tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5010170380967519230.post4452867088831286132..comments2024-02-23T13:47:30.790-08:00Comments on First Known When Lost: "Distracted From Distraction By Distraction"Stephen Pentzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14882220887712092005noreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5010170380967519230.post-68916320263009630132019-05-19T22:47:41.489-07:002019-05-19T22:47:41.489-07:00Savita: Thank you very much for your thoughts on ...Savita: Thank you very much for your thoughts on Eliot's phrase. I cannot say that I have ever settled firmly on the "meaning" of the line. (I suppose I am content to simply enjoy the beauty of its sound.) I have tended to think that the first use of "distraction" refers to one of the standard definitions: "extreme agitation of the mind or emotions." But I can see that your (and Steve's) interpretation ("the central questions of life") has merit. <br /><br /> In this connection, you may be interested in C. A. Bodelsen's thought on the phrase in his book T. S. Eliot's Four Quartets: A Commentary (Second Edition 1966). Of the phrase, he writes: "The two meanings of 'distraction' are here 'vacancy of spirit' and 'way of passing the time'." (Page 53.) "Vacancy of spirit" is an interesting phrase.<br /><br />Thank you again for sharing your thoughts, and for visiting.<br /><br />Stephen Pentzhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14882220887712092005noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5010170380967519230.post-42055015271236925982019-05-18T05:24:27.383-07:002019-05-18T05:24:27.383-07:00"Distracted from distraction by distraction.&..."Distracted from distraction by distraction." <br /><br />I've been intrigued by this phrase of Eliot's for a long time. So far I haven't found a good explanation, not for what we are distracted BY, because we undeniably live in a world chock-full of distractions, but what Eliot meant by his second 'distraction' the one we are distracted FROM...<br /><br />Is he implying that in the busy modern world there is a greater, higher distraction – one of god or the spiritual search, say – which requires our distraction, and it's THAT that we are distracted from...?<br /><br /><br />'Steve' has addressed this as 'the central questions of life' but he also doesn't specify that this is the fundamental thing we are distracted FROM... as if there are two kinds of distractions.<br /><br />In other words, we are distracted FROM the essential questions of life BY the superficial worldly glitter all around us.<br /><br />Do you have any view on this?<br /><br />(Having just written all this, I've re-read what Steve wrote and realize that he IS saying just that. Duh. So we all agree then...?)Savitanoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5010170380967519230.post-5511208243478499942012-01-26T16:57:55.199-08:002012-01-26T16:57:55.199-08:00Steve: thank you very much for visiting, and for y...Steve: thank you very much for visiting, and for your thoughts. I think that you have provided an excellent explanation of what Eliot was getting at. Thanks again.Stephen Pentzhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14882220887712092005noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5010170380967519230.post-74415076593588789012012-01-26T05:41:42.812-08:002012-01-26T05:41:42.812-08:00Upon hearing this phrase for the first time, my th...Upon hearing this phrase for the first time, my thinking was, "What are we being distracted, or kept, from? My only answer is that distractions allow us to postpone wrestling with the central questions of life. It can be very uncomfortable to step out of the collective trance. Every generation has its distractions, whether that involves simply staying alive or having available the time and resources to create bright lights and gadgetry.Stevenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5010170380967519230.post-16966844305610790492010-11-18T10:25:22.487-08:002010-11-18T10:25:22.487-08:00Thank you for visiting again, Mr. Riddle. And than...Thank you for visiting again, Mr. Riddle. And thank you for the reference to Dante -- it does fit well.Stephen Pentzhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14882220887712092005noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5010170380967519230.post-53008609674110713712010-11-17T08:41:57.691-08:002010-11-17T08:41:57.691-08:00Dear Stephen,
Reminiscent of Dante's great de...Dear Stephen,<br /><br />Reminiscent of Dante's great description of Lady Fate: <br /><br />"Her changes change her changes constantly. . ."<br /><br />shalom<br /><br />StevenStevenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15520240994034904255noreply@blogger.com