Karl Kraus Aphorismen

Der Aphorismus deckt sich nie mit der Wahrheit; er ist entweder eine halbe Wahrheit oder anderthalb.
Karl Kraus


"The aphorism never aligns with the whole truth; it's either a half-truth or one and a half."
Karl Kraus

This saying is from the writer Karl Kraus. Aphorisms, by their nature, are short
and concise, and Kraus is suggesting that they can't fully capture a complex truth. They either tell only part of the story (a half-truth) or exaggerate it (one and a half truths).

"The aphorism never aligns with the whole truth; it's either a half-truth or one and a half."

Karl Kraus


Karl Kraus's statement, "The aphorism never aligns with the whole truth; it's either a half-truth or one and a half," can be interpreted as a critique of the nature of aphorisms themselves. He suggests that an aphorism, by its very nature as a concise and pithy statement, cannot capture the full complexity of reality.

The Half-Truth
An aphorism is often a simplification, reducing a complex idea to a single, memorable sentence. In doing so, it frequently omits context, nuance, and exceptions. This makes it a "half-truth" because it presents a valid insight but not the complete picture. For example, the aphorism "Look before you leap" is sound advice, but it ignores situations where a quick, decisive action is necessary.

The One-and-a-Half Truth
The "one-and-a-half truth" aspect is more paradoxical. It can be seen as the aphorism's tendency to oversimplify to the point of exaggeration or to create a new, often more dramatic, reality. The aphorism "All's fair in love and war" is an example. While it captures a certain ruthless aspect of human behavior in these domains, it overstates the case and can be seen as an exaggeration of reality—a "one and a half" truth. It goes beyond a simple half-truth by adding an element of hyperbole that makes it more than just incomplete.

***

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What is paradox or paradoxon?


A paradox (also called a paradoxon) is a statement or situation that appears to be self-contradictory or illogical but may, in fact, reveal a deeper truth upon closer examination.

The word comes from the Greek paradoxos, meaning "contrary to expectation" or "beyond belief."

Paradoxes are used in a variety of fields, including:

Logic and Philosophy: These paradoxes highlight flaws in our reasoning or challenge widely held assumptions. A classic example is the "Liar Paradox": "This statement is false." If the statement is true, it must be false, and if it is false, it must be true.



Rhetoric and Literature: Writers use paradoxes to provoke thought, add layers of meaning, and make a memorable point. For example, the phrase "less is more" is a paradox that suggests simplicity and minimalism can be more effective than complexity. Another famous literary paradox is from George Orwell's Animal Farm: "All animals are equal, but some animals are more equal than others."



Science: Scientific paradoxes, such as the Grandfather Paradox in time travel, are thought experiments that reveal the limits of our current understanding and inspire new theories.

A paradox is distinct from an oxymoron, which is a figure of speech that places two contradictory words side-by-side (e.g., "jumbo shrimp" or "bittersweet"). While an oxymoron is a simple contradiction, a paradox is a statement or situation that, while seemingly contradictory, contains a hidden truth.







Why paradox is particularly important by writing aphorisms?


Aphorisms and paradoxes are deeply connected because they share a common goal: to concisely express a profound truth in a memorable way. An aphorism, by definition, is a short, pithy statement of a general truth or observation. Paradoxes are particularly important in crafting aphorisms because they make the statement impactful and thought-provoking.


Here's why the paradox is a powerful tool for aphoristic writing:

1. It Grabs Attention ;
A paradox presents a statement that seems contradictory or nonsensical on the surface, forcing the reader to pause and think. The inherent tension in a paradoxical statement like "less is more" or "the more things change, the more they stay the same" breaks through the mundane and demands intellectual engagement. This is the opposite of a simple truism, which is often dismissed without a second thought.

2. It Reveals Deeper Truths ;
The contradiction in a paradox is often a key to understanding a complex reality. By juxtaposing two seemingly opposite ideas, an aphorism can reveal a subtle, non-obvious truth. For example, Oscar Wilde's aphorism "Life is much too important to be taken seriously" is a paradox. It challenges the conventional view that important things must be approached with solemnity, instead suggesting that a lighthearted, playful attitude might be the truest way to live a full life.

3. It's Highly Memorable ;

The unexpected nature of a paradox makes it stick in our minds. When an aphorism is paradoxical, it becomes a mental puzzle that's easy to remember. The unusual wording helps to "brand" the idea in the reader's memory, ensuring that the wisdom it contains is not easily forgotten. Think of famous paradoxical aphorisms like:

"The first step in solving a problem is to recognize that you don't have one." - G.K. Chesterton

"I am the wisest man alive, for I know one thing, and that is that I know nothing." - Socrates (as related by Plato)


"The only constant in life is change." - Heraclitus


In each of these, the paradox isn't a flaw but the very essence of the insight being conveyed.




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Lilliputins in English What the heck are they?







"The aphorism never aligns with the whole truth; it's either a half-truth or one and a half"

Karl Kraus





Lilliputins are my new, cutting-edge style of postmodern fiction, a blend of mockery, ridicule, sarcasm, paradox and derision. I've coined this term, a mash-up of the adjective "lilliputian" (meaning "very small") and the idiom "to put words in someone's mouth."



Inspired by Soren Kierkegaard's idea that life can only be understood by looking backward, I deliberately and literally put snarky, made-up quotes and twisted sayings into the mouths of great historical figures and famous fictional characters. These are words they never said but perhaps could have.



I'm like a cuckoo, putting its eggs in another bird's nest, putting my words

(lilliputins) in other people's mouths.



In short, lilliputins are my own brand of anachronistic and revisionist creations—intentionally produced in form of misquotations, counterfeit one-line aphorisms, maxims, mini-tales, anecdotes, parables, jokes, or quips. Each one contains a degree of truth, which I attribute to others to make a point. It's up to the reader's knowledge, intelligence, and beliefs to sort out the truth from the fiction.



Lilliputins compress time, putting the present and past on a collision course, and blurring the lines between the living and the dead, things and humans, seriousness and ridicule, and reality and make-believe. They are also a great vehicle for time travelers and lovers of alternative history.



Lilliputins and paradoxes are deeply connected because they share a common goal:

to concisely express a profound truth in a memorable way. 



Lilliputins like aphorisms, by definition, are short, pithy statements of a general truth or observation. 



Paradoxes are particularly important in crafting lilliputins because they make the statement impactful and thought-provoking.



The technique for creating a lilliputin is quite simple.



First, you create an original thought no longer than two lines, using a wordplay, a pun, a paradoxon, a misquotation, or a juxtaposition (or a combination of these).



Second, you find a real person (living or dead) or a fictional character who could plausibly have said such a line and put the lilliputin into their mouth.



Bingo!



In addition, one must not forget the appended marginal notes, which help the reader to understand the point of the respective cuckoo quotation.



Lilliputins are contemporary yet old-fashioned, satiric yet ironic, and thought-provoking yet mind-boggling. They can be hilarious or sad, mean or kind, shocking or outrageous, and highly controversial. But they are never boring and always eye-opening and short, like life itself.



As Erma Bombeck once said, "There is a thin line that separates laughter and pain, comedy and tragedy, humor and hurt."



I sincerely hope I haven't overstepped that line in my book.



I apologize in advance for any unintended hurt caused by my intended satire or mockery.



Oscar Wilde once said, "If you want to tell people the truth, make them laugh, otherwise they'll kill you."



So please, don't kill the mockingbird or in my case the cuckoo!



All the best!



Have fun as much as you can take!



Yuri V. Slobodenyuk aka Yury Lobo



Aphorist



Thanks for providing the text. This is a very creative and well-written piece that introduces your new literary style, "lilliputins." The writing is engaging and does a great job of explaining a complex concept through clear language and vivid metaphors.

Here's my feedback, broken down into a few areas:

Strengths of the Text
Engaging and Descriptive Language: Your use of metaphors like the cuckoo putting its eggs in another bird's nest and the comparison to time travelers is highly effective. It helps the reader grasp the concept of "lilliputins" immediately.

Creative and Clear Explanation: You've coined a new term and a new style of writing, and you've explained it clearly and logically. The breakdown of the two-step process for creating a lilliputin is especially helpful.

Strong Voice: Your personality and passion for this project come through in the writing. The tone is witty, slightly irreverent, and intellectually playful, which fits the subject matter perfectly.

Strategic Use of Quotes: The quotes from Karl Kraus, Oscar Wilde, and Erma Bombeck are well-chosen and effectively support your points, adding a layer of credibility and humor.

Suggestions for Improvement
The text is strong, so these are minor suggestions to make it even more impactful:

Consider the Flow of the Final Paragraphs: The last few paragraphs—where you apologize and use the Oscar Wilde quote—are a little bit of a tonal shift. While the sentiment is understandable, it can slightly weaken the strong, confident voice you've built up. You could consider integrating these ideas more smoothly or rephrasing them to maintain a more consistent tone. For example, instead of an apology, you could simply state that the work challenges the reader.

Slight Repetition: The text mentions that lilliputins are a "blend of mockery, ridicule, sarcasm, paradox and derision" and later says they can be "hilarious or sad, mean or kind, shocking or outrageous." While this isn't major, you could combine these ideas for a more concise explanation.

Proofread for Minor Typos: There are a couple of small issues to fix:

"paradoxon" is not a standard English word; the correct word is paradox.

The phrase "Have fun as much as you can take!" is a little awkward. You could rephrase it to something like, "I hope you have as much fun as you can take!" or simply, "Enjoy!"

Overall, this is a fantastic piece of writing. It's a great introduction to your new style and will certainly pique the interest of readers. The concept is unique, and you've done an excellent job of articulating it.

Let me know if you would like me to help with any specific rephrasing or editing!







Can you provide please the whole corrected text


Of course. Here is the corrected text, with some minor edits for flow and clarity.

Lilliputins in English: What the heck are they?

"The aphorism never aligns with the whole truth; it's either a half-truth or one and a half."
Karl Kraus

Lilliputins are my new, cutting-edge style of postmodern fiction, a blend of mockery, ridicule, sarcasm, paradox, and derision. I’ve coined this term, a mash-up of the adjective “lilliputian” (meaning "very small") and the idiom "to put words in someone's mouth."

Inspired by S;ren Kierkegaard's idea that life can only be understood by looking backward, I deliberately and literally put snarky, made-up quotes and twisted sayings into the mouths of great historical figures and famous fictional characters. These are words they never said but perhaps could have.

I'm like a cuckoo, putting its eggs in another bird's nest, putting my words (lilliputins) in other people's mouths.

In short, lilliputins are my own brand of anachronistic and revisionist creations—intentionally produced as misquotations, counterfeit one-line aphorisms, maxims, mini-tales, anecdotes, parables, jokes, or quips. Each one contains a degree of truth, which I attribute to others to make a point. It's up to the reader's knowledge, intelligence, and beliefs to sort out the truth from the fiction.

Lilliputins compress time, putting the present and past on a collision course and blurring the lines between the living and the dead, things and humans, seriousness and ridicule, and reality and make-believe. They are also a great vehicle for time travelers and lovers of alternative history.

Lilliputins and paradoxes are deeply connected because they share a common goal: to concisely express a profound truth in a memorable way. Like aphorisms, lilliputins are by definition short, pithy statements of a general truth or observation. Paradoxes are particularly important in crafting lilliputins because they make the statement impactful and thought-provoking.

The technique for creating a lilliputin is quite simple.

First, you create an original thought no longer than two lines, using a wordplay, a pun, a paradox, a misquotation, or a juxtaposition (or a combination of these).

Second, you find a real person (living or dead) or a fictional character who could plausibly have said such a line and put the lilliputin into their mouth.

Bingo!

In addition, one must not forget the appended marginal notes, which help the reader to understand the point of the respective cuckoo quotation.

Lilliputins are contemporary yet old-fashioned, satiric yet ironic, and thought-provoking yet mind-boggling. They can be hilarious or sad, mean or kind, shocking or outrageous, and highly controversial. But they are never boring and always eye-opening and short, like life itself.

As Erma Bombeck once said, "There is a thin line that separates laughter and pain, comedy and tragedy, humor and hurt." I sincerely hope I haven't overstepped that line in my book.

If I've caused any unintended hurt with my intended satire or mockery, I sincerely apologize in advance.

Oscar Wilde once said, "If you want to tell people the truth, make them laugh, otherwise they'll kill you."

So please, don't kill the mockingbird—or in my case, the cuckoo!

All the best!

I hope you have as much fun as you can possibly take!

Yuri V. Slobodenyuk aka Yury Lobo

Aphorist







That's a very kind and thoughtful wish! Thank you. I hope you also have as much fun as you can possibly take.







I hope you will have as much fun as you possibly can take! Is it corrrect?


Yes, that is grammatically correct. It's a very kind and thoughtful way to express your wish.

The phrase "as much fun as you can possibly take" is a good idiom. It means "to have the maximum amount of fun possible" or "to have a lot of fun."







Can you please provide me the German version of the english text?


Absolutely. Here is the German version of the English text about "Lilliputins."



Liliputins auf Deutsch: Was zum Teufel sind die?

"Der Aphorismus deckt sich nie mit der Wahrheit; er ist entweder eine halbe Wahrheit oder anderthalb".
Karl Kraus

Liliputins sind mein neuer, bahnbrechender Stil postmodernen Erzaehlens, eine Mischung aus Spott, Hohn, Sarkasmus, Paradox und Hohn. Ich habe diesen Begriff gepraegt, eine Verschmelzung des Adjektivs „lilliputanisch“ (was „sehr klein“ bedeutet) und der Redewendung „jemandem Worte in den Mund legen“.

Inspiriert von Soren Kierkegaards Idee, dass das Leben nur im Nachhinein verstanden werden kann, lege ich grossen historischen Persoenlichkeiten und beuehmten fiktiven Charakteren bewusst und woertlich schnippische, erfundene Zitate und verdrehte Sprueche in den Mund. Es sind Worte, die sie nie gesagt haben, aber vielleicht haetten sagen koennen.

Ich bin wie ein Kuckuck, der seine Eier in ein fremdes Nest legt, indem ich meine Worte (Liliputins) in den Mund anderer Leute ( Liliputinisten) lege.

Kurz gesagt, Liliputins sind meine eigene Marke anachronistischer und revisionistischer Schoepfungen – absichtlich in Form von falschen Zitaten, gefaelschten Ein-Satz-Aphorismen, Maximen, Mini-Geschichten, Anekdoten, Parabeln, Witzen oder geistreichen Bemerkungen verfasst. Jedes dieser Werke enthaelt ein gewisses Mass an Wahrheit, die ich anderen zuschreibe, um es auf einen Pnunkt zu bringen. Es liegt am Wissen, der Intelligenz, der Lebenserfahrung und den Ueberzeugungen des Lesers, die Wahrheit von der Fiktion zu trennen.

Liliputins komprimieren die Zeit, indem sie Gegenwart und Vergangenheit auf Kollisionskurs bringen und die Grenzen zwischen Lebenden und Toten, Dingen und Menschen, Ernsthaftigkeit und Spott, sowie Realitaet und Fantasie verwischen. Sie sind auch ein grossartiges Vehikel fuer Zeitreisende und Liebhaber alternativer Geschichte.

Liliputins und Paradoxa sind tief miteinander verbunden, da sie ein gemeinsames Ziel haben: eine tiefgruendige Wahrheit praegnant und einpraegsam auszudruecken. Wie Aphorismen sind auch Liliputins per Definition kurze, lapidare Aussagen ueber eine allgemeine Wahrheit oder Beobachtung. Paradoxa sind bei der Gestaltung von Liliputins besonders wichtig, da sie die Aussage wirkungsvoll und zum Nachdenken anregend machen.

Die Technik, einen Liliputin zu erschaffen, ist ziemlich einfach.

Zuerst kreieren Sie einen originellen Gedanken, der nicht laenger als zwei Zeilen ist, und ein Wortspiel, einen Kalauer, ein Paradoxon, ein falsches Zitat oder eine Gegenueberstellung (oder eine Kombination davon) verwendet.

Zweitens finden Sie eine reale Person (lebend oder tot) oder eine fiktive Figur, die eine solche Zeile plausibel gesagt haben koennte, und legen ihr den Liliputin in den Mund.

Bingo!

Zusaetzlich darf man die angenoetigten Randglossen nicht vergessen, die dem Leser auf die Spruege helfen, den vollen Sinn des jeweiligen Kuckucks-Zitats zu verstehen.

Liliputins sind zeitgemaess und doch altmodisch, satirisch und doch ironisch, und nachdenklich stimmend und doch verblueffend. Sie koennen urkomisch oder traurig, gemein oder freundlich, schockierend oder empoerend und hoechst umstritten sein. Aber sie sind niemals langweilig und immer augenoeffnend und kurz, wie das Leben selbst.

Wie Erma Bombeck einmal sagte: „Es gibt eine schmale Grenze, die Lachen und Schmerz, Komoedie und Tragoedie, Humor und Leid trennt.“

Ich hoffe aufrichtig, dass ich diese Grenze in meinem Buch nicht ueberschritten habe.

Sollte ich mit meiner beabsichtigten Satire oder meinem Spott unbeabsichtigt Leid verursacht haben, entschuldige ich mich im Voraus aufrichtig dafuer.

Oscar Wilde sagte einmal: „Wenn du den Leuten die Wahrheit sagen willst, bringe sie zum Lachen, sonst werden sie dich umbringen.“

Also bitte, toetet nicht die Spottdrossel – oder in meinem Fall den Kuckuck!

Alles Gute!

Ich hoffe, Sie werden so viel Spass haben, wie Sie nur ertragen koennen!

Yuri V. Slobodenyuk alias Yury Lobo

Aphoristiker

Contact: yuryslobo1@gmail.com








Herzlichsten Dank, AI!


Gern geschehen! Ich freue mich, wenn ich helfen konnte.