Weltschmerz


"Weltschmerz" is a German word that describes a prevailing mood of melancholy and pessimism associated with the poets of the Romantic Era. It arose from their refusal or inability to adjust to those realities of the world that they saw as destructive.


John Steinbeck wrote about this feeling in "The Winter of Our Discontent."

Well, some of you readers have noticed that I am currently tied up in knots about our current political situation. I trust that this weltschmerz will eventually pass.

Meanwhile I feel the pain as choreographed crazies of the wing-nut media erupt on cue every time a politician opens his mouth to suggest that everyone ought to have access to healthcare.


I think Atlas carrying the weight of the world is a good visual metaphor for "weltschmerz."

The dialogue and delivery is over-wrought and under-thought.

I can hardly believe that so many of my fellow citizens feel that it is more important to spend money we don’t have to keep foreigners dead than to keep Americans alive.

It' feels as if I'm living in the macabre world of Bruegel.


Or worse - the really scary world of Hieronymus Bosch.


This is tough subject matter to paint. How depressed and frightened was this poor artist?


I'm thinking that making "pretty" art is like putting wallpaper on a building as it falls down...if you get my drift.

These are "interesting times" and Weltschmerz describes my current mood.

Give me some time to try to mourn the loss of hope for a better world, use my energies to keep my paintings from being too depressing. And then I'll get back to teaching.

5 comments:

Mary Bullock said...

Karin:
Take a deep breath, life will go on no matter what is decided. Keep your eyes on the prize because
God is in control, not us.

My Painting Studio said...

I agree that I haven't got (much) control over greedy self-serving politicians who care more about what an insurance company can do for them than what they can do for people who need affordable health care.

I can work on campaigns to get decent people into elected office and break this cycle of obstructionism, endless wars and our country's inability to look honestly at the real perpetrators of 9/11.

I realize that I may not win these battles - but when I fight them it makes me feel less overwhelmed.

When nano-thermite was found in the dust of the collapse of the 3 WTC towers, I was shocked down to my socks - all over again. This new evidence is proof-positive that controlled demolition caused the collapse - not the airplanes. So who did it? I can hardly wrap my brain around that.

I have a DVD on this subject - if you want me to mail you a copy - contact me and I'll send it to you.

I think that fake optimism is not a good way to deal with life's problems. And right now, I'm not feeling optimistic.

And I can't fake it.

Mary Bullock said...

HI Karin:
I'm not faking optimism. In fact I would hardly call it optimism - just glad that God is in control.
Thanks for the offer of the DVD - I've seen it. I don't want to get into a political arguement - life is too short.
Though we disagree on many things, I love your paintings and your art lessons. It is o.k. to disagree - I still hold you in great respect and wish you only the best.

Hylla said...

Soutine -really hard to view.
I'm with you on the state of affairs and a growing coddled apathy in this country.
So it is especially touching that you bought me the Rembrandt. It will cheer me up as only great art can. Thank you!

My Painting Studio said...

For the sake of the 9/11 victims and their families and for the safety, freedom and honor of every American, I do try to learn the facts and the truth and tell others.

I do not know what you saw and rejected when I made you an offer to send a DVD but unfortunately I did not say what it was: "Blueprint for 9/11 Truth" by Richard Gage A.I.A.

The discovery of Nanothermite in the dust changed everything for me. Along with an explanation of the physics in this DVD, I'm convinced.

Justice demands accountability. "Some are guilty; all are responsible." (Rabbi Abraham Heschel - 1907-1972).

This is strictly a non-partisan issue.