Lists
I like Lists
(sculptues and movies and art at the bottom.)
What made me think of this is Doris Lessing’s list in the Golden Notebook.
“Men. Women. Bound. Free. Good. Bad. Yes. No. Capitalism. Socialism. Sex. Love.”
Lessing’s (or Anna’s dislike of simplistic binaries)
I have a list here of my own beliefs
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This is Kenneth Clark
“sweeping confident articles on the future are to me the most intellectually disreputable of all forms of public utterance
quotes JBS Halblane “the universe is not only queerer than we suppose but queerer than we can suppose”
the lack of curiosity, the hopelessness
one doesn't need to be young to dislike institutions but the dreary fact remains that even in the darkest ages it was institutions which made Society work
I have to reveal myself as a stick in the mud
I believe that order is better than chaos creation better than destruction I prefer gentleness to violence forgiveness to Vendetta on the whole I think that knowledge is preferable to ignorance and I am sure that human sympathy is more valuable than ideology I believe that in spite of recent triumphs of science men haven't changed much in the last 2000 years and in consequence we must still try to learn from history- history is ourselves
I believe in courtesy the ritual by which we avoid hurting other people's feelings by satisfying our own egos and I think we should remember that we are part of a great whole which for convenience we call nature, all living things are our brothers and sisters above all I believe in the god-given genius of certain individuals and I value a society that makes their existence possible.”
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As they say, they don’t make them like that anymore.
*
If you like this and haven’t seen “CIVILISATION” I strongly recommend it.
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Ten Famous Lists of Beliefs, Likes, and Hatreds – in English and French
Preface: Chat gpt’s Rationale Behind the Selections and Translations
This document presents ten powerful examples from films and literature where characters state what they are for or against. Each passage is paired with its French translation. The selections were chosen based on the following principles:
Clarity of Position – Each text features a clear statement of beliefs or rejections.
Cultural Impact – All examples come from culturally significant works with lasting resonance.
List Form – The structure either includes literal lists or reads like one, reflecting beliefs, loves, hatreds, or contradictions.
Emotional Range – From poetic to furious, ironic to intimate, the examples cover a spectrum of tone and style.
Linguistic Balance – The list mixes Anglophone and Francophone materials for cross-cultural perspective.
Translation Philosophy:
Prioritized emotional tone over word-for-word literalism.
Adapted cultural references sensitively.
Maintained register (casual, formal, poetic) appropriate to the original.
These lists are excellent tools for studying voice, tone, translation, syntax, and character psychology. They also function well as writing prompts: “Make your own list like this.”
1. Trainspotting (1996) – Renton's Monologue
English: "Choose life. Choose a job. Choose a career. Choose a family. Choose a fucking big television..."
French: « Choisis la vie. Choisis un boulot. Choisis une carrière. Choisis une famille. Choisis une putain de grande télé… »
2. High Fidelity (2000) – Rob's Pop Culture Philosophy
English: "What really matters is what you like, not what you are like... Books, records, films—these things matter."
French: « Ce qui compte vraiment, c’est ce que tu aimes, pas ce que tu es. Livres, disques, films : ça, ça compte. »
3. Dead Poets Society (1989) – Mr. Keating's Speech
English: "Medicine, law, business, engineering... But poetry, beauty, romance, love—these are what we stay alive for."
French: « La médecine, le droit, le commerce, l’ingénierie sont de nobles quêtes ; mais la poésie, la beauté, le romantisme, l’amour : voilà pourquoi nous restons en vie. »
4. The Book of Disquiet – Pessoa's Solitary Reflection
English: "I loathe action like I loathe getting up early. I'm against violence, noise, the mob... I'm for moonlight, silence, solitude."
French: « Je cultive ma haine de l’action comme une fleur de serre. Je suis contre la violence, le bruit, la foule, la stupidité. Je suis pour le clair de lune, le silence et la solitude. »
5. Catch-22 – Yossarian's Moral Breakdown
English: "I'm against war, against killing, against rules that make no sense... against people who don't care."
French: « Je suis contre la guerre, contre le meurtre, contre les règles absurdes... contre les gens qui s’en foutent. »
6. 10 Things I Hate About You (1999) – Kat's Poem
English: "I hate the way you talk to me... But mostly I hate the way I don't hate you. Not even close. Not even a little bit. Not even at all."
French: « Je déteste la façon dont tu me parles, la façon dont tu te coupes les cheveux… Mais, surtout, je déteste la façon dont je ne te déteste pas. Pas le moins du monde. »
7. Fight Club (1999) – Tyler Durden's Anti-Consumerist Speech
English: "You are not your job. You’re not how much money you have... You’re not your fucking khakis."
French: « Tu n’es pas ton boulot. Tu n’es pas ta voiture. Tu n’es pas tes putains de khakis… »
8. Amélie (2001) – The Pleasures of the Small Things
English: "Amélie likes plunging her hand into sacks of grain, cracking the top of crème brûlée..."
French: « Elle aime plonger sa main dans un sac de grains, briser la croûte d’une crème brûlée... »
9. Audrey Hepburn – The 'I Believe' List (interview)
English: "I believe in pink. I believe that happy girls are the prettiest girls. I believe in miracles."
French: « Je crois au rose. Je crois que les filles heureuses sont les plus jolies. Je crois aux miracles. »
10. Network (1976) – Howard Beale's Outburst
English: "I’m as mad as hell, and I’m not going to take this anymore!"
French: « Je suis fou de rage et je ne supporterai plus ça ! »
sculptures
David, Poseidon or Zeus, jockey
art
in French
https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jeune_Fille_%C3%A0_la_fen%C3%AAtre
Picasso