Cynthia Haven, a Stanford visiting scholar and biographer of literary giants like René Girard, Czeslaw Milosz, and Joseph Brodsky, shares profound insights from her mentors. She discusses the significance of exile in shaping their works and the complexities of their identities. The conversation dives into Girard’s theories on mimesis, the relevance of Milosz in today's academic landscape, and Brodsky's views on cultural identity. Cynthia also reflects on her transition from reporting to philosophy, offering personal anecdotes amid critiques of social media and conformity.
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insights INSIGHT
Exile's Allure
Cynthia Haven's interest in Girard, Brodsky, and Milosz isn't solely due to their shared exile experience.
Their individual thoughts and how they expressed them intrigued her.
question_answer ANECDOTE
Milosz on Berkeley
Czesław Miłosz reacted to Berkeley protestors with a mix of amusement and disdain.
He saw their complaints as stemming from privilege.
insights INSIGHT
Girard's Outsider Status
Cynthia Haven believes a biography of René Girard wasn't written by academics due to conformism.
Girard was seen as an outsider, making it risky for academics to associate with him.
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David Buss's "The Evolution of Desire" explores the evolutionary basis of human mating strategies and preferences. Buss integrates evolutionary theory with empirical research to explain patterns of attraction, mate selection, and relationship dynamics. He examines the differences between men and women's mating strategies, considering factors such as sexual selection and parental investment. The book challenges traditional views on relationships and offers a compelling perspective on the biological underpinnings of human behavior. It's a significant contribution to the field of evolutionary psychology.
The captive mind
Czesław Miłosz
Written after his defection from Stalinist Poland in 1951, 'The Captive Mind' is a philosophical and political essay that explores the allure of Stalinism to intellectuals and the mechanisms of totalitarian control. Miłosz uses metaphorical portraits of four Polish writers (Alpha, Beta, Gamma, and Delta) to illustrate the universal human phenomena and attitudes towards totalitarianism. The book critiques the philosophical systems of Marxism and Hegelian historical determinism, highlighting the internal longing for harmony and happiness that can lead individuals to submit to such regimes. It also discusses the personal and psychological costs of living under totalitarian rule, including the transformation of 'free minds' into instruments of the state[1][2][4].
As a little girl, Cynthia Haven loved reading classic works of literature. At sixteen, she began her career as a reporter. And years later, those two interests converged as they led her to interview and write books about three writers and thinkers whom she also came to call mentors: René Girard, Czeslaw Milosz, and Joseph Brodsky.
Cynthia joined Tyler to discuss what she’s gleaned from each of the three, including what traits they have in common, why her biography of Girard had to come from outside academia, Milosz’s reaction to the Berkley Free Speech Movement, Girard’s greatest talent—and flaw—as a thinker, whether Brodsky will fall down the memory hole, why he was so terrible on Ukraine, why Cynthia’s early career was much like The Devil Wears Prada, the failings of Twitter, and more.
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