« March 2006 | Main | June 2006 »

May 24, 2006

It's Bob Dylan's birthday today. He turned 65. Nietzsche believed that "any individual is worth only as much as he is able to press upon his experiences the stamp of the eternal." Dylan for sure is among the eternals.

Posted by amin at 12:35 AM | Comments (0)

May 20, 2006

Have been reading a few good articles on the relation between art and morality. I personally think that it's possible for a work of art to be immoral but at the same time very artistic and aesthetically excellent. Plus who's to determine what's moral or immoral. I believe that the purpose of art is only to express, never to judge.

M. and me spent some time with Dana last night. He took some pictures of us which hopefully are going to look great. He's applying to MassArt next semester. I looked at his portfolio, and liked some of his photographs. Sometime when M. was alone with him in the room he asked her to model for him this summer. Of course he wouldn't ask her that if I were in the room because men are always going to be men no matter how nice they are!

Posted by amin at 11:24 PM | Comments (0)

May 19, 2006

I don't want much from the material world. Having a camera, an i-pod, a pocket watch, and a book of Shakespeare's sonnets are more than enough for me.

Posted by amin at 6:48 PM | Comments (0)

May 15, 2006

It was my brother's birthday today. He turned 18. I have to confess that in the past two years my opinion about him has totally changed. I was always afraid that he might under the pressure of our family decide to pursue a career in engineering or technology. But he has his own independent mind now and wants to study the social sciences and the arts.

Talked to my uncle. He's a photographer and has recently moved from Amsterdam to California. It was nice talking to him. He told me that he doesn't like the warm weather, and that he can't tolerate the Persians living in LA. Although I doubt that it's going to happen but we planned to visit each other sometime during summer.

Posted by amin at 12:27 AM | Comments (0)

May 12, 2006

M. told me about a disturbing incident that happened a few days ago to one of her mother's friends. It reminded me of my childhood memories. For many artists childhood memories are constant source of inspiration. For me it has always been the opposite. Since I came to America I've been trying my best to forget and block my childhood. I guess I lost my innocence early in life. As long as I remember even my most innocent and childish moments were under the shadow of fear and sorrow.

Posted by amin at 5:12 PM | Comments (0)

May 10, 2006

Finished Schopenhauer's Essays and Aphorisms. Such a fantastic book. His philosophy has influenced me a lot since last March when I started to study his work. I especially like his essay On the Suffering of the World. In the last paragraph he writes that: "one might indeed consider that the appropriate form of address between man and man ought to be, not monsieur, sir, but fellow sufferer. However strange this may sound it corresponds to the nature of the case, makes us see other men in a true light and reminds us of what are the most necessary of all things: tolerance, patience, forbearance and charity, which each of us needs and which each of us therefore owes."

Have to go to work tomorrow. I hate my current job, but I hate hunger even more.

Posted by amin at 3:49 PM | Comments (0)

May 8, 2006

A few nights ago M. asked me whether I believe in aliens. I told her that I’m not sure. She said if she had to guess she would believe in the existence of other beings since the universe is endlessly vast and we are only a very small part of it. For some reason her question brought fear and mystery to me. It’s good to think about these matters once in a while. It puts things in perspective, and reminds us that we are “nothing”. An insignificant point on the endless space of the universe. But it’s been a while that I’ve put these questions aside. Metaphysics is not very important to me anymore. Whether our existence means anything to the universe or not, whether there is a God or whether there is such a thing as fate, are no longer my major concerns. All I know is that there are billions of people starving everyday on this planet. Many are dying from incurable illnesses. There is injustice, inequality, and oppression. I feel that it’s our duty to first find ways to clean the earth from these problems, and create a good living condition for all living beings here on earth, and then start trying to find other living beings on other planets.

Posted by amin at 3:07 PM | Comments (0)