Wow, I need to take a long philosophical walk after this one. A treasure trove of ideas. The reference to memory was really helpful, and I find it interesting how you bring literacy into the conversation. In C.S. Lewis’s Out of the Silent Planet, the sinless species called the hrassa don’t write anything down. They say it’s better instead to remember, because layers of meaning begin to settle on top of the memory that increase its sweetness. Perhaps the hrassa are the embodiment of forgiveness? Their use of agency in their actions after the event has power over the meaning of the memory. Ironically, without literacy, they are the poets of Malacandra.
This was a wonderful comment to find after work today, Ollie, thank you for it! I'm glad you enjoyed the piece so much, and that point on literacy was inspired by the discussion Guy Sengstock had with Corey Anton, which you can find on Guy's channel and that I would suggest. And I love that incorporation of C.S. Lewis: excellent! It concerns me how our current thinking about "forgiveness as forgetting" basically incentives us to have bad memory, which is a terrible unintentional consequence of not having a better take on the notion. Thanks again, Ollie, for giving this a read!
Wow, I need to take a long philosophical walk after this one. A treasure trove of ideas. The reference to memory was really helpful, and I find it interesting how you bring literacy into the conversation. In C.S. Lewis’s Out of the Silent Planet, the sinless species called the hrassa don’t write anything down. They say it’s better instead to remember, because layers of meaning begin to settle on top of the memory that increase its sweetness. Perhaps the hrassa are the embodiment of forgiveness? Their use of agency in their actions after the event has power over the meaning of the memory. Ironically, without literacy, they are the poets of Malacandra.
This was a wonderful comment to find after work today, Ollie, thank you for it! I'm glad you enjoyed the piece so much, and that point on literacy was inspired by the discussion Guy Sengstock had with Corey Anton, which you can find on Guy's channel and that I would suggest. And I love that incorporation of C.S. Lewis: excellent! It concerns me how our current thinking about "forgiveness as forgetting" basically incentives us to have bad memory, which is a terrible unintentional consequence of not having a better take on the notion. Thanks again, Ollie, for giving this a read!