Funnily enough, your article reminded me a bit of Milton’s Areopagitica–different subject, of course, but some echoes nonetheless. My favorite part of Milton’s piece: the parable of Truth, the loveliest and most perfect being imaginable, who is torn limb from limb into a thousand pieces and scattered to the winds. Truth, according to Milton, is found in fractals–each facet a shaded glass that reflects and illuminates another. He writes: The light which we have gain’d, was giv’n us, not to be ever staring on [it], but by it to discover onward things more remote from our knowledge.”

Man, that line is SO GOOD. While Milton may have meant “religious truth,” I think the thought extends to all things. And, in a weird way, it relates to your project, too. How else can we get to the substance of a matter–that “it,” that lifeforce—without using other texts, images, songs to illuminate its hidden order? And then, when we find that shred of magic, we march in its light towards the next facet, and on, and on. Extending, revising, untangling its glistening line.

Thanks for writing. Looking forward to continuing the conversation, via reading and writing.