Wonderment, God's Derision and the Death of Tragedy: A Triple Revery Induced by Thomas Adams and a Lack of Sleep

Revery First ~ "Wonderment," by which I mean a sort of abundant appreciation for life or knowledge thereof or lack of knowledge thereof or better yet being, is the intellectual equivalent of kindness & love. Most kids have it, most adults do not. It is the boy cradling a frog in the palm of his hand. It is the voice that says Beauty is truth, truth beauty. It is Terence Malick. À la marveille indeed. Philosophy begins in. It does not scrutinize, but embraces. Finnegans Wake doesn't "end" w/ yes, but with the far more wondrous and expectant the

Wherefore art thou so serious?

Revery Second ~ Why is hilarity so close to despair? Why do clowns terrify so many people (besides the obvious reasons)? Why does God hide his laughter more than any other attribute? -- Quod Deus loquitur ridens, tu lege lacrymans. -- Are clowns terrific because they ask us, Is it only from our present skewed perspective that anyandall laughter or smile from a God would appear mocking, or will God's face be revealed at theendofallthings as a gigantic clownface of cruel derision? (This revery is only 1/3 halfserious.)

Revery Third ~ Heaven, aesthetically speaking, is a state in which tragedy will seem as unreal and slight as most stories of genuine happiness do today. Tragedy will be boring. There is no greater bliss.

Psychoanalysts, enjoy.