Does anyone else feel like Kafka?

[sserafim]

Kafka is my spirit animal.

"I cannot make anyone understand what is happening inside me. I cannot even explain it to myself."

 

[leloyon]

I remember thinking that Metamorphosis was a good way of depicting the life of a mentally ill person, whether that was Kafka's intention or not. His family is first sympathetic to him, cries for him, but then he's just a burden that people either treat with fear, hostility or morbid curiousity, until eventually he gives up and dies. He tries to communicate with them, but no matter how hard he tries he can't get through to them, the barrier between him and them is too strong.

 

[Dr Iron Arc]

Yes I often feel this way when I'm trying to explain just how evil and cruel I am and due to my own irrational humanity I inadvertently end up downplaying it whenever I describe myself. If I were less lazy it would be easier to just show people but nobody wants that. Maybe they wouldn't hear it even if I could articulate properly though.

 

[sserafim]

I remember thinking that Metamorphosis was a good way of depicting the life of a mentally ill person, whether that was Kafka's intention or not. His family is first sympathetic to him, cries for him, but then he's just a burden that people either treat with fear, hostility or morbid curiousity, until eventually he gives up and dies. He tries to communicate with them, but no matter how hard he tries he can't get through to them, the barrier between him and them is too strong.

I feel like Gregor Samsa

Yes I often feel this way when I'm trying to explain just how evil and cruel I am and due to my own irrational humanity I inadvertently end up downplaying it whenever I describe myself. If I were less lazy it would be easier to just show people but nobody wants that. Maybe they wouldn't hear it even if I could articulate properly though.

Why do you think that you're evil and cruel?

 

[CouldaHvBeenARock]

Franz Kafka — 'I am not well; I could have built the Pyramids with the effort it takes me to cling on to life and reason.'

 

[deadinsidex2]

I always thought Kafka was a genius at relating a part of the human experience that's why wht's kafkaesque is a genre nd a thing of it's own that describes deep difficult human feelings, as he himself was a product of an emotionally abusive childhood which gave him a depth that allows for many to relate to his work

 

[ultrasharpy123456]

For me it's more like this:

"I can't explain to you what's happening inside and outside of me because it's too simple to understand so you wouldn't get it, however at the same time you'd become angry with me (and I can't even say that because apparently I'm assuming things about you) so explaining to you is pointless and I can't tell you what's going on with me because sometimes even I don't know and it's hard to explain in a sentence not to mention I'm not sure how to articulate it, partly out of fear."

 

[Ulrich]

"A first sign of the beginning of understanding is the wish to die." - Franz Kafka.

 

[Dr Iron Arc]

Why do you think that you're evil and cruel?

I don't care at all how my suicide would affect any of my friends and family. I only care about the opinion of one person in the entire universe and she seems to have realized my innate cruelty too because she's ignoring me. I'm selfish enough that if I'm allowed to continue to live I'll keep consuming, polluting, and making people uncomfortable by having me attracted to them. That's only some of it. Like I said, I'm not actually very good at making my case it seems. Worst of all is I'm aware of this and still choose to do nothing about it.

 

[sserafim]

"A first sign of the beginning of understanding is the wish to die." - Franz Kafka.

So true

 

[Agon321]

I prefer Emil Cioran, for example. His quotes appeal to me more because, parafoxically, they make me smile.

 

[sserafim]

I prefer Emil Cioran, for example. His quotes appeal to me more because, parafoxically, they make me smile.

I've heard about him as well. I like the quote "If we could see ourselves as others see us, we would vanish on the spot." What are your favorites?

 

[Agon321]

I've heard about him as well. I like the quote "If we could see ourselves as others see us, we would vanish on the spot." What are your favorites?

I can't answer this question. I don't have a favorite or one that defines me. Well, for example, I like this one: "Without the idea of suicide I would surely have killed myself."

 

[sserafim]

I can't answer this question. I don't have a favorite or one that defines me. Well, for example, I like this one: "Without the idea of suicide I would surely have killed myself."

I don't really understand what this means. Is it because he knew that he had an escape and way out that he kept on living? Or maybe he kept on living out of spite?

 

[LaVieEnRose]

My life is essentially the plot of The Trial:

"One of his best-known works, it tells the story of Josef K., a man arrested and prosecuted by a remote, inaccessible authority, with the nature of his crime revealed neither to him nor to the reader."

 

[Agon321]

I don't really understand what this means. Is it because he knew that he had an escape and way out that he kept on living? Or maybe he kept on living out of spite?

I understand this to mean that the awareness that he can commit suicide at any time allows him, paradoxically, to continue living. Without this awareness that he could "get out", it would be much more difficult for him to live. It would fit his entire work. Of course, you should remember that quotes can be ambiguous and everyone can interpret the words in their own way.

 

[sserafim]

I understand this to mean that the awareness that he can commit suicide at any time allows him, paradoxically, to continue living. Without this awareness that he could "get out", it would be much more difficult for him to live. It would fit his entire work. Of course, you should remember that quotes can be ambiguous and everyone can interpret the words in their own way.

Oh okay, I understand now. He lived out his best life and made the most of it because he knew that he could die and choose to end it anytime

 

[Agon321]

Oh okay, I understand now. He lived out his best life and made the most of it because he knew that he could die and choose to end it anytime

Yes. However, I wouldn't exaggerate with "He lived out his best life". I am not an expert on his work, but it can be said that he was not a cheerful person. Rather tired, bored and depressed

 

[Meteora]

I can relate to that first sentence. Only two days ago I learned that Kafka was an autist, apparently.

 

[Dayrain]

Btw it's his 100th death anniversary very soon. Did you create this thread because of that too @sserafim ?

 

[sserafim]

Btw it's his 100th death anniversary very soon. Did you create this thread because of that too @sserafim ?

No I didn't know that lol. Thanks for lmk though

 

[Malaria]

Gregor Samsa is literally me

 

[sserafim]

Gregor Samsa is literally me

Same

 

[Dayrain]

@Malaria @sserafim I recommend "The Castle" to you. Reads like it takes place in some kind of eternal nothingness, which is very likeable.

 

[leloyon]

I often have the same "deer-in-headlights" stare as him.

I can relate to that first sentence. Only two days ago I learned that Kafka was an autist, apparently.

Never heard about that, to me he just seemed like he had depression and anxiety (both the clinical kind, not the kind that everyone nowadays claims to have due to feeling normal emotions). People like to claim that famous people are all autistic.

 

[Meteora]

Never heard about that, to me he just seemed like he had depression and anxiety (both the clinical kind, not the kind that everyone nowadays claims to have due to feeling normal emotions). People like to claim that famous people are all autistic.

I love his quote and the pictures....
I agree, people are quick to put humans into boxes. It's just that I m in a Asergers partner support group and a member there introduced us to a book about autists in history. I think it is only availabe in the original language, though. The autor seems smart though so I don't think he'd publish something he didn't research well.