BBC Radio Brains Trust, 1941 - this responded to questions sent-in by listeners. I think I recognize CEM Joad second from the left, and (?) Jacob Bronowski on the right (although it may be Julian Huxley).
I am mentally working-through some stuff that isn't currently ready for posting (and may never be); so if commenters have a particular question they want to ask, now is a good time - as a comment to this post.
I will take a look at "all"* questions and respond if possible (and appropriate!)
*Note: If you want an answer, don't comment anonymously - because (as stated in the sidebar and on the commenting form) such comments typically get deleted without being read. This happens since, from past experience; nearly-all anonymous comments emanate from bots, shills, psychopaths, or the entitled.
From Laeth:
ReplyDelete"how do you know when a post is ready? what kind of criteria do you consider? or is it purely intuitive, not based on analysis? do you consider specific impact on the reader, or it's a purely personal endeavour until hitting publish? "
BGC: I'm not sure whether you mean "ready" to write, or to publish.
"To publish" is easiest to answer: when it's finished. Sometimes I need to do something, and the proofreading must wait until later - ideally, but not always, I proof read it before hitting "publish".
Ready "to write" is typically one of two ways. The posts comes from a kind of written meditation/ stream of consciousness journaling. Most days I start doing this after wakening (early, c 5.30) and having coffee; this often leads to something that seems like a good idea for a post, so I sit down and write. Sometimes I have had the idea later in the morning when at a cafe, and then this gets written-up either later in the day or the next morning.
I am writing essentially from my own reasons, to get something clear for myself; or a possible development of earlier ideas.
I don't consider the readers much, I'm afraid. I could not have blogged for 16 years 1.5 posts per day average from motives of altruism! I'm just not that kind of person. Writing has to be selfish/ from my own needs, really.
(Because, of course, I've not made a penny out of blogging, nor from any of the four books that arose from it; and deliberately - because that is necessary to keep me spiritually-free.)
More from Laeth:
ReplyDelete"to clarify, reformulate: how do you know a piece is 'finished' (before the proofreading)?"
I just know. But when I go back, I sometimes find something more to add - usually at the end. (Commenter G says these "Note added" bits are usually the best...)
"do you think exalted people (gods), have a consciousness similar to ours (that is, modern) or ancient, or something else entirely? and if the latter, can you elaborate on what you think it might be, and the differences between that and our type of consciousness."
I think "a consciousness similar to ours" - in the same kind of way that the most loving and creative mature adult human being imaginable, has a similar consciousness to what the same person had as a baby, child, or adolescent - and from the same causes/ for the same reasons.
True that the "Note added" bits are frequently the best!
ReplyDeleteThat is Bronowski at far right, aged about thirty-three then.
ReplyDelete@Jonathan - A more patient man than I am would maybe hold back publishing until after the "note added" had come to mind.
ReplyDeleteBut then there is an element of me interacting with what I have written than can be a stimulus to extra thought - so maybe it needs to be published first, in order that there be a second thought.
@a_p - That's what I think. Compare the photo illustrating "wartime work" on Wikipedia - looks like the same man to me:
ReplyDeletehttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jacob_Bronowski
However, Bronowski is not mentioned in the caption on the BBC website from which I took the photo heading this post, whereas Huxley is.