Milan Kundera

[puff_not_snuff]

I found this quote interesting from Milan Kundera considering it was made in 1980--as it seems to of become much more entrenched and prevalent since.

Speaking to Roth in 1980 in the New York Times, Kundera lamented that he felt “the novel has no place” in the world, saying “the totalitarian world, whether founded on Marx, Islam or anything else, is a world of answers rather than questions”.

“It seems to me that all over the world people nowadays prefer to judge rather than to understand, to answer rather than to ask,” he continued, “so that the voice of the novel can hardly be heard over the noisy foolishness of human certainties.”

Milan Kundera: The Unbearable Lightness of Being author dies aged 94

The Czech novelist found himself silenced by the communist regime at home, but achieved international fame with playfully philosophical fiction

www.theguardian.com

 

[proteus]

The older I get the more I am starting to realize there is more behind me than in front, more questions than answers.

 

[brooklynpiper]

Kundera is a favorite of mine. Late ‘21 I went through all of his books. Wonderful novelist

 

[macaroni]

I'm ignorant of Kundera but happily interested now.

On his observation and your remark, I am reminded of Martin Marty's (whom I love!), The Fundamentalism Project, a multi-volume set from 1987-1995. I observed the very thing he (and you mention) first hand over the last 30 years in various church congregations where I worked, and in the world at large through mainstream news. Spot on. Thanks for posting.

Plus, he (and you) got me thinking about closed mindsets (if you will LOL) and novelists' audiences and craft. Perhaps other artists and crafts-people have sensed the same shifts and may I say, "hardening," in their respective audiences?

I seem to recall something from one of the volumes noting a possible link between technological advances (i.e., during the 19th century) and similar shifts away from free-thinking. I'm sure I'm putting this awkwardly, so apologize for muddled expressions LOL!

kindly
mike

 

[makhorkasmoker]

I lost my taste for his novels, but I think his essays are fantastic

 

[UB 40]

I remember being slightly bored by Kundera most famous novel „The Unbearable Lightness of Being“ in the 1980s and put it away. But I loved the Philip Kaufman movie with Juliette Binoche.

 

[kcghost]

I just felt he was a guy who loved to pose interesting questions without saying anything relative to the answer, Kind of a poser, if you will.