Steur in aquarium

De eerste dag rijden we naar een waterval. We parkeren bij een zalm- en steurkwekerij. De parkeerplaats bij het begin van de trail staat vol met auto’s – het is zaterdagmiddag. We drinken koffie bij de giftshop van de kwekerij, die de naam “Herman” draagt. In de winkel liggen mokken waarop een enorme steur te zien is, met daaronder groot de naam Herman.

We wandelen door het park van de kwekerij, langs zwembaden vol kleine en grote vissen. In een laag gebouwtje, waar je via een paar treden naar beneden loopt, trekt een reusachtige steur zijn rondjes in een aquarium—Herman? Hij heeft een paar meter om rechtuit te zwemmen, maar moet dan alweer keren. Als een onrustige leeuw in een te kleine kooi zwiert de vis die we dan maar Herman noemen rusteloos heen en weer. Zwemt hij langs het raam, dan vallen zijn biefstukrode, gerafelde kieuwen op; ze wapperen als de flarden van een oude vlag.

steur in aquarium
Steur Herman in aquarium

(Portland was al weer tijdje geleden)

Werner Herzog’s essential pursuit of truth

Werner Herzog in actie op de set van famili romance

Werner Herzog wrote a book about the nature of truth titled “The Future of Truth” (De Toekomst van de Waarheid). A concept much abused these days.

De toekomst van de waarheid boekomslag

To Werner Herzog, truth is a search, a quest, almost one that distinguishes us from the other, more or less intelligent animals. In this concise yet idea-packed book, he examines the truth from several interesting angles, including political, artistic, historical, and scientific perspectives. He interweaves interesting stories in his arguments, like an artist should.

He looks at people who are considered larger-than-life. Contrary to popular belief, self-proclaimed genius (my words) Elon Musk did not invent the electric car. He didn’t found Tesla. He bought that one. And he bought Twitter. With that truth, he aims to facilitate the spreading of lies. (He did found SpaceX, though.)

The word for truth in Ancient Greek is aletheia, the negation of lethe, meaning forgetfulness or oblivion. Alatheia is that which reveals what was hidden. Alatheia is like a film and photography on celluloid. There is something on it, but it has to be revealed and developed.

Art creates a truth, according to Herzog. In opera, music transforms almost the craziest, unthinkable stories into wondrous truths. (Herzog directed several operas.)

Herzog’s film Family Romance tells the story of how, in Japan, actors are hired to replace a father or husband in their real life. Actors stand in for the father of a girl, the broom for a marriage, and an employee receiving a scrubbing. After the movie was released, Japanese broadcaster NHK produced a documentary about the company that hires out these actors, referred to in Herzog’s movie as Family Romance, and about the people who hire its actors. A bizarre double world emerges in this documentary. A client of the ‘Family Romance’ service was interviewed and questioned about why he wanted the actor to take his place in real life. After the documentary was finished, NHK discovered that the client they had interviewed was also an actor who had been hired to replace the original client. The argument was that the actor could portray the client more effectively than the client himself. Because the actor can speak the absolute truth, and the real person could do nothing but lie. Still with me?

In another movie of his, Herzog plays a priest. He meets a stranger and records a confession from this stranger for the film. During the act, he fabricates several facts as a priest, which the confessor greedily accepts, and the confession is more honest and well-meant than it could ever have been in real life. Making the fake confession more truthful than a real one.

Another story unfolds in Russia during the time of Czarina Catherine II. Potemkin villages were villages created as fronts, much like movie sets, to give the Russian czarina the impression of a prosperous country. A staged world similar to the North Korean Peace Village. Or the Truman Show.

In his films, Herzog attributes celebrity quotes that could have been said, but which he fabricated. He believes that this made-up truth is also a truth: an ecstatic, more profound truth.

Another bizarre story is that of a man on death row who continued to believe in his self-made innocence to the end, even though he was guilty, believing his concoctions til the end. This story reminded me of the song “The Mersey Seat” by Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds. In this unsettling song, a condemned man continues to believe in his innocence until just before his execution, but the truth catches up with him.

And in a way I’m yearning
To be done with all this measuring of proof
Of an eye for an eye
And a tooth for a tooth
And anyway I told the truth
And I’m afraid I told a lie

The Electrician, AI photo by Boris Eldagsen
The Electrician, by
Boris Eldagsen

Of course, AI is impossible to ignore, and Herzog explores the fake images it can generate, such as the AI-created photograph that was awarded the top prize at the Sony Photo Awards.

Herzog discusses how we can protect ourselves from being deceived by fakes. He recommends always approaching information with skepticism—assuming it might be false—and diligently verifying the truth behind any claim. He emphasizes that any request to transfer money should be treated as a red flag. In his view, the digital world is inherently unreliable.

According to Herzog, what helps us navigate this uncertainty are three key practices:

  • Education
  • Reading extensively
  • Walking regularly, with minimal distractions or baggage

In the final chapter, Herzog admits that there is no definitive “future of truth.” Instead, the search for truth remains an essential, existential pursuit.

I read the book in its Dutch translation. When I wanted to buy it for a friend in the US, I discovered—somewhat surprisingly—that the English translation is not yet available. It is scheduled for release in September 2025.

The Real Work: Why Finishing is the Only Thing That Matters

Most of these self-help books are okay-ish. Yet many are superfluous encouragements.

We all know what is essential. Self-help feels like procrastination. We often read these books to avoid doing the real things.

However, explaining to people how to do difficult things is easier than doing the difficult stuff themselves.

Teaching people how to make their art is easier than the work of making art itself.

And to finish it.

Derek Sivers in How To Live:

Calling yourself creative doesn’t make it true. All that matters is what you’ve launched. Make finishing your top priority.

Seth Godin: Ship It!

people waving goodbye to a ship

A habit of weird

Kevin Kelly’s Advice for Living staat hier vol mee:

Prescription for popular success: do something strange. Make a habit of your weird.

Do more of what looks like work to others but is play for you.

En meer selective ignorance:

Ignore what others may be thinking of you because they aren’t thinking of you.

Chris Killip and Ian Dury

Een paar maanden geleden heb ik de Chris Killip-retrospectieve in Den Haag bezocht in het Fotomuseum Den Haag. Het was een fantastische tentoonstelling in het Fotomuseum Den Haag.

chris killip sea coal photo

De zondag na mijn bezoek aan de show ging ik naar een festival voor tweedehands albums. Ik snuffelde tussen de platenbakken en vond een interessante plaat van Ian Dury, Laughter, het album dat in 1980 werd uitgebracht. Ik kocht de plaat. Later luisterde ik naar de plaat en las ik de albumhoes. Chris Killip maakte de foto’s op de albumhoes.

Chris Killip kreeg de opdracht om foto’s te maken voor de hoes van Laughter, het album dat in 1980 werd uitgebracht door Ian Dury and the Blockheads.

Ik kan geen informatie vinden over de achtergrond van deze samenwerking. Zelfs de AI’s zwijgen hierover.

ian dury and the blockheads - laughter - album cover