Existential Dialogues II (MY NEW BOOK!ׂ)

1.Question Marks

How much would you like to live?

Why does it matter?

It matters to me! I must know.

First you would have to ask me to clarify to you what kind of life is even worth living, for I don’t take long life, in itself, to be an achievement.

What kind of life is worth living, then?

It seems that people find a worthy life in their embraces.

Then, you would like to live as long as you embrace?

Almost, but not exactly. A life worth living is one in which you can embrace question marks.

And by negation, one can understand that a life that is not worth living is a life in which one embraces exclamation marks, is that not so?

I am not brave enough to opine on the life of others, but for me it would be inconceivable.

But, what does it even mean to embrace question marks?

What is a small boy in a playground if not a walking question mark, investigating his world from within himself in previously unseen addiction? And he faces powerful forces which constantly embrace exclamation marks and seek to eliminate his wonder and deny him from searching, for they have already found for him. Have you known a violent absurd of that kind?

So many exclamation marks in my soul did not come from within me! But these are the foundations of the world I have known since infancy. How can I disengage from such a powerful embrace? Who will I call on at a time of crisis?

See in your world, see around you how many people live in a never ending embrace of exclamation marks that have become dear to them, for they have always lived in them. What a terrible distress is it for a person to ask and to hold onto doubt and helplessness.

I would like to choose my own exclamations marks!

You would like to choose…

Is it too late for me to disengage from the embrace of exclamation marks?

Do they embrace you, or are you desperate in your embrace of them?

Good question.

Since these exclamation marks were etched into your soul in ancient times, you can easily identify them by stripping completely bare. Your courage will then be to choose them anew, or make of them question marks which you might not even have to answer!

Who is brave enough to become a question mark these days?

Bravery is extremely rare, and therefore exclamation marks are so common.

Then you seek to be brave and embrace question marks?

As much as I can. Such would be my life, and even if I embrace one question mark, even if I embrace one exclamation mark, as long as it is mine and from within me, it would be a life worth living for me.

It seems that it was only the first man who was immune to the projects of exclamation marks. Only he could have created his spirit in the purest way. But for you one achievement is enough.

Self-affirmation requires a sense of modesty, for in any case one cannot realize the common exclamation marks.