#jonny sun

[thecollectibles]

Art by Jonny Sun

[ghost-bison]

[haaaaaaaaaaaave-you-met-ted]

Mangrove by Jonny Sun

[alphamecha-mkii]

飞行器 by Jonny Sun

[this-is-cool]

The magnificent science fiction-themed artworks and environments of Jonny Sun - https://www.this-is-cool.co.uk/the-epic-science-fiction-themed-artworks-of-jonny-sun/

[sad-eyed-lady-of-the-paperbacks]

Zosima’s response to Mme Khokhlakova in 2.4 is very heartening and profound. I struggle to articulate my thoughts on it, which also ties into my own interpretation of The Idiot—another thing I struggle to articulate and one of the many things I’ve intended to make a post about without ever quite managing. But I’m going to do my best here.

So as Zosima says, proof is not possible here. There is no way to prove that the God of the Bible exists, or that Jesus the Nazarene was actually raised from the dead, or that there is any continuation of life after death. And I feel that what Zosima is getting at here, which is somewhat surprising in a way, is almost that it doesn’t matter.

Because if those three things are true, then the prescribed way to live is a life of active love—love of God and love of neighbour being the two greatest commandments, right? And Zosima is no ascetic; he shows us that such a life, while involving self-sacrifice for the good of others, is by no means austere or joyless. He jokes and smiles, he is happy, “merry”, he interacts with people rather than sequestering himself. And he is loved and cared for in return. He seems completely fulfilled.

But what if none of those things are true? What if God does not exist and Jesus rotted in that tomb and there is no possibility of life after death? In that case, is not a life of active love toward one’s fellow humans beautiful and meaningful regardless? And perhaps even especially if none of that is true. Because if none of that is true, then a few decades on this earth are all we have. And so would it not be most fulfilling to live them well, to live for the good of something beyond oneself?

Is not striving to demonstrate active love (which I hardly need say does not correlate, or seldom coordinates, with religiosity) the best way to live either way?

Compare:

He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.

- 1 John 4:8, KJV (italics mine)

If that is true, then the inverse is true: “Whoever loveth knoweth God; for God is love.”

‘Try to love your fellow human beings actively and untiringly. In the degree to which you succeed in that love, you will also be convinced of God’s existence, and of your soul’s immortality And if you attain complete self-renunciation in your love for your fellow creatures, then you will unfailingly come to believe, and no form of doubt will ever be able to visit your soul. That has been tested, that is precisely true.’

- The Brothers Karamazov by Fyodor Dostoevsky, 2.4, David McDuff translation

And that leads into my takeaway from The Idiot. (Spoilers ahead). Myshkin is a perfectly beautiful man, or close to it. But he cannot save anyone—not Rogozhin, not Nastasya, not Ippolit or Ivolgin or anyone else. In the end, he cannot save even himself.

But worse still, he seems to often have a negative impact. His presence seems to bring out some of the worst in people. And to that last point, the same is true of Christianity: throughout history, these teachings of love and self-sacrifice have somehow managed to bring out some of the ugliest aspects of humanity and used to justify some of the worst atrocities. And what if, after all that, Jesus stayed dead in the tomb, meaning that he did not save anyone? Not humanity as a whole, not one individual, not even himself? What then?

Is there still something of beauty there? Is there still something worthy of imitation? And is there still something good that comes out of it all (the effect on the child Kolya, perhaps)? These are the questions.

As a final note, this panel from the graphic novel everyone's a aliebn when ur a aliebn too by jomny sun has really stuck with me. Joy and active love in a world that is mysterious and filled with suffering.

[present-future]

by Jonny Sun

[dongslinger--420]

Sometimes I wonder if Jonny Sun had any idea of the impact that "rehab was supposed to be a fresh start" would have on the world like??? It is THE BoJack reference solely because it summarises the show extremely well, it's been used countless times whenever anyone ever sees a horse, and honestly I just wonder what did anyone even say before then? How did we refer to horses or to BoJack before that quote? I would love to know how Jonny Sun feels about this because I would feel so crazy tbh

[yepthatsacowalright]

?!?!?!!!

[therafanatics]

RAFAEL CASAL WITH JON M. CHU AND JONNY SUN / TED CONFERENCE (2019)

Wow what a day I’ll never forget. Now back to work. #Keepmakingthings Thanks @ted for an incredible experience.

Pic by: jonmchu

[archiveofillustration]

Practice 11.20 by Jonny Sun

[thecollectibles]

Art by Jonny Sun

[indiana-jonas]

"he died doing what he loved: nothing" - Jonny Sun

(article)

[haaaaaaaaaaaave-you-met-ted]

Explorer by Jonny Sun

[elegantzombielite]

"You ever wish that fireworks were incredibly quiet and also didn't disappear so quickly and also you could keep them in your home and also you could hold them in your hands? Because if so, I'd love to introduce you to, flowers."

Jonny Sun, author and illustrator (b. 12th March 1990)

[linusjf]

Jonny Sun: Flowers

“You ever wish that fireworks were incredibly quiet and also didn’t disappear so quickly and also you could keep them in your home and also you could hold them in your hands? Because if so, I’d love to introduce you to, flowers.” — Jonny Sun.