remains of another world (Romanticizing the Ottoman Empire)

Does anyone remember what did the writing above us say?

The Ottomans are the only subject that penetrates my indifference these days. Our grand^4 fathers. We have left them behind, yet we never seem to be able to catch up with them.

Who were they? What did they want in life? What books they read? Did they fear anyone? When did they start drinking or stopped drinking? Really who were they? We read about the Enlightenment, we are closer to western ancients then we are to our own. We know what Kant thought, but hardly who our thinkers were of the time.

I bought a book of Ilber Oltayli. Not realizing it was a collection of magazine articles. His style is very messy, hard to see how he is a scientist. But then again are historians scientists? The story seems to go over some certain peoples, at some certain types. No order, no organization. But then again I read magazine articles, not scientific ones. All in all, it would be so fantastic to have some cartoons or some computer games with the subject. Simulations of the life back then. Because it is sooo far from us. I mean a 'Rome' of our own is needed, so that we can relate again with our past.

18 MArt 2007

"Yasar bir kere Canan'a aglayinca daha guzel oldugunu söylemisti. Benim icin de gecerli mi acaba? Sanmiyorum. HEr seyden cok kendimi hayal kirikligina ugratmaktan korkuyorum. Garip, ne kadar garip. Gerceklerle bas edemiyorum. Cil severdi bu lava lambasini. O icinde kar namina beyaz köpuklerin ucustugu su dolu yari kurelerin zamaninin bir uzantisi sanki. Zamansizligin bir uzantisi. Masumiyet dedigimiz cok az hata yapilmis zamanin. Sonra zaten herkes gibi oluyoruz. Aksamlari eve yorgun geliyor, arkadaslarimizi aramiyoruz. Yaratici olmuyoruz, her seyi en kolay yoldan yapiyoruz. Olmak istedigimiz seyi unutmaya cabaliyoruz, cabalamak yerine ulasmaya. Susuyoruz, izliyoruz. Istedigimiz seyleri secmeye korktugumuzdan sectigimizi inkar ediyoruz."

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