Day 6(A)

So many things about Clamence.  What do I say? I rarely know what to say.  

My dad is a Sikh. He is also a very religious person. After Gurdwara he will bring home a translation of the chant. And asks me if he can read it to me, I usually say sure because in those situations what else can one say? (I don’t mean this literally, there is a lot more one can say.)  While reading it, his eyes light up and his voice changes inflection as he stresses different parts of the writing, eventually words become sentences – each getting its own period and capital letter. After reading it he’ll look back up at me to see my reaction, stick out his neck, point to the words and go, “Woah! Woah!” then clench and unclench his fists like he’s saying “Ta-Da!” then he’ll laugh in amazement. Like those written words lifted a veil in his mind and allowed him to see something that was already there. They do not do that for me. A lot of the time they don’t even make sense. But most of the time the words sound pretty enough that it makes it easy to pretend like they do  in fact make sense. So I just comment on what part I liked. And he’ll nod and say something like, “yeah, it’s powerful, isn't it.” He’ll hang onto it throughout the day and then bring it up later.

In a less exaggerated way, The Fall does that for me.

While reading the text I was able to recognize, if not always myself, then other people in Clamence’s speech. For today I will address his thoughts on dying friends and his seemingly virtuous acts.

In general, I think that the fact that there are no altruistic actions is a depressing thing.

However, we talked a lot about altruism in a nonprofit management class I took. And a girl in that class said something in a way that slightly altered my view on the subject (I paraphrase): “Yeah, so what? I don’t think it’s a bad thing that there are no selfless acts. I think the fact that humans feel the need or have the desire to fill a void within them while filling a void in someone or something else is a beautiful thing.”

Maybe it is.

For one like Clamence (before his fall), to see in her or himself a selfish hypocritical person and yet still continue to act in a seemingly unselfish way would be an amazing thing for the world. However, I do understand that for Clamence there were more variables such as power and image/judgment. That affected him and contributed to his “fall.” Why isn't it called The Rise.

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Side note:

This post in its entirety is significantly longer than what is actually posted, but I cut it off because the word count extended 900. Hence the “A” after Day 6. If it seems like it is unfinished, it is because in a way it is. If you happen to be reading this and would like to read the second half then comment and I will post it as part B.