Beginning with books…it was a powerful few weeks. Primo Levi’s The Drowned and the Saved topped my list as it chronicled experiences in the Auschwitz Concentration Camp and the subsequent psychology of World War Two survivors. Also significant, and saturated with humor, is Eddie Huang’s Fresh off the Boat. It’s a tongue in cheek memoir of his early … More Get Lit with Kit – Best of September 2018
“Why do you not commit suicide?” – Viktor Frankl How can one escape the depths of despair and not rejoice? In exploring the horrors of Auschwitz in his book The Drowned and the Saved, Primo Levi ruminates, “I might be alive in the place of another, at the expense of another; I might have usurped, … More Release Me: How Past Pain Subdues Man
“Chinese people don’t believe in psychologists. We just drink more tea when things go bad.” – Eddie Huang Eddie Huang has created a modern masterpiece with his memoir Fresh off the Boat (also a TV show!). The deviant cum lawyer cum chef cum TV producer epitomizes the quintessence of Asian wisdom as he chronicles the … More Chasing the Dragon (and dinner)
I’ve been hearing about the benefits of transcendental meditation for years. This month I finally read Jack Forem’s book on the subject. I fully intend to explore further. Will keep you posted. (Along similar lines, this article on focus and attention can help you find the sweet spot and get things done in flow. It’s long, presumably to … More Get Lit with Kit – best of July 2018
“Are you aware that you are conditioned?” – J. Krishnamurti There is no limit to the depths of man’s despair. And yet, how much of this pain is self inflicted? In his seminal work, The Brothers Karamazov, Fyodor Dostoyevsky parses out perception from reality, desire from need. In almost prophetic terms (the work was completed … More Masters of the Universe: Dostoyevsky and Man’s Sense of Self Determination
אם אין אני לי, מי לי? וכשאני לעצמי, מה אני? ואם לא עכשיו, אימתי? – הלל If I do not stand for myself, then who will stand for me? And when I serve only myself, what have I become? And if not now, when? – Rabbi Hillel I am in the midst of reading Howard … More Not All Lives Matter: Maintaining integrity in a world of infamy
Here’s something short and sweet. I’ve been reading oodles of non-fiction recently, but sometimes, it’s more fun to listen. Check out Hardcore History by Dan Carlin. If you’ve never listened to history before, strongly recommend Prophets of Doom as your initiation. Let me know if you like it. K-OS’s Joyful Rebellion was a staple in the early 2000’s. Check out … More Get Lit with Kit #19
“Life and death are in the hands of the tongue.” – Proverbs 18:21 Judaism stresses the dangers and destructive nature of Lashon HaRa (evil speech). It is an egregious infraction that, when committed, has the potential to reap irreparable harm. Indeed, once a person has been defamed, it is nearly impossible for him to reclaim … More Pretty Little Liars
It seems like our world is tearing at the seams. The regression of ideas and behavior, after years of effort and sacrifice, is discouraging. We are losing our ability to connect with others and with ourselves. Yet, “we can’t change a situation if we haven’t taken responsibility for our share of it.” (I lament that … More Histories
Caught between two worlds, the children of refugees seek to reconcile the old and the new. They live in a dichotomy where deep-rooted culture clashes with progressive dynamism. At home are the vestiges of a life left behind; in the streets, novel experiences. I recently met Ify, the daughter of Nigerian refugees (her art is … More The Lost Children
Find the balance. 