however long it gets
No matter how long a man lives, he can't be in advance of his times.The Man from Earth · 2007 — Chapter 10 of 18 · 2'35" · C1
John Says He Is Only Old, Explained: I never said
Someone presses John on a life of fourteen thousand years, then a gun. The talk has already said no man can live in advance of his times. "I never said I was immortal, just old." Under that sits a smaller fight: immortal is an added word, and the reply keeps only old, with death still possible.
What happens
The talk says no man can live in advance of his times. When the world learned the earth was round, you learned it, and news traveled slowly. Fourteen thousand years did not make a genius, only gave time. A clock's referent is another clock. Then a gun comes up. The reply keeps only old, and he might die.
Listen for
in advance ofpreconceptionsobjective referentoutside of time
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Phrase of the scene
I never said
that wording was yours, not mine
Asked whether a bullet would kill him, he uses I never said to drop immortal and keep only old.
I never said the client approved it, just that they read the draft.
Also in this scene
- in advance of
ahead of; further along than
- preconceptions
opinions already held beforehand
- objective referent
the real thing a sign points to
- outside of time
beyond time as people know it
- the rest of your incarcerated life
the remainder of a life spent locked up
Everything marked in this scene
31 notes across 52 lines
ahead of; further along than
Someone uses in advance of at the outset, before fourteen thousand years is mentioned, to set a flat rule: no life gets ahead of its own times.
No matter how long a man lives, he can't be in advance of his times.concessive clause: The lifespan can be endless and the limit still stands.
No matter how long a man lives, he can't be in advance of his times.Let the t in can't stay light so it does not stop before be.
No matter how long a man lives, he can't be in advance of his times.the most knowing people in that group Here race means humankind, not a contest.
He can't know more than the best of the race knows,comparative clause: The comparison is with everything the best people already know.
He can't know more than the best of the race knows,people in general came to know Here world means people, not the planet.
if that- I mean, when the world learned it was round, you learned it.took a while
It took some time.elaborate for its day — Fine in conversation; pick a plainer word in formal writing.
News traveled slowly before communications were fancy.barriers that come from society
There were social obstacles, preconceptions, screams from the church.turn me into a genius
Living 14,000 years didn't make me a genius.had time to do something
I just had time.Give the stress to each can't and keep the following verb lighter.
We can't see it, we can't hear it, we can't weigh it, we can't measure it in a laboratory.a feeling known only by experience
It's a subjective sense of becoming what we areregard time as
The Hopis see time as a landscape, existing before and behind us, and we move... we move through it,participle phrase: The landscape is already there, both ahead of us and behind.
The Hopis see time as a landscape, existing before and behind us, and we move... we move through it,be connected with someone
How very interesting. What has it got to do with John?in the form familiar to us
Oh, he- he might be a man who lives outside of time as we know it.relative clause: The clause defines which man: one whose life sits beyond familiar time.
Oh, he- he might be a man who lives outside of time as we know it.Ease of and as, and leave time easy to hear.
Oh, he- he might be a man who lives outside of time as we know it.habitually move about while armed
People do go around armed these days.merely old Just means merely, not recently.
I never said I was immortal, just old.everything still left of it
And then you could wonder the rest of your incarcerated life what you shot.a life spent locked up
And then you could wonder the rest of your incarcerated life what you shot.object clause: The thing wondered about is whatever the bullet hit.
And then you could wonder the rest of your incarcerated life what you shot.Carry the end of rest into of, and do not stress your.
And then you could wonder the rest of your incarcerated life what you shot.going too far — A mild rebuke among people who know each other, not for a boss.
Will, that was a bit much.the character one is born with
But there is always innate nature.how someone interpreted it
With the stars still in play, someone asks what primitive man would make of them, steering the talk toward meaning, not tools.
And what did primitive man make of them?wanted something to end
Have you ever wished it would end?lived through every one of them
You've survived them all.John Says He Is Only Old, explained
What's really going on
On the surface this is a talk about time. One line says, "No matter how long a man lives, he can't be in advance of his times." When the world learned the earth was round, you learned it. News traveled slowly, amid preconceptions and screams from the church. Fourteen thousand years did not make a genius; the next line offers only time. Someone says clocks measure themselves, then, "The objective referent of clock is another clock." A later line only guesses he might live outside of time as we know it, and that guess is not a conclusion drawn from the clock. People go around armed. A question addressed to John asks whether he is immortal and would survive a shot. The reply is "I never said I was immortal, just old." He might die. The next line leaves an incarcerated life for wondering what was shot. Asked if he has wished it would end, the answer is no, and he is called a very lucky man.
Theme
PhilosophyTime is treated as a landscape and a feeling of becoming, while a clock is said to measure only another clock.
IdentityThe reply "I never said I was immortal, just old" refuses one label and keeps a smaller one.
Listen for
- can't be in — Let the t in can't stay light so it does not stop before be.
- we can't measure — Give the stress to each can't and keep the following verb lighter.
- of time as — Ease of and as, and leave time easy to hear.
- rest of your — Carry the end of rest into of, and do not stress your.
No matter how long a man lives, he can't be in advance of his times.A long life still cannot get in advance of its own times. When the world learned the earth was round, a nearby line says you learned it. It took some time, and news traveled slowly.
Living 14,000 years didn't make me a genius.Fourteen thousand years are said not to create a genius. The following line offers only time: "I just had time."
The objective referent of clock is another clock.The line answers "Clocks measure time." The reply is that they measure themselves, and the referent named here is another clock.
I never said I was immortal, just old.It comes right after questions about being immortal and surviving a shot. The line refuses immortal and keeps only old.
And then you could wonder the rest of your incarcerated life what you shot.The one who fired would spend the rest of a life in prison wondering what was hit. The line before says "I might die."
Questions about this scene
Why does the reply stop at "just old"?
The lines just before are "If I shot you, John... You're immortal?" and "Would you survive this?" The answer is "I never said I was immortal, just old," and the next line is "I might die." Immortal is a word the reply will not own. Old is what stays, and death is left possible.
Does anyone promise he would survive a bullet?
No promise is made. "Would you survive this?" is followed by "I never said I was immortal, just old," then "I might die," then an incarcerated life spent wondering what was shot. Survival stays the question.
Why say a clock's referent is another clock?
Someone has just said clocks measure time. The reply is "No, they measure themselves," and then "The objective referent of clock is another clock." A later line guesses he might live outside of time as we know it. Both are spoken. The guess is not a conclusion drawn from the clock line.
Why bring up the round earth and the church?
They sit with the claim that a man can't be in advance of his times. When the world learned the earth was round, the line says you learned it. Then, "It took some time." News traveled slowly, and there were social obstacles, preconceptions, and screams from the church.
Did he wish the long life would end?
"Have you ever wished it would end?" is followed by "No." The next lines name fourteen thousand years, then injuries, illness, and disasters, then "You've survived them all." and "You're a very lucky man." The lines give the no and the luck, and they do not add a reason.
The Man from Earth · 18 chapters
All chapters →
Up next · Chapter 11survivor's guiltJohn on Dying and Survivor's Guilt
Chapter 1itchy feetJohn Gets Itchy Feet
Chapter 2itchy feetJohn Oldman's Farewell Toast
Chapter 3pan outJohn's Caveman Hypothetical
Chapter 4a day overNot a Day Over 900
Chapter 5just happenedI Just Happened, Not a Mission
Chapter 6You can't go home againJohn's Farewell Talk
Chapter 7almost wish it were trueNever Told the Buddha
Chapter 8no way to disproveNo Way to Disprove John's Story
Chapter 9So much forJohn's Caveman Claim Under Fire
Watching · Chapter 10I never saidJohn Says He Is Only Old
Chapter 11survivor's guiltJohn on Dying and Survivor's Guilt
Chapter 12on the ropesWill's Wife Just Died
Chapter 13a touch of senilityJohn Recalls Losing a Man in Brussels
Chapter 14no need of that hypothesisPressing John About the Bible
Chapter 15have something in mindJohn Implies He Was Jesus
Chapter 16the jury is still outSo You Were Jesus
Chapter 17If I said noJohn Won't Confirm He Was Jesus
Chapter 18chasing our tailsJohn's Story Is Called a HoaxChapter 10 of 18 · about 30 min to go