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The stoÂry has, over time, solidÂiÂfied into one of the columns of Steve Jobs lore: in the earÂly 1970s, the man who would found Apple left for Reed ColÂlege. But before long, not wantÂiÂng to spend any more of his parÂents’ monÂey on tuition (and perÂhaps not temÂperaÂmenÂtalÂly comÂpatÂiÂble with the strucÂture of highÂer eduÂcaÂtion anyÂway), he offiÂcialÂly dropped out, couch-surfed through friends’ pads, lived on free meals ladled out by Hare KrishÂnas, conÂtinÂued to audit a variÂety of classÂes, and genÂerÂalÂly lived the proÂtoÂtype techÂno-neo-hipÂpie lifestyle SilÂiÂcon ValÂley has conÂtinÂued relentÂlessÂly to refine.
PerÂhaps the least likeÂly of those classÂes was one on calÂligÂraÂphy, taught by TrapÂpist monk and calÂligÂraÂphÂer Robert PalÂladiÂno. More than thirÂty years latÂer, delivÂerÂing a now-famous StanÂford comÂmenceÂment speech, Jobs recalled his time in the calÂligÂraÂphy class: “None of this had even a hope of any pracÂtiÂcal appliÂcaÂtion in my life. But 10 years latÂer, when we were designÂing the first MacÂinÂtosh comÂputÂer, it all came back to me. And we designed it all into the Mac. It was the first comÂputÂer with beauÂtiÂful typogÂraÂphy.”
And what of the calÂligÂraÂphy teacher who made that posÂsiÂble? “PalÂladiÂno, who died in late FebÂruÂary at 83, joined the TrapÂpist order of monks in New MexÂiÂco in 1950, accordÂing to a 2003 proÂfile in Reed MagÂaÂzine,” writes the WashÂingÂton Post’s Niraj ChokÂshi. “Just 17 at the time, his handÂwritÂing attractÂed the attenÂtion of the monastery scribe, who worked with him on his art. Five years latÂer, PalÂladiÂno moved to Lafayette, Ore., where local artists brought news of a skilled amaÂteur to Lloyd Reynolds, an icon in the field and the creÂator of Reed’s calÂligÂraÂphy proÂgram.”
Now you, too, can receive instrucÂtion from Reynolds, who in 1968 starred in a series on the OreÂgon EduÂcaÂtion TeleÂviÂsion SerÂvice’s proÂgram Men Who Teach, shootÂing twenÂty half-hour broadÂcasts on italÂic calÂligÂraÂphy and handÂwritÂing. Eight years latÂer — about the time Jobs co-foundÂed Apple with Steve WozÂniÂak — he re-shot the series in colÂor, and you can watch that verÂsion almost in its entireÂty with the playlist at the top of the post. (Reed has also made some relatÂed instrucÂtionÂal mateÂriÂals availÂable.) You may feel the tempÂtaÂtion to turn all of Reynolds’ lessons on the art of writÂing toward your goal of becomÂing the next Steve Jobs. But try to resist that impulse and appreÂciÂate it for its own nature, which Jobs himÂself described as “beauÂtiÂful, hisÂtorÂiÂcal, artisÂtiÂcalÂly subÂtle in a way that sciÂence can’t capÂture.”
On the 750th birthÂday of Dante Alighieri—comÂposÂer of the dizzyÂingÂly epic medieval poem the Divine ComÂeÂdy—EngÂlish proÂfesÂsor John KleinÂer pointÂed to one way of helpÂing underÂgradÂuÂate stuÂdents underÂstand the ItalÂian poet’s imporÂtance: an “obviÂous comÂparÂiÂson” with ShakeÂspeare. They both occuÂpy sinÂguÂlarÂly definÂiÂtive places in their respecÂtive lanÂguages and litÂerÂaÂtures as well as in world litÂerÂaÂture, KleinÂer sugÂgestÂed, and indeed no less a critÂiÂcal perÂsonÂage than T.S. Eliot once wrote, “Dante and ShakeÂspeare divide the world between them. There is no third.”
And yet, those who know the epic EngÂlish poems ParÂadise Lost and ParÂadise Regained—heavÂiÂly influÂenced by Dante’s work—may find John MilÂton a more apt comÂparÂiÂson. MilÂton also made comÂplex uses of theÂolÂoÂgy as politÂiÂcal alleÂgoÂry, and wrote politÂiÂcal tracts as pasÂsionÂate and resÂolute as his poetÂry. Both MilÂton and Dante were intenseÂly parÂtiÂsan writÂers who expandÂed their worldÂly conÂflicts into the eterÂnal realms of heavÂen and hell.
Like MilÂton, Dante’s forÂmaÂtive politÂiÂcal expeÂriÂence involved a civÂil war—in his case between two facÂtions known as the Guelphs and the GhiÂbellines (then furÂther between the “White Guelphs” and the “Black Guelphs.”) And like MilÂton, Dante had speÂcial access to the powÂerÂful of his day. Unlike the EngÂlish poet and defendÂer of regiÂcide, howÂevÂer, Dante was a strict monarÂchist who even went so far as to proÂpose a globÂal monarÂchy under Holy Roman EmperÂor HenÂry VII. And while MilÂton veiled his politÂiÂcal refÂerÂences in alleÂgorÂiÂcal symÂbolÂism, Dante boldÂly named his adverÂsaries in his poem, and subÂjectÂed them to grisÂly, invenÂtive torÂtures in his vivid depicÂtion of hell.
Indeed, Dante’s litÂerÂary perÂseÂcuÂtion of his oppoÂnents presents one of the foreÂmost difÂfiÂculÂties for modÂern readÂers of the InferÂno. In addiÂtion to catÂaÂloguÂing the numÂber of clasÂsiÂcal and mythoÂlogÂiÂcal charÂacÂters Dante encounÂters in his inferÂnal sojourn, we must wade through pages of conÂtexÂtuÂal notes to find out who varÂiÂous conÂtemÂpoÂrary charÂacÂters were, and why they have been conÂdemned to their respecÂtive levÂels and torÂments. Most of his named hisÂtorÂiÂcal sufferers—including Pope BoniÂface VII—had died by the time of his writÂing, but some still lived. Of two such casÂes, one online guide notes humorÂousÂly, “Dante explains their presÂence in Hell by sayÂing that they were so sinÂful that the devÂil did not wait for them to die before snatchÂing their souls…. ObviÂousÂly libel laws were not that strict in Medieval Italy.”
And we might lisÂten to the poem read aloud. Here, we have one readÂing of CanÂtos I‑VIII of the InferÂno by poet John CiaÂrÂdi, from his transÂlaÂtion of the poem for a Signet ClasÂsics EdiÂtion. CiaÂrÂdi (known as “Mr. Poet” durÂing his day) made his recordÂing in 1954 for SmithÂsonÂian FolkÂways records, and the linÂer notes of the LP, which you can downÂload here, conÂtain the excerptÂed “verse renÂderÂing for the modÂern readÂer.” The transÂlaÂtion preÂserves Dante’s terza rima in very eloÂquent, yet accesÂsiÂble lanÂguage, fitÂting givÂen DanÂte’s own use and defense of the verÂnacÂuÂlar. You can hear the comÂplete readÂing on SpoÂtiÂfy (downÂload the softÂware here) or on Youtube just above.
For his new album, ElecÂtronÂiÂca VolÂume II: The Heart Of Noise, Jean-Michel Jarre, a pioÂneer in elecÂtronÂic and ambiÂent music, colÂlabÂoÂratÂed on a recordÂing with Edward SnowÂden, the forÂmer CIA comÂputÂer anaÂlyst-turned-whistleÂblowÂer. Cue up their song, “Exit,” above.
At first glance, it perÂhaps seems like an unlikeÂly pairÂing. But if you give Jarre, the son of a French resisÂtance fightÂer, a chance to explain, it all makes perÂfect sense. RecentÂly, he told The Guardian:
The whole ElecÂtronÂiÂca project is about the ambiguÂous relaÂtionÂship we have with techÂnolÂoÂgy: on the one side we have the world in our pockÂet, on on the othÂer, we are spied on conÂstantÂly. There are tracks about the erotÂic relaÂtionÂship we have with techÂnolÂoÂgy, the way we touch our smartÂphones more than our partÂners, about CCTV surÂveilÂlance, about love in the age of TinÂdr. It seemed quite approÂpriÂate to colÂlabÂoÂrate not with a musiÂcian but someÂone who litÂerÂalÂly symÂbolÂisÂes this crazy relaÂtionÂship we have with techÂnolÂoÂgy.
A lot of what Jarre and SnowÂden were tryÂing to accomÂplish with the song–musically, conÂcepÂtuÂalÂly, ideÂoÂlogÂiÂcalÂly, etc.–gets explained in the video below. LisÂtenÂing to SnowÂden talk about the meanÂing of the song’s title (“Exit” means “things have to change,” “it’s time to leave, it’s time to do someÂthing else, it’s time to find a betÂter way”), you’ll get the sense that “Exit” is an elecÂtronÂic protest song befitÂting our digÂiÂtal age. Out with the folk music, in with the techÂno.
Since 1997, Paul Thomas AnderÂson (There Will Be Blood, BooÂgie Nights, and MagÂnoÂlia) has directÂed 11 music videos (watch them here)–five alone for Fiona Apple, and now the first of hopeÂfulÂly many for RadioÂhead. Above, watch the cinÂeÂmatÂic touch AnderÂson puts on the new RadioÂhead sinÂgle “DayÂdreamÂing.” And, if you want, downÂload RadioÂheadÂ’s new album, AMoon Shaped Pool, which just became availÂable minÂutes ago on digÂiÂtal platÂforms (AmaÂzon, iTunes, the band’s webÂsite, etc). A release in vinyl/CD is schedÂuled for June 17th.
If you would like to sign up for Open Culture’s free email newsletÂter, please find it here. It’s a great way to see our new posts, all bunÂdled in one email, each day.
If you would like to supÂport the misÂsion of Open CulÂture, conÂsidÂer makÂing a donaÂtion to our site. It’s hard to rely 100% on ads, and your conÂtriÂbuÂtions will help us conÂtinÂue proÂvidÂing the best free culÂturÂal and eduÂcaÂtionÂal mateÂriÂals to learnÂers everyÂwhere. You can conÂtribute through PayÂPal, PatreÂon, and VenÂmo (@openculture). Thanks!
AnyÂone with a passÂing familÂiarÂiÂty with the work of SigÂmund Freud—which is just about everyone—knows at least a handÂful of things about his famous psyÂchoÂanÂaÂlytÂic theÂoÂry: Ego, Super-ego, and Id, sex and death driÂves, OediÂpal comÂplex, “FreudiÂan slip,” “someÂtimes a cigÂar is just a cigÂar”… (a quote that didn’t come from Freud). Most of these terms, except that cigÂar thing, origÂiÂnate from Freud’s latÂer period—from about 1920 to his death in 1939—perhaps his most proÂducÂtive from a litÂerÂary standÂpoint, startÂing with Beyond the PleaÂsure PrinÂciÂple, in which he began to develÂop his well-known strucÂturÂal modÂel of the mind.
DurÂing these latÂer years Freud built on ideas from 1913’s Totem and Taboo and fulÂly expandÂed his psyÂchoÂlogÂiÂcal analyÂsis into a philoÂsophÂiÂcal and culÂturÂal theÂoÂry in books like The Future of an IlluÂsion, CivÂiÂlizaÂtion and its DisÂconÂtents, and Moses and MonotheÂism. For those who have priÂmarÂiÂly encounÂtered Freud in intro to psych classÂes, these works can seem strange indeed, givÂen the sweepÂing specÂuÂlaÂtive claims the VienÂnese docÂtor makes about reliÂgion, war, ancient hisÂtoÂry, and even preÂhisÂtoÂry. Though pepÂpered with terÂmiÂnolÂoÂgy from psyÂchoÂanalyÂsis, Freud’s more philoÂsophÂiÂcal works roam far afield of his medÂical speÂcialÂizaÂtions and direct obserÂvaÂtions.
When and how did Freud’s psyÂchiÂaÂtry become phiÂlosÂoÂphy, and what posÂsessed him to apply his psyÂchoÂlogÂiÂcal theÂoÂries to analyÂses of broad social and hisÂtorÂiÂcal dynamÂics? We see hints of Freud the philosoÂpher throughÂout his career, but it’s durÂing his midÂdle period—when his triÂparÂtite modÂel of the psyÂche still conÂsistÂed of the conÂscious, preÂconÂscious, and unconscious—that he began to move more fulÂly from case studÂies of indiÂvidÂual psyÂchoÂsexÂuÂal develÂopÂment and interÂpreÂtaÂtions of dreams to studÂies of human develÂopÂment writ large. These books are almost DarÂwinÂian expanÂsions of what Freud called “metapsychology”—which includÂed his theÂoÂries of OediÂpal neuÂroses, narÂcisÂsism, and sadoÂmasochism.
From 1914 to 1915, after his break with Jung, Freud worked on a series of papers on “metapsyÂcholÂoÂgy,” intendÂed, he wrote “to clarÂiÂfy and carÂry deepÂer the theÂoÂretÂiÂcal assumpÂtions on which a psyÂcho-anaÂlytÂic sysÂtem could be foundÂed.” SevÂen of the manÂuÂscripts from this periÂod vanÂished, seemÂingÂly lost forÂevÂer. In 1983, psyÂchoÂanÂaÂlyst Ilse GruÂbich-SimiÂtis disÂcovÂered one of these essays in an old trunk belongÂing to a friend and colÂleague of Freud. PubÂlished as A PhyÂloÂgeÂnetÂic FanÂtaÂsy, this fasÂciÂnatÂing, unfinÂished work points the way forÂward for Freud, proÂvidÂing some conÂnecÂtive tisÂsue between his “ontogeÂny,” the develÂopÂment of the indiÂvidÂual, and “phyÂlogeÂny,” the develÂopÂment of the species.
It is here, his transÂlaÂtors write in their introÂducÂtion to this rare work, that Freud “conÂcludes that each indiÂvidÂual conÂtains someÂwhere withÂin himÂself or herÂself the hisÂtoÂry of all mankind; furÂther, that menÂtal illÂness can useÂfulÂly be underÂstood as a vesÂtige of responsÂes once necÂesÂsary and highÂly adapÂtive to the exiÂgenÂcies of each era. AccordÂingÂly, menÂtal illÂness can be underÂstood as a set of forÂmerÂly adapÂtive responsÂes that have become malÂadapÂtive as the cliÂmatÂic and sociÂoÂlogÂiÂcal threats to the surÂvival of mankind have changed.”
These basic, yet radÂiÂcal, ideas may be said to form a backÂdrop against which we might read so much of Freud’s mature work as a means for decodÂing what seems puzÂzling, irraÂtional, and downÂright madÂdenÂing about human behavÂior. Freud’s sciÂenÂtifÂic work has long been superÂseded, and many of the specifics of his psyÂchoÂanÂaÂlytÂic theÂoÂry deemed unworkÂable, irrelÂeÂvant, or even damÂagÂing. But there are very good reaÂsons why his work has thrived in litÂerÂary theÂoÂry and phiÂlosÂoÂphy. There is even a case to be made the Freud was the first evoÂluÂtionÂary psyÂcholÂoÂgist, roughÂly bringÂing DarÂwinÂian conÂcepts of adapÂtaÂtion to bear on the develÂopÂment of the human psyÂche from preÂhisÂtoÂry to moderÂniÂty.
For all the negÂaÂtive critÂiÂcism his work has endured, Freud dared to explain us to ourÂselves, drawÂing on every resource at his disposal—including our most founÂdaÂtionÂal narÂraÂtives in mytholÂoÂgy and ancient poetÂry. For that reaÂson, his relÂeÂvance, writes Jane CiaÂbatÂtari, as a “theÂoÂretÂiÂcal catÂaÂlyst” in the 21st cenÂtuÂry remains potent, and his work remains well worth readÂing and ponÂderÂing, for any stuÂdent of human behavÂior.
Today, on the 160th birthÂday of the father of psyÂchoÂanalyÂsis, we bring you a colÂlecÂtion of Freud’s major works availÂable free to read online or downÂload as ebooks in the links below. FurÂther down, find a list of Freud audioÂbooks to downÂload as mp3s or stream.
Whether rootÂed in clinÂiÂcal study and research, detecÂtive-like case studÂies, philoÂsophÂiÂcal specÂuÂlaÂtions, or poetÂic flights of fanÂcy, Freud’s writÂing draws us deepÂer into strange, obsesÂsive, proÂfound, and disÂturbÂing ways of thinkÂing about our uneasy relaÂtionÂships with ourÂselves, our famÂiÂlies, and our unstaÂble social order.
eBooks
A GenÂerÂal IntroÂducÂtion to PsyÂchoÂanalyÂsis
Charles BukowsÂki could realÂly write. Charles BukowsÂki could realÂly drink. These two facts, sureÂly the best-known ones about the “lowlife lauÂreÂate” of a poet and author of such novÂels as Post Office and Ham on Rye(as well as what we might call his lifestyle colÂumn, “Notes of a Dirty Old Man”), go togethÂer. DrinkÂing proÂvidÂed enough of the subÂject matÂter of his prose and verse — and, in life, enough of the fuel for the exisÂtence he observed on the page with such rough-edged evocaÂtive artistry — that we can hardÂly imagÂine Bukowski’s writÂing withÂout his drinkÂing, or his drinkÂing withÂout his writÂing.
We would natÂuÂralÂly expect him, then, to have writÂten an ode to beer, one of his drinks of choice. “Beer,” which appeared in Bukowski’s 1971 poetÂry colÂlecÂtion Love Is a Dog from Hell, pays tribÂute to the countÂless botÂtles the man drank “while waitÂing for things to get betÂter,” “after splits with women,” “waitÂing for the phone to ring,” “waitÂing for the sounds of footÂsteps.”
The female, he writes, knows not to conÂsume beer to excess in the male manÂner, as “she knows its bad for the figÂure.” But BukowsÂki, figÂure be damned, finds in this most workÂing-class of all drinks a kind of solace.
“Beer” comes to life in the aniÂmaÂtion above by NERDO. “The comÂpoÂsiÂtion is a manÂiÂfesto of the author’s way of life, this is why we decidÂed to go inside the author’s mind, and it is not a safe jourÂney,” say the accomÂpaÂnyÂing notes. “A brain solo withÂout filÂter, a tale of ordiÂnary madÂness, showÂing how much loneÂliÂness and decaÂdence can be hidÂden inside a genius mind.” This wild ride passÂes what we now recÂogÂnize as many visuÂal sigÂniÂfiers of the Bukowskian expeÂriÂence: neon signs, cigÂaÂrettes, decayÂing city blocks, tawdry Polaroids — and, of course, beer, litÂerÂalÂly “rivers and seas of beer,” which no less a felÂlow aniÂmatÂed enthuÂsiÂast of the bevÂerÂage than Homer SimpÂson once, just as eloÂquentÂly, proÂnounced “the cause of, and soluÂtion to, all of life’s probÂlems.”
On TwitÂter, Austin Kleon, author of Steal Like an Artist: 10 Things Nobody Told You About Being CreÂativehas served up 7 tips for achievÂing the seemÂingÂly impossible–getting more books read in this age of conÂstant disÂtracÂtion. The tips are simÂple and effective–effective enough to help Austin read 70+ books durÂing a year, a new perÂsonÂal record.
No doubt, you have your own strateÂgies for spendÂing more time with books (and not just watchÂing them pile up, unread, on your shelves. There’s a word for that in JapanÂese folks. It’s called “TsunÂdoku.”) If you care to share them, please put your best tips in the comÂments secÂtion below. We, and your felÂlow readÂers, thank you in advance.
LookÂing for free, proÂfesÂsionÂalÂly-read audio books from Audible.com? (SpeakÂing of an easy way to spend more time with books.) Here’s a great, no-strings-attached deal. If you start a 30 day free triÂal with Audible.com, you can downÂload two free audio books of your choice. Get more details on the offer here. Also note that Audibooks.com has a very simÂiÂlar offer that you can explore here.
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