Thinking back on Kant’s text, I wonder whether we may not envisage modernity rather as an attitude than as a period of history. And by “attitude,” I mean a mode of relating to contemporary reality; a voluntary choice made by certain people; in the end, a way of thinking and feeling; a way, too, of acting and behaving that at one and the same time marks a relation of belonging and presents itself as a task. (Michel Foucault, “What Is Enlightenment”)
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how do we relate to contemporary reality – what is contemporary reality – do you see what i see – do you hear what i hear
i hear nothing but jazz – no, f-stop – it stopped in light of the scrim of cat gut that got stuck in that wishbone she chucked – what was that cat thinking spewing like that – did she lose all her mittens to get so bent?
went downtown, meant to go uptown, but there is no down tempo on the metro so we all swoon to her beat which rolls us right-side damn city was built facing east and the roads buckle under her white powder turning to gel until it is a frozen heap.
did you get that swat team memo sent from base camp, otherwise know as home – cc to clergy, mother and your honey – what the hell, you threw the first snowball – not- a -fools- chance- in your hell -that THAT primal scream excused as thoracic release cleared your blue chakra – try some herbal tea, or something strong, you gonna need to loosen that tongue, you must have swallowed it after agreeing to his fifth and a rock glass made for two; we all have our limits on solitude – desperation paints silver lines over black raindrops that fall from your painted eyes.
i heard her sing ‘someday, when you’re feeling low (da ta da ta da) know someone loves you - but only in a song.
(Do not ask – I shall not tell – just a forward, backward, thinking stream dedicated to understanding reality for I truly believe that some do not live in this reality, but their reality — to that end, do we really have a society if no one can agree what is real? Perhaps Rousseau had it right – reflection is man’s worse enemy.)
one final whisper from her coven of trees under a moonlit stream gone frozen dreaming of summer wisteria drinking deeply from her rooted crown- ”watch for beasts that feed on souls reflecting on empty words drowning in hate” ~
peculiaritiesandreticences
/ 2013/02/27None of us share the same reality. The only commonalities in our experiences are what we’ve agreed to agree upon. The more we look at it (or for it), the more reality simply vanishes.
angela
/ 2013/02/27and if we never agree — how do we agree if we cannot trust what the other sees -
peculiaritiesandreticences
/ 2013/02/27Precisely!!!
That’s one of the problems with living with schizophrenia. other people don’t experience reality the way you do- they just keep telling you’re crazy and giving you pills or shots until you stop talking about your reality.
Some things none of us ever agree upon. The simple things, the basics, like “this is red-” we come to a cultural consensus- but that’s what it is, an agreement, not some Platonic ideal.
peculiaritiesandreticences
/ 2013/02/27(that’s self-evident when you hang around schizophrenics all day).
angela
/ 2013/02/27(ha! your perception is skewed for certain on a person’s reality and perception…line of work hazard.) til next time, stay ‘real’ ~ a
peculiaritiesandreticences
/ 2013/02/27But what is “real?!”
peculiaritiesandreticences
/ 2013/02/27The bottom line is that there is no direct experience of “reality-” if it even “exists” (whatever that means!) All there is is *perception* of reality, and perception is an actively constructed process that produces a heuristic, a thumbnail of what there is to be experienced. You can demonstrate that by changing your focus of attention to different things around you and your different senses. Your experience changes, thus, your reality changes.
SidevieW
/ 2013/02/28Reality is what you conceive of existing. We could be sharing a reality but describe it differently.
Modern is a moving target
angela
/ 2013/03/01You must be a student of philosophy…dig the comment. ~ a
SidevieW
/ 2013/03/01Once, long ago. Now I’m just a senior citizen whose brain does its own thing
Mark Kerstetter
/ 2013/03/01Reality is my fucking headache, for which I’m going to take 2 naproxen sodium (not a joke, I’m taking them now).
From an artistic viewpoint, I like some of the sentences in your stream of consciousness. As for the ideas, I think you ask an important question: “do we really have a society if no one can agree what is real?” I was thinking along a similar path today, and took down some notes that I planned to post, but don’t think it’ll happen tonight – maybe later this weekend. If I write the 2nd assignment, I’ll bring Flaubert and Rousseau together – the most interesting combination. So, setting aside your question for now, I’d like to say I’m glad you ended your stream the way you did, because all the philosophical debates about realities are so much bullshit in a mind consumed with hate, while love can bridge many differences.
P.S. sorry about the bad link to the film. I watched it in parts and am very glad I did. It’s a very good film:
angela
/ 2013/03/01Indebted to you for I was rather enjoying the film – besides, as mentioned on your blog, very much plodding through the book. Not in the mood to hear Madame go on and on and on — I wish to slap her and say “snap out of it!” life is not a romance novel, oy! Shall table watching library’s copy of Argo til tomorrow night and finish the film. It sounds rather terrible, but the minute Roth revealed she commits suicide, I became intrigued to finish…twisty, meh..
Interesting ~ had thought of Flaubert/Rousseau paper as well after listening to one of our lectures today. I, however, do not know Flaubert on a philosophical level – it remains to be seen if it gets done with work looming. I label both rather ‘stoic’ (used in more modern sense than philosophical) regarding their POV verses the masses.
bit worried about you – those pills sound dire, they are not a form of arsenic are they…?! be careful and take care ~ a
Susan Scheid
/ 2013/03/02I think this is an echo of what Mark S. said. I don’t think agreement on what reality is makes for a society–for one, we’d never reach a common view, not sure to do so even makes sense, except in the broadest strokes. Rather, it’s the willingness to abide by a common set of rules that allows a society/community to function.
umaanyar
/ 2013/03/08Reality is a tricky thing. It is eye opening and often rather funny to live in another culture’s reality. The Balinese people I know all believe in Black magic, past lives, go to traditional healers and smile a lot more then westerners or even other easteners even as they carry Iphones and Blackberrys like the rest of us. I have experienced things I would never have believed belonged in reality when I was living in The States. But it is common reality here on the Island of the Gods. I think reality is malleable and plastic in nature and it is a collective construction. So what the hell are we all doing here anyway if it is all up for grabs? If all interpretations are equally valid why are we fighting each other . When does war finally become obsolete?
angela
/ 2013/03/09Such wonderful questions, Uma. How many thousands upon thousands of miles separate us but I could feel the force of those words — why indeed, other than a simple answer that hinges on economics. As I study these philosophers, it reinforces one thing – I side with the radicals – those of contrarian nature who do not believe that society if oft headed in the wrong direction. Rousseau had it correct – the minute we fashioned a fence around a blade of grass and declared “Mine!” all was lost in the world. There is no equality when there are haves and have- nots.
Bali is a bit of paradise – how you make me wish to visit for the people sound divine. Do you think that they remain more grounded despite carrying technology because they have not rejected their traditions? I do not know the population of the island, but do wonder if the overall demographic is more homogeneous? (just did a quick Google – one thing is as expected, despite occupation by Dutch and later Japan, the culture has remained fairly intact, Hinduism being the prominent belief system. I agree with the ideology that religion is the backbone of all wars – that and money…)
enjoy paradise for me… ~ a