From Malcolm Tattersall
I’m not quite sure why New Scientist chose to review a theologian-philosopher’s biography (16 April, p 55) but the review did spark a memory.
Nearly 30 years ago I lived in inner-suburban Melbourne and often travelled by train to visit a friend in Blackburn (then an outer suburb, now not). From the train, somewhere between Blackburn and Hawthorn and on the southern side of the track, I used to see the most wondrous graffito: SØREN KIERKEGAARD’S EXISTENTIALIST PHILOSOPHY.
It was painted in big black block capitals, over two feet high, along a very long paling fence visible (and probably only visible) from the railway. I knew enough about the subject at the time to know that it was all spelled correctly (I think it even had the slash through the O) and made some sense, and to know that the graffitist and I were both therefore members of a tiny minority.
It has nagged at me ever since, because the train was always moving too fast for me to read any more or to be sure there wasn’t more. The graffitist may have wanted to be enigmatic, may have run out of fence or paint, or may have continued ‘IS INSPIRATIONAL’ or (this being Australia, after all) ‘IS BULLSHIT.’ I just don’t know.
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It’s a long time since I lived in Melbourne, but perhaps NS readers can help. Is it still there? Is that all there is or was? And finally (a very long shot, I know), who painted it?
Townsville, Queensland, Australia
