Very Bad Wizards Episode 275: The Ineffable Center (Borges' "The Aleph")
8 snips
Dec 26, 2023 The hosts discuss their favorite things seen this year and delve into the philosophy, comedy, satire, and poignancy of Jorge Luis Borges' "The Aleph". They also recommend movies and TV shows, talk about making informed charitable donations, explore the limitations of language, discuss therapy during the holiday season, and analyze Borges' symbolic reflections.
AI Snips
Chapters
Transcript
Episode notes
Borges' Mourning and Memory
- Borges writes about unrequited love for Beatrice Viterbo and yearly visits to her house.
- This personal loss sets a melancholic tone linked to memory and time fading away.
Poet's Art Is Justification
- Borges judges poetry on inventing reasons to praise it more than the poetry itself.
- This highlights literary pretension and self-aware satire in the story's style.
The Ineffable Aleph Challenge
- The Aleph represents a point where all places of the world coexist and are seen simultaneously.
- Language fails to describe such ineffable, simultaneous experience, showing limits of expression.