January 7, 2007
I turned 23. I’m in a good state of mind and eagerly looking forward to the future. I have never been as peaceful and comfortable with myself as I currently am. Last year was a very good year; both personally and intellectually. I’ve become much more confident, peaceful, and determinate. On intellectual levels something like a revelation happened to me and it was Schopenhauer who brought me this light. After reading him I became a changed person. I read his book twice; in four nights. There was also Tolstoy. What a man! What a great man. I read his Confession and What Is Art? Even if he had not written a single novel his name would still be uttered in the silent prayers of lonely monks. And then came Wittgenstein. His character reminds me of van Gogh, his thoughts of Ancient mystics, and his face of a prophet. And lastly I read Kant’s book on ethics and fell in love with it. “Acting from duty…”
Bill Jay has this section in LensWork where he asks simple questions from famous photographers. As I was reading his interview I answered the questions myself.
Initially I wanted to be…a poet
My favorite music is…Bob Dylan
My favorite movie is…21 Grams
My favorite novel is…Crime and Punishment
When not photographing I enjoy…reading books
My favorite meal is…Persian food
I am most irritated by…people who talk at libraries
For me an influential thinker of the past was… Lao Tzu
A current major influence is…Wittgenstein
I get the most pleasure from…solitude
I am most uncomfortable when…speaking English in front of more than two people
My proudest moment was…each time my mom says she’s proud of me
My last purchase was…Dostoevsky’s “Notes from Underground”
The purpose of life is…to be good
Posted by amin at January 7, 2007 12:30 AM