Notes on life, art, photography and technology, by a Danish dropout bohemian.
When you drink the water, remember the river.
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Monday, June 04, 2007
Dracula
"Somebody once told me, 'Dracula is actually about the plight of 19th-century women,' and I said, 'No, it's about a guy who lives forever by drinking other people's blood—don't take my word for it, check it out.'" - Tim Powers
Hmmm, when I finally worked my way through Stoker I found it to be a dark story of forbidden lusts and sensual desires. Dracula was merely an agent to free the ladies from societal oppression.
Maybe more comments after I've read the interview properly.
I just noticed this. You're a proclaimed "Mystic?" So do you practice witchcraft, play with voodoo dolls, read tarrot cards, cast spells? I'm rather shocked.
It seems you, like I had, have a hazy idea of what a mystic is. Look it up on Wikipedia. (Maybe further comments on this should be put in the "mystic" post.)
Eolake said: "Tim Powers has the ability to look at things as they are, instead of through a thick haze of thinking about how they should be or might be."
Why does he then fail to see that Dracula is black ink in 10pt serif font on uncoated paper folded in octavo size and bound in cardboard covered with sheepskin?
Oh, and it's not undestructable, or able to "live forever" as Tim says.
That's strange, I've never tied mysticism with Satanism. Indeed, when someone mentions the term mystic, I typically think of the stereotypical image of a seer from a Middle Eastern, or Indian story. Satanic doesn't mean un-Christian, it means Satanic.
As I grow older I realize more of the words I learnt, I actually mislearnt. I've adopted conventional wisdows. Only this morning we were talking about the hair style known as Mohawk in the US or Mohican in the UK. When all around you uses a word to mean something other than what it means, that word takes on the new meaning.
I was quite shocked to find out that I was an Infadel, and more above that I'm a Gentile. But because I'm not Christian, does that make me Satanic?
So, to get back to my meandering point. I don't believe mystics to be necessarily Satanic.
I just looked Warlock in a pretty sizable dictionary, and that is, in some contexts, Satanic, but seems to be more "oathbreaker" in it's early etymology.
Pascal, as always is right, it's hard to tell them apart when you're drunk, so you're best going home alone.
Alex said... "Pascal, as always is right, it's hard to tell them apart when you're drunk, so you're best going home alone."
Yeah, well, I just knew this helpful guy out of the blue with his romanian accent had something fishy about him. Good think I chose to call a cab past midnight, eh? At first, when he said he didn't "dreenk vine", I thought he was just a muslim, or something similarly harmless. But with that red cape, in the all-night bars, I figured he might be a bit queer, y'know. (Shivers)
eolake said... Indeed, a big number of Christian saints were mystics.
Name one that was "mystic." Also Christ said He that is not for me is agaisn't me. So in essense, if you are not a born-again Christian then you are serving Satan.
everything but the girl, I do believe Wiki Pascalus gave us this link to Teresa of Ávila for a reason. Have you tried clicking on it? Looks like the bio of a Christian saint to me.
Speaking of references, I'm eager to be enlightened: where in the Bible or Gospel is it specifically written that if you're not a member of the born-again you're against Jesus? Didn't Pascal mention that same phrase being used by the militias during the Lebanon war? "If you're not with us you're against us"?
I think I once did, IPU. Those people fighting in my country were so bent ont proving their astronomical stupidity, they denied the civilians the right to neutrality at checkpoints 50 metres from their adversaries'. ):-P
I have a few depressing anecdotes on this topic, but I'll spare them to you. (Don't thank me!) Let's just hope this is all a thing of the past. Wishful thinking. :-(
Hmmm, when I finally worked my way through Stoker I found it to be a dark story of forbidden lusts and sensual desires. Dracula was merely an agent to free the ladies from societal oppression.
ReplyDeleteMaybe more comments after I've read the interview properly.
there are many forms of real vampires on earth, the government, politicians, the states, opec, women, the list is endless.
ReplyDeletemystic Eolake Stobblehouse.
ReplyDeleteI just noticed this. You're a proclaimed "Mystic?" So do you practice witchcraft, play with voodoo dolls, read tarrot cards, cast spells? I'm rather shocked.
mystic Eolake Stobblehouse.
ReplyDeletebe careful here man, these mystics are highly sensitive. he may make you disappear into thin air.
forbidden lusts.
ReplyDeletelike homosexuals. it's a dark world. very dark. look behind you when you pass through corridors.
look behind you when you pass through corridors.
ReplyDeleteand don't look back at your reflection in the mirror as you're walking away, sometimes the reflection doesn't interact with it's viewer.
Dear "Shocked",
ReplyDeleteIt seems you, like I had, have a hazy idea of what a mystic is. Look it up on Wikipedia.
(Maybe further comments on this should be put in the "mystic" post.)
Is Tim Powers a bit thick or why is he saying that?
ReplyDeleteAnd why do you want to embarrass him by singleing out this one sentence from him? :-)
Tim Powers has the ability to look at things as they are, instead of through a thick haze of thinking about how they should be or might be.
ReplyDeleteI myself have a hazy idea of what reality is. I often get mixed up between mystics and warlocks, even when I'm sober.
ReplyDelete"I do not drink... wine." -- (Count Dracula)
Eolake said: "Tim Powers has the ability to look at things as they are, instead of through a thick haze of thinking about how they should be or might be."
ReplyDeleteWhy does he then fail to see that Dracula is black ink in 10pt serif font on uncoated paper folded in octavo size and bound in cardboard covered with sheepskin?
Oh, and it's not undestructable, or able to "live forever" as Tim says.
But don't take my word for it, check it out.
I often get mixed up between mystics and warlocks, even when I'm sober.
ReplyDeletethere are both satanic in practice.
"there are both satanic in practice"
ReplyDeleteThat's strange, I've never tied mysticism with Satanism. Indeed, when someone mentions the term mystic, I typically think of the stereotypical image of a seer from a Middle Eastern, or Indian story. Satanic doesn't mean un-Christian, it means Satanic.
As I grow older I realize more of the words I learnt, I actually mislearnt. I've adopted conventional wisdows. Only this morning we were talking about the hair style known as Mohawk in the US or Mohican in the UK. When all around you uses a word to mean something other than what it means, that word takes on the new meaning.
I was quite shocked to find out that I was an Infadel, and more above that I'm a Gentile. But because I'm not Christian, does that make me Satanic?
So, to get back to my meandering point. I don't believe mystics to be necessarily Satanic.
I just looked Warlock in a pretty sizable dictionary, and that is, in some contexts, Satanic, but seems to be more "oathbreaker" in it's early etymology.
Pascal, as always is right, it's hard to tell them apart when you're drunk, so you're best going home alone.
TTL said...
ReplyDelete"check it out."
Hey, that expression's not yours!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ppC2Dv8aFkY
"What'cha gonna do with your good looks,
Call yourself my hunk, my hunk?
Check it out!"
----------------
I've found a textbook example of mystic:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Teresa_of_Ávila
Yup, looks definitely satanic...
Case closed.
----------------
Alex said...
"Pascal, as always is right, it's hard to tell them apart when you're drunk, so you're best going home alone."
Yeah, well, I just knew this helpful guy out of the blue with his romanian accent had something fishy about him. Good think I chose to call a cab past midnight, eh?
At first, when he said he didn't "dreenk vine", I thought he was just a muslim, or something similarly harmless. But with that red cape, in the all-night bars, I figured he might be a bit queer, y'know.
(Shivers)
Indeed, a big number of Christian saints were mystics.
ReplyDeleteeolake said...
ReplyDeleteIndeed, a big number of Christian saints were mystics.
Name one that was "mystic."
Also Christ said He that is not for me is agaisn't me. So in essense, if you are not a born-again Christian then you are serving Satan.
You know it is possible to be not with Christ and not with Satan. You could be following say, Odin, Shiva, Buddha, The Spaghetti Monster...
ReplyDelete"Also Christ said He that is not for me is agaisn't me. So in essense, if you are not a born-again Christian then you are serving Satan."
ReplyDeleteWow, in voilent opposition to most of the world. That's gotta be a tough gig.
Ah, yes, the Spaghetti Monster. A very popular one.
ReplyDelete``Name one that was "mystic."``
everything but the girl, I do believe Wiki Pascalus gave us this link to Teresa of Ávila for a reason. Have you tried clicking on it? Looks like the bio of a Christian saint to me.
Speaking of references, I'm eager to be enlightened: where in the Bible or Gospel is it specifically written that if you're not a member of the born-again you're against Jesus?
Didn't Pascal mention that same phrase being used by the militias during the Lebanon war? "If you're not with us you're against us"?
"If you're not with us you're against us"
ReplyDeleteI think I once did, IPU. Those people fighting in my country were so bent ont proving their astronomical stupidity, they denied the civilians the right to neutrality at checkpoints 50 metres from their adversaries'.
):-P
I have a few depressing anecdotes on this topic, but I'll spare them to you. (Don't thank me!) Let's just hope this is all a thing of the past.
Wishful thinking. :-(
According to Comp Lit professors, EVERYTHING is about the plight of X-century women.
ReplyDelete