Book: 20260907 to 20261008, "Zorba The Greek" by NIKOS KAZANTZAKIS

 

20260907 - Section 1..........1

20260908 - Section 2..........17

Free yourself from one passion to be dominated by another and nobler one. But is not that, too, a form of slavery?
It is another form of slavery. No form is real, and all will go collapse. That's decided by entropy.
However, life is about strive. There is no correct form. Anything that cause further order is good.

20260908 - Section 3..........33

"My son, I carry on as if I should never die."
I replied: "And I carry on as if I was going to die any minute."
"Which one of us was right, boss?" p38

They both think that the past and the future don't exist. Only the moment is real.

20260908 - Section 4..........47

20260912 - Section 5..........61

"Let people be, boss; don't open their eyes."
"Unless when they open their eyes you can show them a better world than the darkness in which they're gallivanting at present...Can you?" p67

First, normally we cannot "open eyes" in a few second, it takes time.
Second, people will see a better world only if people are in severe imaginary pain.
Third, it's better to let people be if we are not sure the chain reaction leads to good ending.

20260912 - Section 6..........71

"That's what we came here for: to carry ideas into effect."
"The coal was a pretext, just to stop the locals being too inquisitive, so that they took us for sober contractors and didn't greet us by slinging tomatoes at us." p76
Should we all treat our jobs like this?

20260917 - Section 7..........87

20260917 - Section 8..........97

20260917 - Section 9..........113

20260917 - Section 10..........122

20260917 - Section 11..........133

20260917 - Section 12..........145

Zorba is the one who live at the present, a zen master without enough financial freedom.
"I" am a Buddhist in modern society, with a lot of books.

20260920 - Section 13..........156

20260920 - Section 14..........169

Life was hard 100 years ago.
Sexual activity was not big deal for widows, but marriage was very important to women.

20260920 - Section 15..........180

20260920 - Section 16..........190

What miracle can mind concentration brings to us?
Almost no one can do that, but it surely gives us completely different experience.

20260925 - Section 17..........202

20260926 - Section 18..........214

"That two and two make four!" said Zorba gravely. p221
This theory doesn't really make sense. Pattern is useful. Raw data is not enough.

20260926 - Section 19..........227

Someone is murdered by gun shot, but no one care.
That's the reality. We'd better accept it.

20260926 - Section 20..........238

20260926 - Section 21..........249

20260926 - Section 22..........261

Nice village also have ugly side. People were blinded by culture.

20261008 - Section 23..........273

20261008 - Section 24..........288

20261008 - Section 25..........303

20261008 - Section 26..........321

"And from that hour, until the end of his days, he never put another cigarette between his lips."
"That's the way real men behave, boss. Good night!" p326
This is the one who is not controlled by his/her subconsciousness and identity.

The book is about philosophy but disguised as a fiction book.
Just like "Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance".

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