I was lucky to get to read “Against Interpretation” in the Native Reading Room on September 9, 2026. It was a very fun read overall. The author starts with the age-old philosophical discussion about art and its value: how Plato did not believe art to be anything particularly special, while his student Aristotle, whom I very often see in opposition to Plato’s values, believed that art has a deeply therapeutic effect. That really sets the tone for the essay.

The rest of the article explores this age-old fight between art and interpretation, with interpretation often acting as something that tries to strip art of its value, to show that art is nothing but a hollow substance. The author puts forward some interesting ideas. For example, they do say that interpretation is not always bad, but that we should do it in such a way that it celebrates the piece rather than reduces it. Another interesting point the author makes is that interpretation can be a great tool for preserving age-old works while giving them a new perspective.

This essay makes me think a lot about how, when we engage with the form of art rather than only its content, we touch something mythical; we feel the magic. It made me think a lot about simply being with art and letting it flow through you, rather than intellectualizing it, as tends to happen so often. Instead, we can celebrate art by being an observer and an absorber, taking in its feelings, its vibes, and its form.

This thread about form rather than content again puts me in the headspace of “context-form fit,” just as a different way of looking at things. It also ties into some of my ongoing ideas about “attention and will.”

I read and keep on feeling.