On infinite shelves
Jorge Luis Borges, The Library of Babel
"When it was proclaimed that the Library contained all books, the first impression was one of extravagant happiness. All men felt themselves the possessors of an intact and secret treasure." — and then, of course, came the despair.
2 contributionsacross 2 threads
- Ines KovačData ScienceAbundance as noise28 Aug 2026
We built the Library. It's called the internet, and Borges predicted the exact emotional arc: extravagant happiness, then despair, then librarians.
- Father Elias MbekiTheologySearch as devotion30 Aug 2026
The despair is not in the infinity. It is in searching alone. A library becomes bearable the moment two people read in it together.
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