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Thread: Alan Watts: "What do you desire? What makes you itch?"

  1. #1
    Format Omnivore Brian C. Miller's Avatar
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    Alan Watts: "What do you desire? What makes you itch?"



    If money were no object, what would you do? What would you really do?

    Alan Watts asked that in a lecture, illustrated a bit in this video.

    I really do know what I would do. I really would go and photograph. And print. And keep doing it.

    Why?

    I never cared about the equipment. Really, no. I got started because of moonlight. And my first "real" camera is my Pentax 6x7. 90mm leaf shutter lens, and so many photographs with just that. Again and again. Even when my back was out and I couldn't stand up, I photographed my bedroom door knob. I had to do it. I absolutely had to make a photograph.

    Breathing and photography. Quite similar for me.
    "It's the way to educate your eyes. Stare. Pry, listen, eavesdrop. Die knowing something. You are not here long." - Walker Evans

  2. #2
    Vaughn's Avatar
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    Re: Alan Watts: "What do you desire? What makes you itch?"

    Photograph, print and teach others to do so.. And that is what I am doing, along with raising three boys who will hopefully find their own path.

  3. #3
    Land-Scapegrace Heroique's Avatar
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    Re: Alan Watts: "What do you desire? What makes you itch?"

    I think Alan is waiting for someone to counter that it takes money for it to become no object.

    Then he can take us to the next level of understanding...

  4. #4
    (Shrek)
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    Re: Alan Watts: "What do you desire? What makes you itch?"

    Buy a freezer and lots of film? Maybe even a new lens. And one of those 4x4 RVS someone posted on another thread.

  5. #5

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    Re: Alan Watts: "What do you desire? What makes you itch?"

    Good stuff. I haven't heard Alan's voice in a long time. Funny, my wife and I never cared much about money, but we both liked the jobs we had to earn it. Our kids, whose age group Alan seems to be addressing, care a good deal about money. Is it a generational thing? Were they disappointed they didn't have more of the things money can buy growing up? Maybe they are just sick to death of groovy boomer attitudes. Kids today, oh my, what's the world coming to.

  6. #6

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    Re: Alan Watts: "What do you desire? What makes you itch?"

    Sounds like it was written by a guy who has a nice Trust Fund.
    Wilhelm (Sarasota)

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