Arnon Grunberg - Comments

Tradition, Coen van Dam (20761)

Thu, 12 Nov 2009 03:45:39 +0100

Beate She is an opera singer. Very good!!!
She's got no children.
I think you wil like each other. But it's just a feeling. (My feeling is strong, let's say unbelievlable)

said Coen van Dam

Pointless, niet belezen (20760)

Thu, 12 Nov 2009 03:27:56 +0100

[ Comment removed ]

said niet belezen

Flesh, Sasja Mirskikh (20759)

Thu, 12 Nov 2009 01:06:55 +0100

Flesh&blood Wow! Arnon's flesh and blood do raise quite a discussion!

@Arnon
I would certainly prefer bonbons. Pure chocolate with cherry liquor inside!

said Sasja Mirskikh

Flesh, Teresa I (20758)

Wed, 11 Nov 2009 23:49:36 +0100

Arnon Would being happy be considered a sin in your cult thing? - An attractive thought, actually.

said Teresa I

Flesh, Carlos Dee (20757)

Wed, 11 Nov 2009 23:47:29 +0100

Arnon Sorry Arnon, you can't redeem anyone but yourself.

said Carlos Dee

Flesh, Dominika S (20756)

Wed, 11 Nov 2009 21:39:01 +0100

@ Arnon (the Redeemer) I know of a book called "My chocolate redeemer" :) Guess someone stole your idea for a religious bonbon :)

said Dominika S

Flesh, Dominika S (20755)

Wed, 11 Nov 2009 21:34:20 +0100

@ bert Exodus? No, no, no. We're not having a black mass, are we now? I think book-burning is enough sacrilege for one belief-system...

Elvis Costello! That's who came to my mind when you wrote about 'goodbye cruel world' (the title of one of his albums).

said Dominika S

Tradition, beata b (20754)

Wed, 11 Nov 2009 21:29:51 +0100

coen graag!
what is she doing in berlin?
does she have children?

said beata b

Flesh, Mieke Dutoit (20753)

Wed, 11 Nov 2009 21:22:53 +0100

Vera Great, that will make the contest even more interesting.

said Mieke Dutoit

Flesh, niet belezen (20752)

Wed, 11 Nov 2009 21:06:03 +0100

Mieke Dutoit: “Concerning Philip Roth, it was a small article I've read this week in a local newspaper wich stated that Mr. Roth feared people wouldn't be able to concentrate on reading any more in the future..”

I have difficulties reading books. I read very slow, and usually can’t stay concentrated long enough to read more than a few pages. Which sucks, cos i’d like to read more books. It is however easier for me to listen to audiobooks, and much easier to watch a video; seeing a person reading a book, or online lectures of some kind. I can stay concentrated longer, and i find it easier to understand whats being said (relative to reading text written down).

“... that reading is an endeavour wich needs a lot of attention of the reader. Training is essential if you want to become a good reader.

I wonder what requires most ‘energy’ of our brains, reading written words or watching images, video’s?

Arnon - and I assume you would say, I shouldn’t generalize what applies to me - I wonder if children today who are more confronted with internet then ever (all the video’s you can find on the net, the amount of choice, the easiness and speed to get hold of the information ) if their brains aren’t better trained at getting information through these channels rather then by reading books?

I’m always eager to know whats been written on this site, just not always like putting in the effort to read the (sometimes long) mails.

said niet belezen

Flesh, vera m (20751)

Wed, 11 Nov 2009 21:04:03 +0100

mieke There is not only a Cabernet, a Chardonnay, a Merlot but even
a Gewurztraminer with my familyname!

said vera m

Flesh, Mieke Dutoit (20750)

Wed, 11 Nov 2009 20:04:43 +0100

Arnon http://www.dominiquepersoone.be

That's your man.

said Mieke Dutoit

Flesh, Arnon Grunberg (20749)

Wed, 11 Nov 2009 19:59:20 +0100

Sander In a few years or so I hope to have a son. You can name your croquette after him. But I want to have a delicious bonbon named after me. I want a lady on the Upper East Side to say: “I’m having a small Arnon with my cappuccino.”

said Arnon Grunberg

Flesh, Juliane B. (20748)

Wed, 11 Nov 2009 19:54:07 +0100

bertweter / Arnon @bert
Thanks for being so fatherly. I had potato soup with Wiener Würstchen for supper today.

@ Arnon
What if it's only daughters for you?

said Juliane B.

Flesh, Arnon Grunberg (20746)

Wed, 11 Nov 2009 19:31:30 +0100

Bert I'm not a jester, I'm the Redeemer.

said Arnon Grunberg

Flesh, bert hesper (20745)

Wed, 11 Nov 2009 18:42:41 +0100

Flesh & Blood @ Coen van Dam
Thanks for the link to this 'Mozarella club of the friendly ghosts'.

- Paul Reps (compiler): Zen Flesh, Zen Bones
[First published by The Charles E. Tuttle Co., Inc., 1957
Published in Pelican Books 1971 (Philosophy)
Includes four books:
101 Zen Stories, 1st publ. 1939 by Rider and Company, London
The Gateless Gate, 1st publ. 1934 by John Murray, Los Angeles
10 Bulls, 1st publ. 1935 by DeVorss and Company, Los Angeles
Centreing, 1st app. Spring 1955 issue Gentry mag., New York]

And - of course - Robert Pirsig:
- Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance: An Inquiry into Values (1974)
- Lila: An Inquiry into Morals (1991)
(These, together with AG's books, and a lot more, would be our 'holy books'.)

@ Sander Voerman
Please hold your horses!...
There's really nothing to be amazed about: we're all just jesting and suggesting things.
Please read carefully...
'(...) a movement of people longing for book burnings.' Well, we're not longing for any book burnings, in fact.
Why start a religion? Same thing:
Just playing with the thought of starting one with Arnon Grunberg as our guru/spiritual leader/God/etc.
'(...) primitive passtimes (...)' - paStimes [- to pass the time / a pastime];
'(...) not ready to face the lack of purpose of life.'
Ah, well, doesn't sound quite right (I would say 'not willing/ready to face up to this meaningless life of ours' or 'confront' / etc.)

You will answer any problems? ('Mail them to me') : Sorry we already have our Arnon Grunberg to cater to all our needs...
Our own 'mensendokter'.
[We used to have a 'poppendokter' when I was quite young !]
Lovely words...

We (i.e. I) know there is no hope, that's more or less implied in these posts.
Life's a game, rules of which change day by day, and we are playing it as best we can.
This religion we are contemplating is part of this.
Finally, I'm afraid your expectation 'that in the future all religions will be regarded as ... pastimes' is based on real wishful thinking.
[Never in history has any religion been considered a pastime by the way!]

You say there is no hope, but it seems this is what you are hoping for...
Forget it.

@ Dominika S
'Pissed off' : the closest you get to unhappiness?
So you only get angry? Never unhappy? Lucky you!

'Bedlam' our anthem?
You mean the Exodus number?
- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HkZXN7_U9Og
(There's also: Exodus - Funeral Hymn and Exodus - Brain Dead !)
[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Supernova_(Polish_album)]
Nice, but I'm afraid thrash metal/rock isn't very suitable to sing to in church...

said bert hesper

Flesh, Dominika S (20744)

Wed, 11 Nov 2009 17:28:25 +0100

Bert Hesper I started to think about what I do when I get depressed/unhappy/down and came to the conclusion that I just don't get depressed... Pissed off - that's the closest I get to unhapiness. What do you do about that? I guess sport would do actually. Reading not so much. Drinking... Have to try that.

Goodbye cruel world... Maybe 'Bedlam' could be our anthem? :) If not, maybe Carlos could "write the theme tune, sing the theme tune"? :)

said Dominika S

Tradition, Mieke Dutoit (20743)

Wed, 11 Nov 2009 17:23:22 +0100

Beata Kortrijk, Belgium

said Mieke Dutoit

Flesh, Sander Voerman (20741)

Wed, 11 Nov 2009 16:35:37 +0100

It is amazing how quickly a suggestion of beginning a vampire cult turned into a movement of people longing for book burnings.

Why start a religion anyway? You realise that in the future all religions will be regarded as dangerous or primitive passtimes of those not ready to face the lack of purpose of life.

If it is answers you are looking for, mail them to me and I'll answer.
If it is hope you are looking for; there is none.

said Sander Voerman

Flesh, Coen van Dam (20740)

Wed, 11 Nov 2009 16:26:30 +0100

Bert I'll write a new tune.

said Coen van Dam

Flesh, Coen van Dam (20738)

Wed, 11 Nov 2009 16:20:09 +0100

Mozzarella club of the friendly ghosts I invite you to take a look at the following link.
http://www.arnongrunberg.com/blog/1045-mozzarella?page=2

said Coen van Dam

Flesh, bert hesper (20737)

Wed, 11 Nov 2009 16:15:42 +0100

Mieke "(...) a cult about suffering?"
Who said it would HAVE to be a cult about suffering?!
All right: AG - Our Lord And Almighty said:
"I promise unhappiness.
I will tell my followers: suffering is cool.
As long as they buy my wine."
[So: if you DON'T buy his wine but some other brand, you might escape all unhappiness and suffering !]

"We should really be very carefull [-carefuL] (...)"
"In the beginning was the word. We sacrifice the word, and out of its ashes a new beginning will occur. "

- "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God."
(We sacrifice the word.... - You are really a true Christian believer, aren't you?) I for one am not willing to sacrifice ANY WORD !
Certainly not those of our beloved Mr Arnon Grunberg.
[- Noam Chomksy on Language.]
And by the way:
I have always found this equation rather funny:
In the beginning there was a Table, and the Table was with a Chair, and the Table was a Chair."

That's not the kind of religion/cult we are going to start again!
We'll demand some real logic and consistency !

said bert hesper

Tradition, Coen van Dam (20736)

Wed, 11 Nov 2009 16:14:48 +0100

Beata You should meet my exgirlfriend. She lives in Berlin. That's all I can report in public.

said Coen van Dam

Flesh, bert hesper (20735)

Wed, 11 Nov 2009 15:44:35 +0100

Dominika S "Now, if you manage to combine unhappiness with bliss - there's you religion - worthy of the age." [- "youR relligion"]

I wholeheartedly agree: my unhappiness/melancholy/depression etc can certainly be combined with feelings of bliss/happiness !

When I'm depressed I start reading, and feel very happy.
When unhappy I might start drinking a few glasses of wine/port/whisky, and get to feel dazed (tipsy), and very happy...
When depressed/down/unhappy, just start walking, cycling, reading, shopping (!), and some bliss is sure to come....
Sorry, this sounds really stupid; but it works for me: take a mag or a book, read and read and read: goodbye cruel world....

http://www.jacquedee63.com/goddbyecruelworld.html :

(Oh, goodbye cruel world, I'm off to join the circus
Gonna be a broken-hearted clown
Paint my face with a good-for-nothin' smile
'cause a mean, fickle woman turned my whole world upside down)
and experience some bliss !

Let's join in this holy unhappy blissful church of ours!
And say / pray "Goodbye cruel world" !
=================================

said bert hesper

Flesh, Mieke Dutoit (20734)

Wed, 11 Nov 2009 15:27:25 +0100

Bert Can I remind you that this is a cult about suffering? We should really be very carefull about the choice of the book. The sacrifice needs to hurt.
In the beginning was the word. We sacrifice the word, and out of its ashes a new beginning will occur.

said Mieke Dutoit

Tradition, beata b (20733)

Wed, 11 Nov 2009 15:18:45 +0100

mieke i'll think about it...
where are you living?

said beata b

Flesh, bert hesper (20732)

Wed, 11 Nov 2009 15:12:44 +0100

Carlos Dee Talking about Robert A. Heinlein...
Have you read his 'Stranger in a Strange Land'? (1961)

-- “Anyone who considers protocol unimportant has never dealt with a cat.”

We might start some kind of cult based on that book!
=======================================

said bert hesper

Flesh, bert hesper (20731)

Wed, 11 Nov 2009 14:58:14 +0100

Mieke Dutoit WHich book indeed?
I would suggest any book printed in the millions:
Let's burn one copy of Dan Brown's 'The Da Vinci Code' or 'The Lost Symbol' or 'Angels & Demons': very appropriate in such a ceremony...
While the book is slowly being burned on a little fire we could have some fruitful exchange of ideas and suggestions on the next title...
[" I would like to propose ....., Amen" ]

said bert hesper

Flesh, bert hesper (20730)

Wed, 11 Nov 2009 14:42:18 +0100

Mieke Dutoit Why in heaven's name would it be too soon to reveal?!
Do we have to wait until Christmas?

said bert hesper

Flesh, Mieke Dutoit (20729)

Wed, 11 Nov 2009 14:39:26 +0100

And I want to add a bookburning. Wich book will we sacrifice in the name of Arnon?

said Mieke Dutoit