Silence In the Age of Noise by Erling Kagge

2018-02-18

Introduction

Story about guy calling his pregnant wife from Everest to choose their child’s name before dying...hits you hard

Questions he seeks to answer:

  • What is silence?
  • *Where is it?
  • Why is it more impirtant than ever?

Chapter 1

“Good poetry reminds me of the great explorers. The right words are able to set my thoughts in motion” (10)

Chapter 4

The pleasure of simple mechanical work (29-30)

Chapter 9

“Sometimes it makes more sense to make life more difficult than necessary” (46)

Chapter 12

“Boredom can be described as a lack of purpose.” (62)

Chapter 15

Heidegger said we would give up our freedom for technology. We would shift from being free people to being resources for others....who is to be master? You or someone else?

Chapter 17

Thie chapter is a beautiful reflection on the night sky, especially: “The starry sky ‘is the truest friend in life, when you’ve first become acquainted; it is ever there, it gives ever peace, ever reminds you that your restlessness, your doubt, your pains are passiving trivialities. The universe is and will remain unshaken. Our opinions, our struggles, our sufferings see not so important and unique, when all is said and done.’” - Fridtjof Nansen (83-85)

Chapter 18

This chapter is about Musk and first principles, with Mark Juncosa on 88-89

Chapter 19

Discussion of ethics and the limits of science (93)

Chapter 22

poetry

Chapter 29

Silence in relationships: “Chatter and other noises can easily become defense mechanisms is a to help avoid the truth.” (120)

Chapter 30

Arthur Aron's 36 questions to fall in love, and staring with your partner

Chapter 31

“I’ve started to understand why I was so fascinated as a small boy by the snail who carries his house on his back. We can also carry our houses - everything that we have - within us.” (125)

-—> this reminds me of "The Major Debate" (why should your discipline be used to rebuild the world?) I went to at Notre Dame on 11/8/11. The PLS professor Robert Goulding responded: "Fill your life with those things you can carry with you from a shipwreck."

Chapter 32

Seek wilderness: You have to find your own South Pole


Topic: Silence

Source:

  • Borrowed from Cory