Allen Ginsberg - Class on American Vision

Allen Ginsberg discusses the convergence of Walt Whitman and William Blake, and addresses various psychological and philosophical concepts including negative capability, direct perception, and nihilism.
The class is comprised of stop-start reading of Whitman and Blake with frequent commentary by Ginsberg, who tells anecdotes and answers questions throughout.
Recorded at Naropa University ~ June 25th, 1987
Themes: Religion, Psychology, Poetry and Prose, William Blake, Walt Whitman, Cosmic Consciousness, Buddhism, Emptiness
Licence for Audio: CC BY-ND-NC 1.0
Source: archive.org/download/Allen_Ginsberg_class_on_American_vision_June_1987_87P007
Image: Allen Ginsberg reading “Howl” in Washington Square, 1966. Credit Associated Press (Fair Use of Material)

[@jasonkh3943]

It's great to hear Allen's character at length, his humour, etc. God definitely broke the mold, and the world misses him. This was so wonderful, thanks to the uploader.

[@watchfuleagleson]

Ginsberg was by far the best Whitman reader/expositor, because when portraying him he actually became Whitman-so completely that I seriously wonder if Uncle Walt crossed over from the other side & momentarily possessed Ginsberg.

[@dharmabumpoetess]

Well, Blake was his guru!

[@bensoco]

Walt Whitman needs a new spotlight on him in 2017. God is dead and we are distracting ourselves from the existential grief with our smartphones. The distractions have to get old at some point. Maybe then we will consider our Selves and the unfilled potential and joy that lies dormant behind hazed over eyes watching the 8th consecutive episode of Orange is the New Black.

[@dharmabumpoetess]

Genius observation of you.

[@GABrielGONZALEZ-cr9wg]

Some cunts prefer the smartphone though

[@GentlemanLife-Beyotch]

I used to read Ginsberg, but the whole man/boy love association membership really killed any interest in his work. I'm all for freedom of expression but what associations like that promote are an automatic No Go.