Skip to content

The ESB Project at 100,000

I don't count the number of essays in the Project, much less the number of words, but I realized this morning that the Project probably stands at 100,000ish words. It's nearing the finish.

We are now firmly in Part III of the Existence Strikes Back project. Part I "proved" (very loose, almost ironic, quotes there) the Tao exists. Part II looked at modernity's rejection of the Tao and the problems associated with the rejection. Part III looks at the various ways our modern culture (and now, postmodern culture) has tried to get the Tao back, including efforts of our right hemisphere to re-assert its primacy and re-connect to the Tao.

I think Part III might be the most enjoyable, with topics ranging from Albert Camus (today) to Flannery O'Connor to Seinfeld. I'd anticipate about 20 essays total in this part, bringing the total essays to around 85 (right now, there are 65-70 essays, depending on how you count).

What will I do once it's done, probably in early 2024? I don't know for sure. I'll probably continue to fill-in the story, providing more information and flushing out "plot points."

I'll probably better organize the parts, add connectors, and re-issue the entire thing in book form.

It's hard to say. For now, I'm just enjoying this third part, which, some of you might recall, I wrote over 20 years ago and am now re-writing in light of my better understanding of St. Thomas' "Act of Existence" (which I call "the Tao") and St. Iain's Hemisphere Hypothesis.

Latest