How to Change the World
The Problem:
These have been co-opted: creation of meaning, notions of progress, consciousness, ethics.
This idea of humans having essential natures and inherent characteristics, abilities, restraints and limitations—the thing is to imagine we are formless and free from a nature of being—throwing off those chains.
[The constant interplay between ideas (mental) and matter (material) determines how we perceive ourselves, the world, and ourselves in that world. To know the importance of that interplay—first, recognize that it is indeed occurring and then use knowledge of the interplay to force the world to reflect our most idealistic naïve dreams.]
The Trouble of holding two ideas in the head at once:
1) I live in an unjust, undemocratic, unequal, oppressive, violent, alienating (etc.) world.
2) That we (humans) are not inherently unjust, oppressive (etc.) creatures (although we may be confirmed in the world this way).
How not to fall into desperation when, in our estrangement, we think we see in others all that's wrong in the world. To see us all as pure—light maybe—untainted and no matter the constraints, always free.
[All this is simplistically assuming a sort of universal human regardless of class race sex etc. Just go with me—there is no fundamental contradiction between individual and communal interests. Okay.]
So we think big—big as in the systems that organize our consciousness. I’m talking capitalism; philosophies of progress/purpose/individualism, false democracies, systematic oppression/war/aggression; corporate medias, propaganda; moralist rhetoric/coercion; etc.
And it’s so hard—we expect hopelessness, despair. We mistake differences in ideology, culture, class, race, gender (etc.) as unbridgeable. We see it all and retreat. We get past this hopelessness? Some options:
tomato throwing, etc.
demanding free access to information on all fronts (and that it be untainted by special interests)
believing that ideas/ideals of justice freedom equality are rational and real
everything centered in concern for human beings (all of them)
Is it naivety? I don’t know—yes. All I’m saying is let’s reclaim what’s been co-opted—mentally, morally, economically, culturally. I’m serious—okay.
The Problem:
These have been co-opted: creation of meaning, notions of progress, consciousness, ethics.
This idea of humans having essential natures and inherent characteristics, abilities, restraints and limitations—the thing is to imagine we are formless and free from a nature of being—throwing off those chains.
[The constant interplay between ideas (mental) and matter (material) determines how we perceive ourselves, the world, and ourselves in that world. To know the importance of that interplay—first, recognize that it is indeed occurring and then use knowledge of the interplay to force the world to reflect our most idealistic naïve dreams.]
The Trouble of holding two ideas in the head at once:
1) I live in an unjust, undemocratic, unequal, oppressive, violent, alienating (etc.) world.
2) That we (humans) are not inherently unjust, oppressive (etc.) creatures (although we may be confirmed in the world this way).
How not to fall into desperation when, in our estrangement, we think we see in others all that's wrong in the world. To see us all as pure—light maybe—untainted and no matter the constraints, always free.
[All this is simplistically assuming a sort of universal human regardless of class race sex etc. Just go with me—there is no fundamental contradiction between individual and communal interests. Okay.]
So we think big—big as in the systems that organize our consciousness. I’m talking capitalism; philosophies of progress/purpose/individualism, false democracies, systematic oppression/war/aggression; corporate medias, propaganda; moralist rhetoric/coercion; etc.
And it’s so hard—we expect hopelessness, despair. We mistake differences in ideology, culture, class, race, gender (etc.) as unbridgeable. We see it all and retreat. We get past this hopelessness? Some options:
tomato throwing, etc.
demanding free access to information on all fronts (and that it be untainted by special interests)
believing that ideas/ideals of justice freedom equality are rational and real
everything centered in concern for human beings (all of them)
Is it naivety? I don’t know—yes. All I’m saying is let’s reclaim what’s been co-opted—mentally, morally, economically, culturally. I’m serious—okay.
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
Subscribe to Post Comments [Atom]
<< Home