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*Kafka once said, “I was ashamed of myself when I realized that life was a costume party, and I attended with my real face...“*

just imagine being reasonable, moral, respectful, honor based, and having to deal with clown world....

"When madmen rule the world, the sane will be called crazy."

It seems like it could also be interpreted as a metaphor for the absurdity of the human condition, i.e. that we’re all sentenced to death and we don’t know when or why

I suffer from an anxiety disorder and OCD, and honestly living with a constant feeling of dread, fearing that something terrible is going to happen, and the constant worry that people are judging you or keeping things from you… is just very accurate.

Most people may be too wrapped up in their own lives to notice and pass judgement, but enough are interested/obsessed with passing judgement even just by their not-so-subtle gaze to keep us in a Kafkaesque teetering between the threat of mild neuroticism and the abyss of madness. Some of us certainly succumb....

I definitely feel like a prisoner to “the gaze of the other” imagined criticism makes me so paranoid and it’s the root cause of my social anxiety. I miss being carefree but in times of constant surveillance I feel like I can’t be myself without being judged or ridiculed by others.

Kafka, Camus and Dostoyevsky are some of my favourite authors.

I think that the majority of people develope a sense of learned helplessness and you can pick it up from your own family dynamics, school, job market and whatever system surrounding you. Most of us who don't like the system believe we can't change it and live in a quiet desperation hopeless. It's not we don't want to change the world but how doing it and finding no way possible.

Sometimes, I break the rules because the listed consequences are minor. Then I find out, the punishment is completely made up on the whim of some authoritarian that didn't read their own rule book!

I really hope your channel blows up one day. You’re very well-spoken, concise, and very good at discussing the topic at hand in regards of the story, the lesson, and on top of all that, making it interesting! Keep it up!!

i never would have read half the things you've covered on this channel, thank u for exposing me to this stuff i love this shit 🙏

I must read this book. From what you described here it’s basically everything I’ve gone through in going deaf and dealing with hearing aid companies that just want to make money. What I’ve been through. I can relate to everything you’re describing about this book. This is the way it feels to me.

Kafka’s stories always resonate strongly with me, and the story of his own life too. It's pity that he died so young. Again sometime the world doesn't make sense, especially the world of mine, all the time.

There is one key feature in Kafka's story that is missing. All this is preventable, or more soothing to the person afflicted by the injustice, if the surrounding people would have intervened, lessened the sentence, etc. pp. Life may be a one way trip between birth and death but in between we got people and being truly lonely throughout this journey is the most horrifying terror of it all.

I read "The Last Messiah" earlier today for the first time, and it made me feel uneasy and anxious for the rest of the day. Your video helped me calm down, thank you!

You made this point in the video, but kafkas theme of the absurdity of bureaucracy really hit home with me. K's dealings with the legal system are disturbingly close to those that i have had with my employer, government, and even peers in social settings. When things become overly systematized, such as the proliferation of formulaic social interactions ("lovely weather today"), it dehumanizes those involved. I think it's our evolutionary hardware as pack animals, and our aversion to using judgement as it is mentally (and therefore metabolically) taxing. Great video btw you're a natural.

Thank you so much for making this video. I finished reading The Trial three days ago, and I haven’t been able to stop thinking about it. This was such a wonderfully terrifying exploration into the world of Joseph K. Excellent analysis!

You put into words and state literature proof to all the ideas I always think about society. Thanks man. Sometimes I do feel crazy. People look at me crazy for looking at dead bearded men that wrote books about philosophying and society.

That was really intense dude. Thanks for the video man.

Beautifully put mate. Going through a tough time at the moment and this helped me realise that I can only control my responses to absurd ways people act.

I've never read this book but always wanted to . Your commentary was excellent. Thanks for making my day.

Thanks for the video. I REALLY needed it.

I am not an english native and u made me understand the book better than some spanish channels. I love your perspestive, thank u for this video!

I needed this right now, thank you.

8:05 Thank you for clarifying there is more to it than mentioned, it helps knowing there is more to it than what we have just heard don't know if I was able to explain it well enough but thank you. also thanks for sharing such books, their authors and your thoughts on them it truly helps better oneself as well as understanding things.

Дякую, дуже детальний та цікавий розбір! Thank you!

Such an interesting concept, thanks for making this video

Incredible video, some valuable, helpful insight. Thank you!

Amazing. Thanks for the lessons. This is so relatable

Near the end of my Master's Degree in Education, I began noticing several of the things my lecturers were doing did not make sense. So, innocently, I questioned them, and was promptly expelled. Not really sure why. All of the feedback I got was paradoxical. One Supervisor said I was the best Teacher they'd ever seen. Another said I was the worst. My family sued the university. During the trial, a representative of the education department claimed there was a super secret report detailing all the terrible things I'd done over the course of the Degree. When we asked to see it, the representative told the judge we could not, otherwise the report wouldnt be super secret anymore. We won the court case. And I promptly quit the industry immediately after. I read a lot of Kafka in this period. Nothing made sense. Still doesn't. Lol. Great video.

Potent speech as always!

Excellent video! I finished the book yesterday and needed to listen some opinions and ideas of it. Kafka was a really tormented and blue lad. Remarkable novel!

WOW. You explain things so well. Thanks for the video.

Thank God I found your channel🖤👌👌,,,,you're too good at explaining

The world isnt difficult to understand. Its insane. Psychotic people wormed their way into power, people either play along for "benefits", survival, or entertainment. We are all meant to pretend everything is in a good state as they slowly prepare to weed out dissent.

You offer a brilliant analysis and excellent entertainment. Kudos!

Very good video. As a person with Aspberger's Syndrome/autism 1:1, some of these things are applicable to me, while others are not. I do not seek the approval of others, but because I genuinely attract attention for "weird" things I do (like stimming by looking intently at my hands, my cap &c, rubbing my thumb and forefinger over an over on the underground &c.) and when people because of this start staring and laughing, I find their reactions embarrassing. I dress in a 1940s hat and trenchcoat, and this draws attention, and because I didn't crave attention to begin with and only dressed thus for myself, I find it taxing. The world of the Trial as you describe it I have come to realise just during the last couple of days is to a great extent how the world functions on an individual level (and not societal, which in my opinion can be described largely through historical materialism). I have made my piece with it and this has set me free (I am financially somewhat independent, and this has definitely helped). In D&D terms it can perhaps be described as a move from lawful good to chaotic good. I realised I don't have to care (for most reasons) what people think about me. The universe is erratic and people are fickle anyway, and for me as a person with Aspberger's Syndrome/autism 1:1 to try to figure out future scenarios and outcomes and then worry about them is utterly futile.

I’m so happy young ppl are learning rather than living mindlessly. That’s the only hope our future has

Thank you for this

Love this channel. Commenting to boost you in algorithm so others too can learn.

Gold mine of a channel here, I was here before you hit 1 million

Listening u just one of the best time of my day ❤ amazing insight of the novel

I completely agree. Well done, I enjoyed it.

Amazing video as always

Kafka eerily has reflected my life back to me in several books. Even in my dreams I have learned helplessness. I try to resist OCD and when I give into compulsions, I fear that I am not even the master of my own house. It is me continually refusing to give in to it that gives me a feeling of freedom. It is paradoxical because compulsions are trying to do the opposite, but with the illusion that if something small is controlled by that compulsion, anxiety will go away, finally feeling like we are not helpless. I suppose it is basically the myth of Sisyphus . But I can’t imagine him being happy, it is mere copium

Using this to learn for my finals in Germany, thank you for the greeat content!

Subscribed! Excellent stuff.

this is SO AMAZING

Great video!

Simply brilliant

Loved all the Kafka i read... peering into reality from a different perspective

You're remarks are quite thought provoking and makes me see the book from a new perspective ! Great video mate. I think this book describes how most of the people live their lives including me in a constant fear of judgements which are not based on rationality but sometimes pure emotion which is quite frustrating but is a reality which we must accept and forgive/let go as we do to a child saying things about others where he knows nothing about the other. Salvation sometimes sure seems like a lie and the pursue of it is meaningless but sure teaches you something I believe.

Its been traveling 22 years to get here, and now its here, and its either heads or tails. And you have to call it

Amazing video as usual

Thanks for the video!! Regards from Ásgeir in Iceland.

Awesome channel man

Thanks for saving me from hundreds of pages of boredom.

Thank you. I don't feel so alone now.

“We can end up in a situation at least SLIGHTLY better than Joseph K.” 😂😂👍

that was great i really needed this thank you 🖤

Good lesson

My favorite novel of all time. I carry a copy of it in my backpack. Someone must have traduced Joseph K…

OMG This is perfect, I just finished reading this book and desperately needed a summary cause about halfway through the book it just felt like word vomit and i couldn’t comprehend what was happening.

great video

I read at least two collections of Kafka's short stories, and decades later still find myself musing on "The Great Wall of China" and "The Starving Artist" and others from those collections. Read "The Trial" and was of course amazed, floored, blown away, stuff. But then tried to read "The Castle" and found that it was soooooo similar to "The Trial" that I got halfway through and stopped, never to return. It was like reading "The Trial" all over again, and I know: I'm in effect repeating myself. But that's what he did. So, do you get my point? Anyway, here's my question. Tell me you've read all of both, then tell me why I should return to "The Castle" and read it all. (Most of us started with "Metamorphosis," myself included.)

In my opinion, and after reading around 200 novels, I can say that the trial is the most genius thing the human mind has created.

This is the first time I've ever commented on a KZfaq video. Perhaps due to some of stuff you've laid out ? Anyway, Thanks for the unsolicited advice. Truely inspiring work.

What I took from it is the following: As a person you are aware that there is a game that we play subconsciously and consciously. We don’t have specific written “rules” for this game but we witness obvious ones and speculate on others. We are always signaling these rules to each other both to validate our thinking and also to inform others perpetuating your version of these “rules”. A person living is a person who has some degree of competence in adherence into these vague rules. Those who don’t display these degree of competency are naturally outcast by the nature of the system. In short, to live is to adapt a neurosis that suits your life. If you can do that consciously, good for you (in my personal opinion). If not, you are equally as tragic.

Just finished reading it. As someone who suffered from depression and anxiety (thankfully I'm getting better) to me it's clear this novel is about any struggle someone faces in life. The priest parable "Before the law" is the key of the whole novel. It's up to us to either face problems by our own strenght or learn to live with them. Either way is our only chance to aspire to the good in life. K doesn't and actually worsen his position though the novel, in the end getting killed like a dog for not having learned nothin.

you should do a crime and punishment video sometime-- maybe an analysis on svidrigailov's POV section? i'd be stoked to see that sort of thing from you

wow, this came when it was needed. this is my current life. i was cruising along and then had 3 notable back-to-back life changing experiences, not positive. it’s turned me into a creature of neurosis. like joseph k, a blind appeal for a sense of justice and even rationality has become consuming. it swallowed me whole and the more i try to get out from under my problems, the more problems this obsession for understanding causes. all of my usual coping strategies were failing. i am falling behind far worse than if i’d just let go of it without letting go of hope. i have always loved reading, especially things that challenge my own thoughts about life, and this title was a siren call in its relatability, and it is what is helping me realize that now (that acceptance is the only form of freedom i have.) facing my death today sir, and you are the reason. thank you for piloting me towards the best possible outcome just doing something you enjoy. 🫡

I think that's one of the most important videos i watched , thank you for this summary!!

Thank you for creating these videos. You are truly smart. This is the first time I've ever said this to anyone on the internet.

I just love your videos. You’re so well versed in your research thus your conclusions are insightful and introspective. You explain things clearly and concisely and the videos themselves are a perfect length. Top man

You are going places. I wish more of your courage for me and the people in my life.

I simply love this channel

I wonder what Kafka would make of today's society?

There's a very strange but beautiful book: The master and Margarita ❤

as someone who bases my lifestyle and thought processes off the logic of certify experimentation, I would take a third route and simply not fear the unknown while constantly trying to understand why I wouldn't get it in normal circumstances. Humanity can't naturally see the surfaces of other planets or stars, but science has changed that, there's a reassurance in how experimentation with the unknown can bridge gaps between possibility and reality.

subscribed!

I read this as a teenager and thought. Yup, it be like that. It made me not stress about authority for some reason.

Our life is just like the trial . I fell like our consciousness has been imprisoned in our body without any explanation or any crime we have comitted .

Hello, Can you make a video about a guide to philosophy? 😅 I really want to learn about philosophy and you're really good at explainning this thing. ❤

good video cudos i tip my hat sirr !

K’s experience is similar to that of people with paranoid disorders. I worked for several years with chronically mentally ill adults and saw a lot of this way of experiencing the world.

it reminds me of the episode of harleyquin with bains hole prison thing .... verry good just what i needed

I kinda got an extra lesson from this on top of the stuff you described. People have there own lives separate from you there constantly thinking or doing something and nothing ever remains the same even if said changes are small eventually someone due to experiences they've had will make a decision you wouldn't have expected with internal logic yiu aren't privy to and despite looking like a status quo everyday is a day devoid of order its all random.

Thanks will try not to over think

I’ve just finished reading the book: I went into it expecting a damning critique of the judicial system etc. but the further through it I think it is almost entirely about one’s own mind. The legal system in the book is the one in our minds. Like an overactive super ego. But also has strong connotations of mental illnesses. I’ve read that some people say a mental illness is like their mind turning against them. The courts are all in attics. The policemen are punished in a small room at the bank. The painter (creativity?) lives next to the courts and is employed by them. He paints gloomy scenes of the same landscape. The priest (spirituality) is employed by them, but tries to comfort K. The advocate, his show of power over block. The bank was like his front facing self, his apartment was his inner self. The police came into his house, ate his breakfast. The importance of the women… my immediate impression is the entire book is interactions with the different parts of his own mind, and a decent into mental illness

7:35 A wee bit of a sticker...and Pandora or something similar, might help...

Embrace the role and rise above the masses as a true man for all seasons. The pain is greatly reduced with a vision beyond this mortal life and a defiant willingness to walk through the fire. The martyrs role is not for the beginner. Ever see Angels and Insects? Solid movie about Brits, deconstruct that next friend.

All I think about when someone says “The Trial” is “TEAR DOWN THE WALL”

0:50 it is Joseph K who refuses to hear his accusations. Not the court that refuses to explain them. Not a single time does K ask anyone what he’s accused of. He immediately assumes his innocence and the blame of the system. Like most reviewers of the book.

7:48 Wouldn’t that be absolutely hilarious? A display of total and utter contempt for the humans watching. 😂

I feel like I have been living in K's position for the last three years. Insane arbitrary unscientific authoritarian measures, and even now the fear that they will do it again. Fortunately I know a few people who see through it all. I shall NEVER give up trying to understand all aspects of the world. I have reached the stage of acceptance that most people will never behave rationally. I must do my best to remain happy in the face of the ignorant, propagandised, compliant, manipulated masses. Immersion in creative projects and learning is how I cope.

I like this video, I like your delivery. I am autistic, though, I dont necessarily think that my actions aren't well perceived. If I do something and then question why I did it I can most usually come up with an answer for my actions. However my outlook of others is definitely closer to a bad play or a caricature of how people actually are. They never think they act like this, but this is how they present themselves as viewed in The Trial, at least from my perspective.

Great work on this channel. You're very good and still a young man. May I ask a question? Is anything of this sort operating in Kafka: "I assumed that my innocence was obvious when I reported a crime of abuse to the police. The police did not believe me. The abuser had gaslit the police. The police thus stated that I had lied to the police and had disturbed them for no reason. They charged me. Though I was innocent, I was now guilty. First, I experienced shock and disbelief: I had turned to the authorities whom I trusted for help and protection. That protection had now been withdrawn. The reality of who I was vanished. I was someone else. This imaginary person was me. But it wasn't; it was maddening. I fought to restore my innocence - my being - but it was not possible. Everyone believed the authorities, not me. I never thought that something so perverse could happen to me. I realized that there was nothing I could do to make people see the truth, it was all tied up in the dominant narrative (that of the policed society). The lie was the truth as far as society is concerned. Had I not gone to the police, I would have fared much better, merely being abused. I became alienated from society. I began to fear it; I began to fear going out lest someone see me, recognize me, and accuse me. When I did go out, I looked in every direction to see if it was safe. I became physically ill. I expected to be approached and accused at every moment. I looked to the front door of my house expecting authorities to arrive and arrest me. Or that I might have missed my summons. I await my trial." Are not some people guilty a priori or historically? Are we not all of us potentially guilty a priori?

The situation about always feeling the gaze of the other sounds a lot like schizophrenia symptoms, so there may be a lot of people actually living like this.