FRANCIS BERGER - Francis Berger - Berger's Blog

Jordan Peterson - The Smoke Cloud After the Fireworks Show Has Ended

17/10/2018

I admit it. I had high hopes for Jordan Peterson. I went out of my way to laud him many times on this blog, but I must confess that my admiration for the man has waned considerably in the past two or three months.

I won't go into the reasons why at the moment; all I will say is this - for me, Jordan Peterson has become nothing more than the faint cloud of smoke one sees dissipating into the air immediately after the fireworks display has ended.

Hungary Will Survive

19/9/2018

For days I have been mulling over the EU's recent decision to trigger Article 7 proceedings against Hungary, the country I now call my home. I have been entertaining notions of writing some blog responses about the matter, but I have decided against this for now. Perhaps I will address it all in the coming days and weeks.

The EU's decision did not surprise me. It is all part of an extremely old war that Hungary has been embroiled in for the better part of a century. Article 7 is merely the most recent battle. Rather than wade into all right now, I will leave you instead with small, but uplifting excerpt from my novel The City of Earthly Desire that confirms my heartfelt conviction that Hungary shall prevail against the EU regardless of what the eurocrats do.

Enjoy.

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Taken from the final chapter of The City of Earthly Desire -

“Boy, this white stag is like a movie star around here!” Béla said sarcastically. “Well it doesn’t matter. A herd of white stags couldn’t help this country. Hungary is a trap. It’s cursed. What a place! Always overrun and conquered by some outside force or other, and when it wasn’t, the people turned against each other. There’s no hope for anyone here. There never was – there never will be. It probably would have been better for the world if Hungary had been completely wiped from the map at some point.”

“But it wasn’t,” Brigitta said coldly. “And it never will be. It’s true - we have a tragic history, a history of defeat. Unlike you, I believe this gives us strength. The Tatars killed nearly everyone, but Béla IV rebuilt the ravaged country. Hungary remains, but where are the Tatars now? The same could be said of the Ottomans, the Nazis, the Soviets – they all conquered us, defeated us, but in the end, we have survived them all. Where are the Ottoman, Nazi, and Soviet empires now? They are all gone, but Hungary remains. Hungary survives because it understands the nature of defeat; it understands that, when all is said and done, we are all defeated. But Hungary never lost itself in defeat. The Hungarian spirit survived regardless of who lorded over the land. That is the only victory that counts. That’s how I approach life. When I was younger, the communists defeated me, but they never managed to completely conquer me. I maintained my integrity and survived them. I will do the same against the forces that have invaded Hungary now. They may defeat me, but they will never conquer me. One day they will dissolve, and I will remain, my head held high.”

Rest Assured, I Am Still Alive and Well

6/7/2018

Due to my lack of activity over the past few months, some have likely assumed that I have abandoned this site, blog, and writing. Rest assured, I have not. Truth is, I have been busy with other things, but I have vowed to become more active again in the near future after my vacation time starts. In the meantime, I will provide more proof that I am still alive and well. Here's a recent and rather silly photo of me hanging out with some friends and enjoying the warm weather near Sopron, Hungary.

Change of Focus - Not Interested in Platform Building Anymore

14/5/2018

From here on, I will treat this blog more like a journal and abandon any ulterior motives about platform building and other such rubbish I may have entertained in the past.

Intellectual Dark Web, My Ass

14/5/2018

These Dark Web guys, Jordan Peterson included, are apparently mainstream now.

A Distinctive Wine Region - A Longer Translation

26/3/2018

It was a pleasure and honor to translate the second edition of Ferenc Horvath's Különc Borvidék (A Distinctive Wine Region), which covers the history of Sopron's wine culture. Unfortunately, the printers omitted the article "A" on the cover, but the rest of the translation turned out quite well, in my humble opinion.

The book will be in Hungarian bookstores soon.

A Small Translation I Completed Has Been Published Here in Hungary

26/3/2018

My University of Sopron colleague, Ákos Vörös, edited this book on the National Memorial Cemetery and was kind enough to ask me translate the introduction for him. Natually I was honored. Thanks, Ákos.

Link for the book here.

A Decent Introduction to Nietzsche

16/3/2018

I watched this a week ago and found it to be a decent introduction to Nietzsche's life and work. The program does not plumb any great depths, but for a BBC television program, it is not bad at all. Those who have never read Nietzsche, but would like to, might find it particularly helpful.

A Few Thoughts About Gratitude: The Dark Side of Gratitude

24/2/2018

Most people generally regard gratitude as a positive virtue and in most cases it is; nevertheless, not all examples of gratitude are virtuous. As with other virtues, gratitude has a dark side that is rarely considered. I have written about negative forms of gratitude in my novel and short stories and have included a short list of some kinds of negative gratitude I have explored in my writing.

Gratitude for evil deeds or actions of others.

This one is quite obvious. Showing or feeling appreciation for the evil deeds and actions of others is not virtuous in any way, shape, or form. If anything, it is little more than indulging in a form vicarious revenge or sadism. Regardless of whether you choose to acknowledge it or not, this form of gratitude makes you an accomplice in the evil deed.

Gratitude for the misfortune of others.

The German word Schadenfreude (harm/joy) perfectly captures the essence of this kind of negative gratitude. Experiencing satisfaction at the misfortune, ill-luck, failure, or humiliation of another is nothing more than malice. Though this kind of gratitude may bring pleasure, it is hardly a respectable form of gratitude.

Gratitude for the possibility of shirking ones duties and responsibilities.

Everyone appreciates a snow day now and then, but feeling grateful for being given the opportunity to shirk your duties and responsibilities when the possibility of fulfilling those duties and responsibilities is viable is false gratitude. It reeks of irresponsibility and immaturity.

Gratitude for getting away with lies and evil acts.

A common example of this is the unfaithful husband who is grateful that his wife knows nothing of his illicit affairs. Another is the relief one feels when one is able to float a lie past someone else. Regardless, the gratitude one feels is often short-lived, for lies often have a way of resurfacing later until they are ultimately revealed.

Gratitude as an excuse for accepting something suboptimal when a more optimal option can be attained.

Being grateful for little things is virtuous, but there is nothing virtuous about sacrificing one’s potential for the contentment of little things. Of course, there is nothing wrong with contentment, but gratitude that is content with small things breeds a false sense of satisfaction that could prove limiting and harmful in the long-term. This kind of gratitude inspires passivity and acceptance. It is the gratitude of the coward and the slave – there is no dignity or nobility in it.

There are a few others, but these shall suffice for now. On the whole, gratitude is a virtue, but not all forms of gratitude are virtuous. Negative gratitude is an interesting subject to include in novels and stories, but one should be aware of them in life as well.

A Few Thoughts About Gratitude: A Candle in the Darkness

23/2/2018

Over the past five or six years, I have spent quite a bit of time thinking about gratitude, its various aspects, and the role it might play in the pursuit of a fulfilling life. I plan to record some of these observations in a series of blogposts over the next week or so. Some observations or insights may even be original.

A Few Thoughts on Gratitude: Candlelight in the darkness

When I wake up in the morning, I remind myself to be grateful. I draw a deep breath and appreciate the opportunity of having been given another day. I savour this feeling for a moment or two before contemplating the sombre idea that the day ahead could also mark the day my existence in this world ends because, whether I accept it or not, I know that day is out there waiting for me. Rather than instilling terror or depression, this realization deepens my sense of gratitude. If the day ahead does hold my demise, I am comforted by the notion that my life on this Earth has been and continues to be filled with immense blessings. Verily, my life, like all lives, has had its share of misfortunes, failures, blunders, tragedies, pain, and suffering, but it has also had its share of good fortune, success, victories, joy, and vitality. As strange as it sounds, I am thankful for both the positive and the negative, for they have both taught me much.

Though my sense of gratitude is usually bright, there have been calamities or episodes of ill health that have reduced it to a mere, dull flickering. When faced with challenging times when it seemed I had nothing for which to be grateful, I have always made a point of maintaining and nurturing my gratitude as if it were the soft glow of a candle flame. Like a small flame from a candle, I have come to recognize that even a minute amount of gratitude has the uncanny power push back against darkness and puncture the oppression of night’s formless boundaries.

Also like a candle flame, I am aware that gratitude can become vulnerable and exposed when confronted by dark challenges. A careless breath, the slightest air movement, a small drop of water can all quickly snuff out a candle flame. Similarly, a careless thought, the slightest loss of perspective, a small drop of despair can extinguish the flame of gratitude. If I allow the flame to go out, I know the amorphous, chaotic darkness will be quick to invade and reclaim the space the flame once occupied. If I do not relight the candle, the darkness will remain; I know that if I remain in the darkness for too long, it will consume me.

Therefore, I have come to the realization that it is crucial to keep the candle of gratitude lit during challenging times. Whenever I am confronted by hardship, I carefully cup and guard the flame with my hand as I make my way in the darkness. Though the light gratitude casts may appear weak and insignificant, the illumination is often enough to help me safely navigate through the darkness until sunrise. In this sense, gratitude is akin to hope. During times when it seemed sunrise would never come, that little fleck of light provided enough illumination to ward off the tempting nihilism and meaninglessness that lay hidden in the darkness. Thus, even in moments when I was sure despair would overcome me, I used the dim glow of the candlelight to discover or create something for which I could be grateful.

When I go to bed at night, the last feeling I experience before I close my eyes is gratitude – even if the day had not been a good one, I cannot help but appreciate the opportunity of having experienced it. I keep the candle burning all night and when morning comes, I quickly light a fresh one when I remind myself to be grateful after I open my eyes.