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shaderblaite 's review for:
The Dharma Bums
by Jack Kerouac
'though the flesh be bugged, the circumstances of existence are pretty glorious'
How can I put it? I love the writing, but dislike some actions and thoughts of the characters. Kerouac's prose is brimming with unparalleled wanderlust, even more so than in On the Road.
However, it was more evident here, the delegation of females as domestic and sexual dolls, also fueled by the characters' version of Buddhism. There's one exception, but if you have read it, you know that the female character I'm talking about did not exactly have the best treatment, regardless. She was more like Cassandra in Greek Myth.
At some point, I felt so angry and disgusted. I felt as if they were not the 'Buddhas' or 'Bodhisattvas' they claimed they were, just some egocentric boys in the bodies of grown men, escaping accountability, and thinking their words were gospel. Multiple parts felt like a more subdued Dionysian cult masked as Buddhist practice.
So many nuances, though, and loopholes too.
'Comparisons are odious' is one of my favorite statements they made. It was spoken more often by Japhy whenever Ray made a comparison. It's also one of the most compassionate and contradictory lines for me. How can we know what kind of life to build if we didn't compare forms of living, regardless of conscious awareness? How could they have known Zen was the way if they did not contrast it to other practices and beliefs? Exactly, they can't, I can't, so it sometimes feels repulsive when it comes in strong. What about a healthy comparison?
About suffering...
I think suffering is a necessity, though, and while the mind may be bent against the strong feeling it brings, maybe some forms of it are worth it. 'The only way out is through,' as the saying goes, one way or another. To suffer for someone, with someone, isn't that more glorious than just caving in to ourselves and solely cultivating our 'inner peace'? For a modern example, I wonder if the real Bodhisattvas of the world are those who could've sat back in their easy chairs but instead are fighting for Gaza, documenting the realities of the population, rather than the ones exemplified here.
Comparisons can be pretty odious, don't they?
About the material world though, I am more aligned with Process-Relational Philosophy and think the material is extremely important and that belief in reincarnation can have dangerous consequences.
So, as a woman, and in terms of personal values/philosophical stances, I don't agree with multiple scenes in this book. As a reader and writer, it's one of the most immersive prose I've ever read.
Will I recommend it? Still, 100%
How can I put it? I love the writing, but dislike some actions and thoughts of the characters. Kerouac's prose is brimming with unparalleled wanderlust, even more so than in On the Road.
However, it was more evident here, the delegation of females as domestic and sexual dolls, also fueled by the characters' version of Buddhism. There's one exception, but if you have read it, you know that the female character I'm talking about did not exactly have the best treatment, regardless. She was more like Cassandra in Greek Myth.
At some point, I felt so angry and disgusted. I felt as if they were not the 'Buddhas' or 'Bodhisattvas' they claimed they were, just some egocentric boys in the bodies of grown men, escaping accountability, and thinking their words were gospel. Multiple parts felt like a more subdued Dionysian cult masked as Buddhist practice.
So many nuances, though, and loopholes too.
'Comparisons are odious' is one of my favorite statements they made. It was spoken more often by Japhy whenever Ray made a comparison. It's also one of the most compassionate and contradictory lines for me. How can we know what kind of life to build if we didn't compare forms of living, regardless of conscious awareness? How could they have known Zen was the way if they did not contrast it to other practices and beliefs? Exactly, they can't, I can't, so it sometimes feels repulsive when it comes in strong. What about a healthy comparison?
About suffering...
I think suffering is a necessity, though, and while the mind may be bent against the strong feeling it brings, maybe some forms of it are worth it. 'The only way out is through,' as the saying goes, one way or another. To suffer for someone, with someone, isn't that more glorious than just caving in to ourselves and solely cultivating our 'inner peace'? For a modern example, I wonder if the real Bodhisattvas of the world are those who could've sat back in their easy chairs but instead are fighting for Gaza, documenting the realities of the population, rather than the ones exemplified here.
Comparisons can be pretty odious, don't they?
About the material world though, I am more aligned with Process-Relational Philosophy and think the material is extremely important and that belief in reincarnation can have dangerous consequences.
So, as a woman, and in terms of personal values/philosophical stances, I don't agree with multiple scenes in this book. As a reader and writer, it's one of the most immersive prose I've ever read.
Will I recommend it? Still, 100%