what I had done and what my living habits were. I changed both. I gave up teaching at the university. I wrote “Small philosophies” for Kaleva, and made documentaries for YLE's TV2. I started to train my physique, and cut down on drinking. A fifty-year-old has a great future behind, but a life ahead. This was 30 years ago.
Identifiers: Eeli 50 years
Saturday, July 16, 2011
Drawings
I have a big trunk of plywood full of drawings from different times. I have sometimes thought of imitating Michelangelo in that he destroyed his enormous collection of drawings, so people could never see how much work it had taken him to get where he was. It would be great to be a natural talent without lots of effort. But no-one is – at least not in visual arts.
Identifiers: Drawings
Saturday, July 2, 2011
Erno Paasilinna and Me
I taped some of the discussions I had with Erno in the 1980's. In the 60's, we had been publishing a cultural journal called Pohjoinen in Oulu. We had lots in common, being evacuees and all. We were withdrawn from the institutions, although we participated actively by stating our points of view on issues in society. After Erno left for Hämeenlinna in 1966 to become literary manager for Karisto, we wrote to each other a lot. Together with Antti Tuuri, he still paid a visit to me in 1999. I received his last letter on October 25, 1999, a year before he died. In a brotherly fashion, he gave me good advice for life in it.
Identifiers: Erno and me
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