A little over a month ago I posted a bit about Aum Shinrikyo, the religious (cult) group responsible for the sarin gas attack on the Tokyo subway. If you recall, I mentioned that these guys were a little bit on the side of crazy and suggested that I'd be doing my final paper in my New Religions class on them when the time came. The time has snuck up behind me with a two-by-four and caved my skull in. What I've decided to write about is the intimate connection between Aum Shinrikyo and postmodernism/poststructuralism. I'm not going to bother to explain that; it's sort of besides the point.
The point is that this paper's pretty ambitious. I mean mind-shatteringly ambitious. I'm reading a book about signs and signifiers and fashion and art and (virtual) reality. I'm reading about eight other books besides. If this paper manages to come together, it's going to be brilliant. I mean seriously "use it as half of my Master's thesis and present that at conferences" sort of brilliant.
But writing this paper is hurting me. My brain aches. I wasn't sleeping properly to begin with; I'm barely sleeping at all, now, and it's not from overwork. I giggle, sometimes, and I can't stop. I've only eaten maybe twice since... oh. It's only Saturday today. Okay, forget that last part.
I think I'm a little bit broken.
Comments (11)
Welcome to grad school.
Posted by The Ogre | June 5, 2005 10:03 AM
Posted on June 5, 2005 10:03
Jason is trying to unlock the keys to the universe, but unfortunatly its not coming easily.
Careful, man. You may get Paradox Backlash soon.
Posted by Bard | June 5, 2005 11:13 AM
Posted on June 5, 2005 11:13
In retrospect my comment seems too harsh and a shot at your brilliance. It was not. It was merely a reaction to being exhausted and "broken" by thinking, which I believe is even further proof that if humans were to actually USE this untapped brain power we always hear referenced we would go to sleep and never wake up.
Posted by The Ogre | June 5, 2005 6:15 PM
Posted on June 5, 2005 18:15
Ogre: No offense taken. Incidentally, I'm quoting you on the last half of your last line there.
Bard: Funny that you should say that. I read a bit about the Aum guru's reverence for Shiva in one of my books late yesterday and I came to the strange realization that Aum Shinrikyo is the Euthanatos. Not even a strange and twisted version of the Euthanatos, either. They're pretty spot-on. Freaky.
Posted by Jason | June 5, 2005 7:57 PM
Posted on June 5, 2005 19:57
Umm...when you were initially telling me about them I told you they were like the Euthanatos. *sigh*
Posted by The Ogre | June 6, 2005 10:00 AM
Posted on June 6, 2005 10:00
he he he i don't think the euthanatos would condone their actions ....... at least not most of them :)
Posted by gus | June 6, 2005 12:41 PM
Posted on June 6, 2005 12:41
Dude, I've got no memory at the best of times. Why should my memory get any better when my brain is on the fritz?
Maybe it'd be easier if I just attribute every new idea I think I have to you straight from the get go...
Posted by Jason | June 6, 2005 5:29 PM
Posted on June 6, 2005 17:29
What Ogre said.
Grad school isn't about learning stuff. It's about re-wiring your brain. Prelims made me find out _exactly_ how big my brain is. Too bad Differential Geometry was just too damn big.
Posted by Ed | June 6, 2005 8:15 PM
Posted on June 6, 2005 20:15
Yah, thank God I'm not doing something involving math. Wrapping my head around postmodernism is hard enough.
Posted by Jason | June 6, 2005 9:23 PM
Posted on June 6, 2005 21:23
Wow, Jason. I was dreading finishing my dialogue between the dispensationalists and the historical-critical interpreters for a teacher with a MUCH different viewpoint on Life, the Unierse, and Everything than me but this has made me take a moment to breathe and be grateful.
That is, until I remember that this time next year I'll be doing grad school finals......
Best of luck, Jason. And I apologize for the long Fables post I left you.
Posted by Jacquee | June 7, 2005 9:50 PM
Posted on June 7, 2005 21:50
Because you told me a month ago when you weren't fried. Actually more time.
Posted by The Ogre | June 8, 2005 7:37 PM
Posted on June 8, 2005 19:37