waste book
TOPICS in MY HEAD AT THE START OF THE YEAR:
1. One of the dangers of minimalism is that the desire to possess less is accompanied by the desire to own certain things. A wardrobe of a certain color. A particularly useful tool. Minimalism done wrong encourages us to enjoy less stuff, but not necessarily the stuff we already have.
2. Many post-Christians find themselves casually studying and adhering to certain tenets of Buddhism, as I did. What appears to be a different perspective is entirely deceptive, though: the two are almost exactly the same.
- self-annihilation: one in favor of a deity, the other in favor of non-existence entirely
- uniformity of ritual and identity
- hierarchical leadership
- high value of self-isolation, retreat
3. Living with depression teaches you not to trust most of your thoughts or feelings. How do you differentiate earnest ideas from tricks of the mind?
4. Hannah Gamble, from I Wanted to Make Myself like the Ravine:
The lesson: close yourself off
at exactly the right time.
On the day that you wake up
under some yellow curtains
with a smile on your face,
lock the door.
Live out your days
untroubled like that.
