rocketsam

“No, that’s not necessary. If you’re a master of your trade then you have no need for reflection. When you go out onto the street, everything works for you, you don’t need to do anything, you just have to keep your eyes and ears open and walk. You don’t need to think anymore, not if you’re independent or if you make yourself independent. If you’re uptight and stupid or if you’re striving for something, then nothing will ever come of it. If you live in life, then you’ve no need to make any special effort, it all comes to you of its own accord, and it will leave its mark on what you do. It’s not something you can learn. You can learn to sing, if you have a good voice. That’s the one condition. Someone who’s naturally hoarse will hardly become an opera singer. It’s the same everywhere. You can’t play piano without a piano. Or if all you have is a violin and you want to play piano on it, that won’t work either. And if you don’t want to play violin, then you’ll just have to play nothing at all.”

- Thomas Bernhard for life