I think my mother may be becoming an atheist, advice?

[Pyrrho]

Sage advice.  Though I would go with some other choice for what to watch, you have hit upon the ecstatic truth.  But if she likes Hobbit films and Thai food, then it is also the accountant's truth.

I'm not a well-versed Herzogian - are you saying that proposing the Hobbit Trilogy possibly communicates the idea better than merely proposing the actual film that should be watched?

The "accountant's truth" is the literal, exact, pedantic truth.  (Think of numerical exactness and accuracy, the way you would want your accountant to keep your financial records, if you had an accountant keeping your financial records.)  The "ecstatic truth" is the truth understood generally or broadly.  In this instance, the idea of watching some movies with mom and having some good food with her is a good approach.  (Which is what Neimenovic proposed, though Neimenovic proposed specific types of food and film.)  Which is to say, that one need not press the issue of atheism, and one can do other, enjoyable things with mom.  The exact films selected and the type of food selected depends upon the tastes and interests of his mother, and, to a little lesser extent, his tastes and interests.  So Neimenovic proposed the ecstatic truth, even if Thai food and Hobbit films are wrong.  If those are exactly right, then it is also the accountant's truth.

In fact, it is still the ecstatic truth, even if his mother does not like films, and would rather go for a walk in the park.  The point is, Neimenovic suggested doing something other than trying to push atheism on the mother, and do something enjoyable instead.  That is the ecstatic truth.  His mother should take her time, and should enjoy other things in life while she is making up her mind.


With Herzog films, he strives for the ecstatic truth, rather than the accountant's truth.  Which is to say, he is interested in the overall feel and impression, rather than the precise details of the film.  And he is fine with violating the accountant's truth if it makes the ecstatic truth come through more clearly than it would with the accountant's truth.  Good fiction often strives for the ecstatic truth, even though it is, being fiction, not the accountant's truth (as it is fiction and therefore literally false).


You reveal in this yet more proof that you are really British and not German at all, given that some American has to teach you about a famous German director.  No one who is paying attention believes your silly story that you are really German.