"In fact, lists and other forms of record-keeping, I’d argue, aren’t even optional. They are built into our DNA."
You have no idea how right you are on this! There's an entire chunk of Book 2 of the Iliad which is actually just a big list of all the different cities of Greece and how many ships they were sending and who they were led by. Obviously remembering that the Iliad began as an oral epic poem, I'd like to think a couple of millennia ago we had Greeks sitting around fires and listening to this list get retold over and over and thinking "damn, I love how detailed this list is".
What is not to like about another lovely piece of yours that includes, among other things, references to Eco and Nietzsche. I’m feeling particularly inspired by this (Nietzsche): "one’s being just as able to forget at the right time." (!)
Also, since reading about Eco‘s concept of the anti-library, I can’t count the times I have thought about it, and the comfort and spaciousness it provides when I look at the large number of books in my library that I haven’t read.
Brigitte, thank you! And YES, this whole concept is _very_ much related to the "anti-library." In fact, I originally thought of trying to include it but decided it would be better as a separate, related essay.
"In fact, lists and other forms of record-keeping, I’d argue, aren’t even optional. They are built into our DNA."
You have no idea how right you are on this! There's an entire chunk of Book 2 of the Iliad which is actually just a big list of all the different cities of Greece and how many ships they were sending and who they were led by. Obviously remembering that the Iliad began as an oral epic poem, I'd like to think a couple of millennia ago we had Greeks sitting around fires and listening to this list get retold over and over and thinking "damn, I love how detailed this list is".
Such a wonderful example, and one I hadn't considered! Thank you, James.
What is not to like about another lovely piece of yours that includes, among other things, references to Eco and Nietzsche. I’m feeling particularly inspired by this (Nietzsche): "one’s being just as able to forget at the right time." (!)
Also, since reading about Eco‘s concept of the anti-library, I can’t count the times I have thought about it, and the comfort and spaciousness it provides when I look at the large number of books in my library that I haven’t read.
Brigitte, thank you! And YES, this whole concept is _very_ much related to the "anti-library." In fact, I originally thought of trying to include it but decided it would be better as a separate, related essay.