{"id":150558,"date":"2023-02-20T15:34:36","date_gmt":"2023-02-20T14:34:36","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.erasmusmagazine.nl\/en\/?p=150558"},"modified":"2025-12-19T11:26:39","modified_gmt":"2025-12-19T10:26:39","slug":"in-denkwolken-ruby-knipscheer-merges-poetry-and-philosophy","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.erasmusmagazine.nl\/en\/2023\/02\/20\/in-denkwolken-ruby-knipscheer-merges-poetry-and-philosophy\/","title":{"rendered":"In Denkwolken<\/em>, Ruby Knipscheer merges poetry and philosophy"},"content":{"rendered":"

Philosophy tutor Ruby Knipscheer has just published a poetry collection. The poems in Denkwolken<\/em> (\u2018Thought clouds\u2019) connect two important themes from Ruby\u2019s life: philosophy and poetry. This is her second book of poems, following Gedachtenstromen<\/em> (\u2018Streams of thoughts\u2019), which was published in 2015.<\/p>\n

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\n\t\n\n<\/svg>\n<\/span>\n\tImage by:<\/span>\n\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tThanh Nguyen<\/a>\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>

Philosophical skills<\/h2>\n\t
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\n\t\t\u2018I don\u2019t want anyone to ever tell me what I have to learn\u2019\n\t<\/blockquote>\n\n\t<\/figure>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n

While enjoying an ice tea at the Paviljoen, Ruby talks about her development as a philosopher. \u201cThe first bit of philosophy I encountered was the book 1984 <\/em>by George Orwell. When I read it, I thought: I want to do something with this, because I don\u2019t want anyone to ever tell me what I have to learn or think. I want to always keep thinking critically, for myself.\u201d That critical attitude has stuck with Ruby over the years.<\/p>\n

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\n\t\n\n<\/svg>\n<\/span>\n\tImage by:<\/span>\n\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tThanh Nguyen<\/a>\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>

According to her, the philosophy education at EUR has shifted more towards the practical side in recent years. She feels this approach is a good one: \u201cI see philosophy as a collection of skills such as close reading and building an argument.\u201d Ruby tries to instil those skills in students through her teaching. In doing so, she tries to teach people to think outside their own \u2018box\u2019. \u201cEveryone should have philosophical skills in order to be a good citizen \u2013 for instance, looking at the world from another person\u2019s perspective and having real conversations instead of debates.\u201d<\/p>\n

Two collections<\/h2>

For Ruby, writing poetry has been a part of her life for years. \u201cI never used to talk about the things that were bothering me, but poetry was always an outlet for me. When I started uni, I suddenly noticed that I already had volumes full of poetry.\u201d In 2015, she decided to send a selection of her best works to publishers for feedback. Much to her surprise, the publishing house Boekscout was immediately willing to publish a collection. \u201cThat was something I hadn\u2019t expected. When I sent the poems off for feedback, I hadn\u2019t told anyone about it. So when my first book Gedachtenstromen <\/em>was published, it came as a big surprise to everyone.\u201d<\/p>\n\t

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Gedicht Democratie<\/u><\/p>\n

Democratie lijkt een zege.
\nWaarom gaat het dan toch steeds mis?
\nMisschien omdat er recht is
\nom een ieder te horen,
\nterwijl naar elkaar luisteren
\nnog steeds geen plicht is.<\/p>\n

Denkwolken (Uitgeverij Boekscout)<\/em><\/p>\n\n\t<\/div>\n

While Ruby\u2019s poems deal with personal emotions and experiences, to a large extent, they are also about how she views society. She expresses criticism of what she sees and offers ideas on how to treat each other differently. \u201cTo me, it\u2019s quite simple: if \u00a0people paid attention to what someone else is saying and truly listen, rather than just worrying about being right, it would solve so many of our problems.\u201d Her philosophical skills are on display in the poems as well. \u201cThese days, you see that people on social media have so many opinions, but since they don\u2019t offer any arguments to support their views, I don\u2019t consider them \u2018real\u2019 opinions.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\t

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\n\t\t\u2018You literally become an open book; everyone knows what you are feeling and what you think\u2019\n\t<\/blockquote>\n\n\t<\/figure>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n

Following the success of her first book of poems, Ruby is now publishing a second collection. Initially, she wasn\u2019t sure whether she wanted to do it: \u201cIt\u2019s an incredibly personal thing and you literally become an open book; everyone knows what you are feeling and thinking. But in the end, I think I have something worthwhile to say.\u201d She had already put together a large portion of the poems back in 2015; the rest were added in the past seven years. So how do the two books differ from one another? \u201cThis one is thicker\u201d, she says with typical Rotterdam practicality. She adds: \u201cBoth collections are about ideas I want to disseminate, yet I\u2019m prouder of the second one, because I can tell that I\u2019ve been able to shape my ideas more effectively thanks to my degree programme. Actually, they are the same \u2013 except one was written by young Ruby and the other by old Ruby.\u201d<\/p>\n\t

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Gedicht Handboek voor Rotterdammers<\/u><\/p>\n

Sta vastbesloten op je standpunt,
\nlaat je niet meevoeren met de wind.
\nWees zo hard als een volwassene,
\nmet de onbevangenheid van een kind.<\/p>\n

Spreek luid en duidelijk en plak
\nachter sommige woorden eens een T,
\nwees niet bang voor de waarheid
\nen neem alle gratis dingen mee.<\/p>\n

Zie de waarde in een ander net als
\ndat je weet waar je zelf voor staat.
\nKijk eens ontroerd naar de gebouwen
\nen sta voor je medemens paraat.<\/p>\n

Wees niet bang om hard te werken,
\nmaar klaag wel lekker steen en been.
\nLaat zien dat je overal voor moet vechten
\nen doe niet lullig over Feyenoord 1.<\/p>\n

Voel je absoluut niet meer dan wat je bent,
\nwees jezelf, want dan ben je al gek genoeg.
\nGeniet van een lekker bakkie pleur
\nof drink een biertje met Arie in de kroeg.<\/p>\n

Rotterdammers weten wie ze zijn,
\nkennen hun taak en waarvoor ze het doen.
\nRotterdammers zijn niet snel tevreden,
\nmaar lullen vol passie over een oude schoen.<\/p>\n

Zeg wat je over ons wilt, het doet ons niets,
\nwe springen net als onze stad in het oog.
\nLul jij maar verder over Rotterdammers,
\nwe doen niet onder voor een filosoof.<\/p>\n

Denkwolken (Uitgeverij Boekscout)<\/em><\/p>\n\n\t<\/div>\n\n\t

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Read more<\/h2>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t