reminders of consistency

At some point, I would really like to sit down with Susan Sontag's writing.

I love comparing childhood pictures with adult selves.

I also have a particular obsession with lists,

wishing I had a list of things I valued from 10 years ago,

to see how much has changed, and how much has stayed the same through different seasons of growth.

Here are two lists from Susan Sontag—ten years apart, but strikingly similar. 

1. In 1947 when she was 14 years old: 

I believe:

(a) That there is no personal god or life after death

(b) That the most desirable thing in the world is freedom to be true to oneself, i.e., Honesty

(c) That the only difference between human beings is intelligence

(d) That the only criterion of an action is its ultimate effect on making the individual happy or unhappy

(e) That it is wrong to deprive any man of life [Entries ‘f’ and ‘g’ are missing.]

(h) I believe, furthermore, that an ideal state (besides ‘g’) should be a strong centralized one with government control of public utilities, banks, mines, + transportation and subsidy of the arts, a comfortable minimum wage, support of disabled and age[d]. State care of pregnant women with no distinction such as legitimate + illegitimate children.

2. Ten years later:

What do I believe?

In the private life

In holding up culture

In music, Shakespeare, old buildings

What do I enjoy?

Music

Being in love

Children

Sleeping

Meat

My faults

Never on time

Lying, talking too much

Laziness

No volition for refusal

From Reborn

via {DMH}