“Beyond Good and Evil” by Friedrich Nietzsche

For everyone, there will always be some writer or poet who articulates what they feel better than anyone else. It might be cliché, but for me that writer has always been Nietzsche. Reading The Birth of Tragedy during undergrad was an incredible experience, and even though I was not taking philosophy classes anymore, I wanted to try and dive into his later works.

Beyond Good and Evil is Nietzsche’s attempt to synthesize his worldview into a single volume. This is similar to Also Sprach Zarathustra but that volume was only comprehensible to those that knew the author well. This is his attempt to make a more layman-friendly version of his thoughts. I personally think that he succeeded, the volume is very readable for 19^th century philosophy. Sure there are parts you will want to reread and go back to later, but on the whole it is very amateur friendly.

Each of the nine sections covers a different aspect of Nietzsche’s thoughts on life. They seem independent, but actually build and grow on each other. Slightly different interpretations of the title are presented, but the main take away is that life is not black and white. There are actually many different shades of grey present. Similarly in morality there is no good and evil, only gradients thereof. This is what he means by “beyond good and evil,” these words do not actually exist in life. This means that some sections come of as contradictory since he is continually making conditional statements and examining different sides of arguments, but that is the point. Morality can be contradictory sometimes.

Obviously there are numerous things that date this work. His tedious comments on women for instance. I imagine that he would be appalled to find that many women in the 21^st century read and critique his work, which is the only redeeming factor that I can see. And other arguments that he makes about the mental state of Europe are a little odd, but I think that is more of an indication that I need to brush up on my history than anything else.

Nietzsche is still the philosopher for me. There are statements and arguments that he makes that resound within the depths of my brain, and getting this more holistic view of his later stages of thinking solidifies that, but also confirms that he was a product of his time. It is hard to sum up in a blog post the things that I adore about his work, but I think I will let you explore that on your own. He was a man ahead of his time, in many ways, but in others he is certainly a product of his times and demonstrates that remarkably well. If you are a fan of his philosophy, I would definitely pick this volume up.

This Is Beautiful: Thanksgiving

I live in the US and this past week was Thanksgiving for us. It's a great time, and one that reminds me every year the power of sharing a meal together. It's something that my Philosophy of Art professor would talk about all the time, there's something revolutionary in it. Taking what we pay money for and sharing it among everyone equally destroys these capitalist notions. It also shows compassion for others by taking care of the people around us. I don't know, there's something so powerful about it.

Hope you have something to be thankful for, whether or not you celebrated last week.

"The Secret Lives of Color" by Kassia St Clair

When you think of color, you think of the rainbow, color swaths, the color wheel, and all the various hues in between. You do not necessarily think of how these colors are made, or what the history behind the name is. In this book, St Clair does just that. She divides the rainbow into each of the basic colors (white, yellow, orange, red, green, blue, purple, brown, and black) and from there divides it further into the shades that she finds most interesting. Each entry could contain a variety of things from interesting stories about the color's use to the history behind our perception of this color to the chemical process required to make it. It is a really fascinating look at different cultures across time and space.

I loved the way that this book was structured, and how easy it was to read. Some installments did flow better than others, there were a few where I was reading the stories and had to go back and find the part that the color played in them. Which was annoying since the color is supposed to be the whole point, but I was never bored. There is also a great variety in the stories and colors presented, the author has clearly done a ton of work. There is even a list of further colors to look into if you are interested at the end!

I would highly recommend this for people who enjoy learning about the visual world, and the history behind it. This book combines chemistry, sociology, history, anthropology, and linguistics all together in its discussion, but presents it all in a user friendly way. A fascinating read, and a lot of fun too.

This Is Beautiful: Sunsets/Sunrises

Listen. I know it's overrated. But just make a minimal effort to see a sunset or a sunrise every once in a while. Don't do it all the time. Maybe once a week. But just try it out.

The sky really is gorgeous when the sun is near the horizon. Just the colors are amazing, but I find that even the streets and buildings look nicer at that time of day.

And I'm saying don't do it regularly because then it becomes a routine, and then you get jaded to it. I find it's nice to break up the monotony of life and take a moment to appreciate something that you don't usually see. Because I sure don't see the sunset every day, I'm usually working or stuck indoors. But to see if every once in a while and think "man life is amazing" is a beautiful thing.

"I Contain Multitudes" by Ed Yong

Started this book because people at work were reading it (I'm a working scientist) and thought that I would give it a go. It is wonderfully written, Yong has certainly done his research and knows how to communicate it. All of the stories are outlined with delightful stories that make them all accessible, even to non-scientists. There are even a ton of pictures to illustrate all of his stories!

The tagline to this book involves "a grader view of life" and Yong certainly delivers on that aspect of it. The way he describes it we are constantly covered in microbes, and coating everything we touch in clouds of it. We're like Pigpen from Peanuts, constantly exuding our own microbes everywhere. And the effects that these guys have on us is amazing, obviously they affect our digestive system but also our preferences for certain foods and have been shown to alter fly sexual activity. Where do we end and the microbes begin?

One thing that is probably important to mention is that not all microbes are bad, in fact many of them are very good for us. It is important to have a diverse microbiome, and in the age of hand sanitizer and antibiotics we are effectively killing off our microbiome. If we continue on this path, we will probably end up surrounded by bacteria resistant to antibiotics that ravage our bodies and the world. Yong calls for awareness of this, and to stop ourselves before this gets out of hand.

Probably the highest compliment that I can give this book is that it made me want to be a microbiologist. Reading this, you get the feeling that everything we do is caused by these tiny bacteria, and if we could only puzzle out what they are telling us then everything will be made clear. Obviously life is not really like that, but it is a testament to Yong's compelling writing that you feel that way as you read it. Whether you are an expert in the field or just an interested beginner, I don't think I can recommend this book enough! Hopefully Yong writes another book sometime soon.

This Is Beautiful: Birds

I just spent a weekend with a friend who has a bird, and these guys sure are fun! Very vocal and interesting to be around. He started yelling at 8 am, which is fine because I was already up, but as far as I can tell he doesn't need anything, he's just making noise. But not like unpleasant noise. And not exactly singing either. Honestly I think he's just talking.

Also the colors on him are gorgeous, this guy is white, grey, and some black which makes for a very pretty plumage. My friend has also got him trained to fly around the room to her hand when she has a treat, so it has been interesting being here and watching this. Something so small can move so fast!

So yeah, birds are great. Go see a bird.

“Behave: The Biology of Humans at Our Best and Worst” by Robert Sapolsky

This is a book that has been on my list for a while, and I am glad that I finally got around to reading it. Sapolsky’s writing style is very approachable, and he has included multiple appendices for those that need a quick recap on the basics of science. But you can also totally skip that if you want.

One of the aspects of this book that I liked the best was how the information was organized. Essentially, Sapolsky is looking backwards from the moment that an action has taken place. So the first section focuses on what happened seconds before, then minutes, then hours, then childhood, then culture, and so on. The radius of focus continually gets larger and larger throughout the book. It is a really great way to structure the information, since that also means that we move from the more concrete and accessible examples (as in hormones and the like) to the more abstract like cultural norms and childhood events. Each chapter investigates in depth what causes our actions and what influences our choices (if we have them, it gets philosophical towards the end as free will is discussed). This lends the information a logical flow and makes it readable.

Another aspect of this book that I really enjoyed was how Sapolsky includes all of the different viewpoints on a topic. In particular, a while ago I read Pinker’s The Better Angels of our Nature and really enjoyed it (post here). However, Sapolsky takes the time to really examine and present the critics of Pinker in order to show his limitations and points of controversy. As a result, I feel like I have a better understanding of both Pinker and Sapolsky. Many theories are given a similar treatment to show how little we still know about ourselves as species and our choices over time.

Having discussed all of that, there is an aspect of Sapolsky’s writing style that drives me up a friggin wall. He uses footnotes way too much and for objectively useless reasons. No joke, there’s a footnote that simply reads “I have no idea what this means” towards the end of one of the chapters. I get that he is trying to make his style more user-friendly and accessible no matter what your background is, but it is also annoying as hell when you have to continually break focus from the chapter to read an inane comment like that. Granted, not all of them are that irritating. Most are personal anecdotes that understandably do not contribute to the main passage. But still, so many of them are incredibly pointless and it irked me throughout the book.

So to summarize, this is a well thought-out book about science that could have been written better. It is still a fascinating read that synthesizes the available information well. Just do not expect too much from the author’s voice.

This is Beautiful: Fall Out Boy

You know what? Fall Out Boy is a great band for my generation because we grew up with them making rebellious music and they STILL deliver on the goods. 

Their latest album "M A  N   I    A" came out recently and I didn't get around to listening to it until about a week ago and that stuff is pretty solid man. They're still angry and yelling about things and somehow they manage to nail that perfect mix of retaining their original sound without every song sounding the same. I don't know how they do it.

Small high school me has fond memories of singing along to "Folie A Deux" and now adult me is digging their new records. Why can't every band do this? I bet that in 50 years or so Fall Out Boy will be the band of this generation, similar to Queen in the 80s or the Beatles in the 60s.

So give old or new Fall Out Boy a listen, they're great, all of their stuff's great, whether it's old or new.

“The Buried Giant” by Kazuo Ishiguro

I found this book through investigating what the local book club was reading, and it seemed interesting enough to add it to my list. But not interesting enough for me to get around to it right away, I think I had to leave it at the library like three times because I just could not be bothered to make the trip. I’m glad that I eventually did though, this is quite the interesting book.

The setting is a mythical spin on medieval England just after the fall of King Arthur. Ogres roam the land and a dragon prowls among the mountains. There’s also a buried giant, as you probably could have guessed. The Saxons and the Britons have been at odds but now is a time of relative peace. But something strange is going on with the people’s memories. It seems that they forget things at an alarming rate, but are unaware of doing so.

The main characters are Axl and Beatrice, an elderly couple from a Briton village. They decide to make a journey to their son’s village, since they haven’t seen him in years. Along the way they meet up with a Saxon warrior and his orphan boy, and an Arthurian knight tasked with slaying the dragon. Eventually an old monk reveals to them that the source of their forgetfulness is the dragon’s breath, it is she that causes the mist that covers their memories.

Meanwhile it comes to light that the old knight is not trying to slay the dragon, he is protecting her. King Arthur placed the dragon there with the help of Merlin to keep the peace. If the people cannot remember past wrongs, they have no reason to try and avenge them. This causes a dilemma for Axl and Beatrice, for they eventually want to journey to an island where one can wander around forever without meeting another person. However couples can walk arm in arm if their bond is strong enough. Beatrice worries though that if they cannot recall their past together, how can they prove that they love each other?

So this is much more than a whimsical fantasy story about the aftermath of King Arthur. It is also about how and why we love each other. Would we feel as though we love each other more if we couldn’t remember our past? Does that even count as love? How do we prove our love to other people if not through our memories?

Ultimately, the book ends with the dragon dying and characters realizing that there will now be conflict again. And that the buried giant must rise again now. For we do not live in a world where we cannot remember our past, outside of this book we face our past every day. Does this mean that we cannot love each other as fully with this knowledge of past wrongs?

I was also reminded of Watchmen quite a bit while reading this. King Arthur did not ask for anyone’s permission to cloud their memories. He did what he had to do to ensure peace would last. Naturally people would be upset to find out about this, because they never consented to that. But regardless, an entire generation grew up without war. Is that worth the price it took? It seems as though the book comes down lightly on the side that yes it was worth it. Axl believes that without this clouding of his memories, he wouldn’t have had the time required to forgive Beatrice for past mistakes. The knight sometimes contributes a chapter in his own stream-of-consciousness narration, wringing his hands about his past actions and asking what else he should have done.

What I think Ishiguro is trying to say is that yes we can remember past injustices, but it might be better to forget them. He highlights these benefits, without shying away from the wrongs committed, but the fact that the book is titled after the coming wars and not the lost memories seems very significant. It is as if he wants to warn us away from this rising giant by reminding us to forgive and forget. In all of our relationships there probably rests a buried giant that we do not want to rouse. And the best way to do that is to tiptoe around it quietly, and forget past actions.

Variations on a Theme: Outer Space

Excited for the space force? So am I. Listen to this playlist to get pumped for it!

1. “Ladies and Gentlemen We Are Floating in Space” by Spiritualized

This is a really interesting song. It starts as a round over Pachabel’s Canon, and I know that numerous artists have made fun of that, but this isn’t like the others. The Canon is very subtle, and there are instrumental lines that join in the round. Overall the effect is very psychedelic and smooth. Really glorious to listen to.

2. “Spaceman” by The Killers

Yeah a space playlist wouldn’t be complete without this. What I really enjoy is the song’s upbeat and peppy feel, so often we are saddened by looking at ourselves from afar, but this revels in it. It gets the sentiment that if we are so small, nothing we do matters, and therefore we can do whatever we want!

3. “Space Jam” by James Newton Howard

Space Jam is the best documentary out there. This song also spawned the meme of taking songs and mashing it with this one. There’s a list of the best ones here.

4. “Imperial March” by John Williams

Another classic, you can’t listen to this without thinking of space and sci-fi. Williams is a brilliant composer, and tunes like this that create such an atmosphere behind them demonstrate why.

5. “The Planets” by Holst

There’s a rule somewhere where if you are playing in a concert band you have to like Holst. This is basically the epitome of that. I know “Mars” and “Jupiter” fairly well by now, I’ve played in them multiple times. The others aren’t really practical for concert bands so they don’t get performed very often. “Neptune” though is really gorgeous (it involves a choir) so I would give that a listen. Apparently this was also the first piece to include a fade out at the end!

6. “Cecilia and the Satellite” by Andrew McMahon in the Wilderness

This is a gorgeous song, I think I heard somewhere that the lyrics are about the songwriter’s daughter. I’ve seen multiple people choreograph to it (one of them might have been me heh heh) because it has a great balance of melody and strong downbeats.

7. “Starman” by David Bowie

There was no way that I was not including this. This album was my first exposure to Bowie’s music, a very long time ago, and it still retains that mystical charm after all of these years. I can’t think about this song now without thinking of him and all the good that he brought into the world. I hope he’s waiting from the stars.

8. “The Commander Thinks Aloud” by The Long Winters

Ending on a bit of a downer here, this is a song about the Columbia shuttle crash. It was featured on an episode of the “Song Exploder” podcast if anyone’s interested in that. One of the most interesting bits that the artist shared on that podcast was how he repeats “the crew compartment’s breaking up” and it has this effect of becoming monotonous after 3 or 4 repeats, but then the meaning hits you all over again around the 8^th. Often he’ll start to cry during live performances at that point. I never think about the effect that artists are going for with repeats, and that was a really cool insight into what he was thinking with that. Sorry it’s a depressing end, but it’s a lovely song.

That’s it for this month, be on the lookout for next time, we’ll be covering SCIENCE!