The Fourth Man:
In Lieu of Rosebud, Part III
Carlos Castañeda, who led
El Nuevo Herald, dies at 70
Carlos Castañeda, the publisher emeritus of El Nuevo Herald whose passionate belief in a free press helped guide several newspapers across Latin America, died Thursday morning in Lisbon, Portugal. He was 70.
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From a site titled
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The Active Side of Infinityby Carlos CastañedaCarlos’ last book before his untimely death. In his desperate search for meaning, Carlos recapitulates Don Juan’s teachings in perhaps his best effort. The nature of silence, and the statement that the egoic mind is a foreign implant, give deep resonance to these final teachings of Don Juan. |
Arthur Koestler’s somewhat more respectable mystical thoughts about infinity may be found here. Related material: my September 5 entry, Arrow in the Blue.
Added ca. 10 to 11:40 p.m. October 11, 2002:
A review of Castaneda seems in order… the bad Carlos, not the good Carlos. (The bad Carlos being, of course, the bullshit artist who apparently died in 1998, and the good Carlos the publisher who died yesterday.)
From the LiveJournal site of fermina —
Today’s Public Service Message:
| Hi. You’re going to die. |
My comment:
From a review of Carlos Castaneda’s last book, The Active Side of Infinity:
“We wind up learning something more of Castaneda but not much at all about the active side of infinity, which is mystically translated as ‘intent.’ It appears that we ought to live with intent, never forgetting that we will die, regardless. Death (and the knowledge of it) should thus inform all of our actions and relationships, providing a perspective and enforcing our humility. This is hardly an original idea, and it can’t justify wading through Castaneda’s welter of self-indulgence, which might translate better to a bumper-sticker adage.”
Hmm… What adage might that be?
As for the good Carlos, see “In Lieu of Rosebud, Part II,” below… As was said of Saint Francis Borgia, whose feast is celebrated on the day good Carlos died, he
rendered glorious a name which, but for him, would have remained a source of humiliation.
The anthropologist author of the Don Juan books died in 1998, according to his biographers. The Carlos Castaneda who died recently was a journalist, according to that linked news article.
Comment by SuSu — Friday, October 11, 2002 @ 6:05 pm
You thought I didn’t know that?
Comment by m759 — Friday, October 11, 2002 @ 6:10 pm
Perhaps your background has not prepared you to encounter the concept of depth in literature or in life.
Here is some depth related to my “too active” link, which leads to a site headed “Welcome to the Hotel Infinity.” This hotel theme is echoed both in the “Hilbert Hotel” theme of my October 10 National Depression Day enty and in my previous Xanga entries related to the Eagles’ “Hotel California,” Don Henley’s “Garden of Allah,” and the film “Barton Fink.”
For a site that perhaps an aging hippie can appreciate, see Desert Singers, an August 1975 article on the Eagles and Castaneda.
Good luck with your medication.
Comment by m759 — Friday, October 11, 2002 @ 6:41 pm