This book
is the result of my trying to do justice to the inextricable
intertwining of truth and life, to the mutuality of what
is universal and what is individual. It constantly alternates
between autobiography and imagination, between being personal
and seeking to disappear.
Many of us nowadays think that what
our outer senses perceive is more real than what we experience
inwardly. I think the very opposite is true: what goes
on within us is more real to us and more consequential
to our lives than all external reality. It is this conviction
that has guided me in writing every page of this book.
In looking for an appropriate form to
convey my experiences and thoughts, I could find no better
one than the form of conversation. The Platonic dialogues
have been the foundation of Western culture for nearly
two and a half millennia. In conversing with one another,
human beings can perhaps best look at reality from ever
new points of view. A dialogue can be the most dynamic
experience, challenging us to remain alive and creative.
Black Forest (Germany), October 1998.
Pietro Archiati |
