Cologne, 19 June 1996
My Dear Pennamacoor,
I am not so sure that Heidegger has got it right with blinking and winking (to
say nothing of the eldread-ful locks that refuse presencing).
The translation in 'What is called thinking?' seems off the mark. The "blinking
organizations" are really "winking organizations" but only because Heidegger
interprets blinking (the self-satisfied blinking of the Nietzsche's happy last
men: Blinzeln) as winking (complicit sign of mutual understanding: Zublinzeln).
Blinzeln is closing one's eyes innocently in the face of a light that is too
strong to bear, whereas Zublinzeln is winking to one another underhandedly in
(perhaps friendly) complicity.
Whereas Winken in German is an innocent, friendly act of giving a sign (waving
goodbye from a departing train, for example). Heidegger's poets (there is only
Hoelderlin) wink signs (from the gods) to the people.
There is a wonderful haiku in Roland Barthe's "In the Realm of Signs":
The winter wind blows.
The eyes of the cats
Blink.
The there of my being-there is blank.
Must sleep.
Michael Eldred ° artefact text and translation ''''''' \\\ ///
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