an unmodern work

Chapter 5

This next transition clearly shows us this work is not a product of today. The moment of introspection is brief- and even this is more feelings that couldn't be controlled in light of the situation- and the question is an outward looking one to a degree- who is this person...
Of course that has ramifications for these men following- and I imagine some of these flowed through their heads as they continued on their journey. But that's where they stay. Not that this necessarily dates the work to 2000 years ago- just puts it out of my life time. It seems similar when you read any of the accounts of the early antarctic expeditions- shackleton or Mawson describe the privations going on well- but in the midst of these extreme circumstances- there is not a lot of introspection- only on the very rare occasion will there be a mention of the wife or fiancee back home- Shackleton allows a paragraph on the feeling – almost tangible- of a presence- a fourth person with their three man party, to describe the feeling of being divinely guided or supported- Mawson talks about providence- but again, in a very stiff upper lip way- even though one account talks of him coming out of that experience a different man- who henceforth paid more attention to the spiritual dimension of life. Contrast that with the expeditions that try to emulate them over the last 10 years – or adventures over greenland – and there is a mass of introspection, lengthy descriptions of team dynamics- justifications of why the leader made a particular decision- discourses on spirituality. Perhaps some of that has to do with the purposes of the different journeys- but the bigger thing I think is the spirit of the age.