Support my work and get ad-free full episodes on Patreon: https://patreon.com/c/hemlockpatreon Earlier episodes (#1-27) up now, ad-free on History of Philosophy Audio Archive / Spotify. Music Credit (Cover of 99 Luftballons by NENA, performed by /millibeep) https://youtu.be/gTss-rBgUl8 What the song means ( Genius ): [Verse 1]If you have some time for me Then I will sing a song for you Of ninety-nine balloons On their way to the horizon Are you perhaps thinking of me right now? Then I will sing a song for you Of ninety-nine balloons And something that came of them [Verse 2] Ninety-nine balloons On their way to the horizon Were taken for UFOs from space Hence, a general sent A squadron after them To give the alarm But there, on the horizon Were just ninety-nine balloons [Verse 3] Ninety-nine jet fighters Each was a great warrior Regarded themselves as Captain Kirk There was a great display of fireworks The neighbors didn't understand And instantly felt offended But they shot at the horizon At ninety-nine balloons [Verse 4] Ninety-nine ministers of war Matches and petrol canisters Regarded themselves as clever people Already on the scent of a hunt They shouted, "War," and wanted power Man, who would have thought? That someday it would come this far Because of ninety-nine balloons [Verse 5]Ninety-nine years of war Left no place for winners War ministers don't exist anymore Neither do the fighter jets Today, I stroll around See the world in ruins I've found a balloon I think of you and let it fly --//-- Sources: Archaic Torso of Apollo Source: Wikipedia: Archaic Torso of Apollo Summary: This poem by Rainer Maria Rilke explores an ancient, fragmented statue of the Greek god Apollo, contemplating its powerful and enduring presence despite its missing parts. The poem ultimately concludes with the famous line, "You must change your life" JFK and the Unspeakable Source: Goodreads: JFK and the Unspeakable Summary: James W. Douglass's book argues that President John F. Kennedy's assassination was the result of his conversion from a Cold Warrior to a peacemaker. It posits that Kennedy was killed by his own security apparatus for pursuing peace with the Soviet Union and Cuba. Merton Lectures on Rilke Source: Goodreads: Thomas Merton on the Poetry and Letters of Rainer Maria Rilke Summary: This is a collection of remastered talks by Thomas Merton, a Trappist monk and renowned poet, who deeply admired Rainer Maria Rilke. In these lectures, Merton explores Rilke's poetry and letters, demonstrating how Rilke's work informed his own Catholic spirituality. Letters to a Young Poet by Rilke Source: Goodreads: Letters to a Young Poet Summary: This is a collection of ten letters written by poet Rainer Maria Rilke to a young officer cadet, Franz Xaver Kappus. Rilke advises the young man not on his poetry itself, but on how to live an authentic and artistic life by looking inward for truth. Robert Bly Commentary of Rilke Source: Scribd: Rilke and Bly Summary: Robert Bly, an American poet and translator, is known for his influential translations and commentary on Rilke's poetry. The Sonnets to Orpheus by Rilke Source: Goodreads: The Sonnets to Orpheus Summary: "Sonnets to Orpheus" is a collection of poems by Rainer Maria Rilke, written as a tribute to a young woman who died from illness. The poems explore themes of art, life, and death through the mythological figure of Orpheus, the legendary musician who could charm all of nature with his song. Doomsday Clock Source: Britannica: Doomsday Clock Summary: A symbol maintained by the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists to represent how close humanity is to a human-made global catastrophe. The clock is a metaphor, with "midnight" representing the end of the world, and the time is assessed annually based on threats like nuclear weapons and climate change.
