Monday, April 27, 2020

On the Space Between Appearances & Reality, Time & History, Subject & Object

The following mess is what results if I disable the filter and just let it rip, without thinking about whether it makes any sense to the reader.

I'm going to start with a quote from Thomistic Psychology, which provoked the whole fiasco:

Subject and object must in some manner be related if we are not to lose our grip on reality. Related they certainly are.... But separated, too, they must be, if existence in the intentional order is different from existence in the real order.

On the one hand, everything is what it is. On the other, nothing is what it appears to be. There is reality; and there are appearances. However, we only ever experience the former in terms of the latter. Animals too only have contact with appearances, except they don't know it. Nor do they not know it. Rather, they only know what they know, in a closed neuro-instinctual loop.

How did human beings ever exit this loop? Some people insist we never did. If that's the case, how do they communicate the idea to us?

In any event, it seems -- no, it is the case -- that there is a kind of breach or crack in the cosmos, and that this crack is everything. We can't deny it without reverting to animality, but nor can we ever fill it without exiting humanness from the other end. Supposing we manage to escape, we don't become better than human, rather, like a human only worse. This is, for example, what ideologues do, i.e., imagine a world unfit for humans.

Now, this crack in the cosmic egg is both spatial and temporal. This latter is what we call "history," and here again, it's not something we can ever stop, or from which we can ever disembark. Except when we can, in which case we are also plunged into a world in which everything is what it is -- the world alluded to in paragraph one, prior to the real world where nothing is what it appears to be.

That real human world is full of irony, not to mention humor, ambiguity, and play. Which is why ideologues are never funny, and why late night comedy has become so unfunny. You can't be an ideologue and a comedian at the same time. In North Korea you can't make fun of Kim Jong Un, nor in Iran ridicule the mullahs.

You might think things are different here in the U.S., since our late night ideologues constantly ridicule the president and his supporters. But they aren't permitted to laugh at or even point out the absurdity of figures such as Nancy Pelosi, Adam Schiff, Joe Biden, Jerry Nadler, Al Gore, etc.

Back to history. There is the historical stream into which we are born, and our own personal/developmental history situated within it: wheels within wheels. Let's call the first (H), the second (h). Now, one of the most fascinating things about (H) is how easily it can be distorted by (h) due to emotional, cognitive, and spiritual pathologies of various kinds.

I was reminded of this when bashing out the previous post, with reference to a book called The Matrix of the Mind, which I read back in grad school in 1987 or so. It made a big impression on me at the time, but I wonder how it squares with my current, more traditional approach to things? Can it be translated to my current language?

Recall from the previous post that the defense mechanisms of splitting and projection are rooted in an imaginary distancing of the self from a feared or despised intrapsychic object or feeling state. Ogden writes that "splitting creates a state of mind in which there is no 'in between.' A plane has two faces and two faces only; an observer can never see both sides at once."

So, in this polarized state of mind, it is as if half the world disappears; or, as if we were to look at the moon and forget it has a dark side we can't see. Again, it is reduced to the world of mere Is, as we withdraw from the second world in which we understand that nothing is what it appears to be.

Example. Let's say you have a patient with borderline personality disorder -- or a coworker, spouse, or other relative. "When a borderline patient feels angry and disappointed by the therapist, he feels that he has now discovered the truth.... History is completely rewritten.... There is an assault on the emotional history of the object relationship. The present is projected backward and forward, thus creating a static, eternal, non reflective present."

This especially happens when the mind is overcome by primitive hatred. I'll spare you the tedium, but I could cite hundreds of examples of how Trump Derangement causes its victim to distort past and future by projecting the explosive hatred forward and back.

Okay, one example: Ms. Ocrazio says the U.S. is a brutal, barbarian society for the vast majority of working-class Americans. How did she find herself in this parallel universe? Clearly, she didn't think her way there. So, what was the mode of travel? Easy: uncontainable rage exploding out from the moment into the past and future -- like a frustrated three year old who suddenly hates his parents, now and forever.

They say history was discovered by the Jews, and I think I know why. It's because they formed an ongoing relationship with the one transcendent God, whether or not they were frustrated, angry, disappointed, etc. Of course, the OT documents the struggle to maintain the relationship instead of running to another god at the first sign of trouble. In short, in order to enter history, humans had to stop splitting off their various emotional states and projecting them into imaginary gods for comfort and safety.

The same process occurs, by the way, in Christianity. Think of the day after the Crucifixion. How does one reconcile the idea that the Kingdom of God is at hand and that Jesus is the messiah, when the messiah has just endured a brutal death at the hands of the state? It would be very easy to split, both literally and figuratively, as did the two figures the resurrected Jesus encounters on the road to Emmaus.

Among other things, they must have been discussing What That Was All About -- how they had been taken in by the excitement surrounding this charismatic figure, only to have all hope dashed. But Jesus proceeds to give a discourse on all the various scriptures concerning himself, and then,

When he was at the table with them, he took bread, gave thanks, broke it and began to give it to them. Then their eyes were opened and they recognized him, and he disappeared from their sight.

At that point, the travelers heal the split, and this integration allows them to return not just to history, but to a deeper time that touches on the meaning and vector of (H) itself. Again, their momentary grief and despair are integrated into a much higher unity -- a reflection of how the ancient Jews, beginning with Abraham, did the same thing (for example, reconciling the demanded sacrifice of Isaac with a loving deity; it would have been easy to simply flee such a request and run away from God).

12 comments:

Anonymous said...

The birds they sang
At the break of day
Start again
I heard them say
Don't dwell on what
Has passed away
Or what is yet to be
Yeah the wars they will
Be fought again
The holy dove
She will be caught again
Bought and sold
And bought again
The dove is never free

Ring the bells (ring the bells) that still can ring
Forget your perfect offering
There is a crack in everything (there is a crack in everything)
That's how the light gets in

Van Harvey said...

... Will?

julie said...

"When a borderline patient feels angry and disappointed by the therapist, he feels that he has now discovered the truth.... History is completely rewritten....

it's like one of those chemical reactions where the liquid goes from solid black to clear (or vice versa), seemingly instantaneously.

julie said...

Okay, one example: Ms. Ocrazio says the U.S. is a brutal, barbarian society for the vast majority of working-class Americans.

One of the things I find maddening about the current state of the world is the way in which people are constantly intoning that jobs being lost will never come back. Paired with AOC's condemnation of work, it starts to seem like certain people just want the world to be on the dole for perpetuity. As long as there are people in America willing and able to work and improve their lot in life, and as long as the government can be restrained from turning us into a socialist hellhole, even though things may be different in certain fundamentals, the only capital that matters - humans, and the things they do to provide for themselves and their families - has not been lost, it has merely been constrained for a time.


At that point, the travelers heal the split, and this integration allows them to return not just to history, but to a deeper time that touches on the meaning and vector of (H) itself.

The older I get, the more (H) and (h) seem to be a process of being broken, literally and figuratively, and being put back together again. If we're fortunate, we can find the Healer's guiding hand in the process and take some measure of comfort that somehow, this too can be for our good if we let it. Instead of the sewer, we have the Sew-er.

Anonymous said...

In your very sharp post you wrote Democrats aren't permitted to laugh at or even point out the absurdity of figures such as Nancy Pelosi, Adam Schiff, Joe Biden, Jerry Nadler, Al Gore, etc.

I can tell you this isn't the case. Democrats do poke fun at all of the listed characters and more. We just don't often do it where Republican eyes and ears can see and hear.

Pelosi gets razzed a lot for being hairy and malodorous. However she is admired and complimented for calling for a Basic Universal Income. Pelosi is cutting edge, a world-beater, a legend among women of power.

Gore tells terrible jokes, and we aren't afraid to say so about this revered environmental prophet, a giant among men.

On the other hand, Republicans are FORBIDDEN to poke fun at Trump and in this regard they are very strict. The consequences of breaking this unwritten law are dire, including being labeled a kuck.

This is why no Republican EVER mentions or acknowledges the orange pigment the President applies to his face.

It is just no spoken of. What exactly is the product? A lotion, a paste, a spray? What is the orange pigment for? Why does he put it on? Why don't his friends tell the President the orange pigment does not look good sometimes?

Let's not be having any double standards. The Neocon rank and file are every bit as lost and deluded as the Progressive rabble.

Diehard Democrat said...

Speaking of Nancy Pelosi, Adam Schiff, Joe Biden, Jerry Nadler, Al Gore, etc., as Anonymous @4/27/2020 05:57:00 PM may have noted, it depends on the Democrat.

I personally, would enjoy a bit of quiet chocolate time with The Nancy, if you know what I mean. I kinda like the fancy old stuff. Be one helluva joyride, with much giggling and joyful squealing, like she hasn't had in years.

I hear that Uncle Joe enjoys having fellow Democrats sit on his lap to pull his finger. Or him on yours. I really don't really think he knows the difference anymore but we need to keep that part a secret. Or maybe pretend it's a secret I dunno. Sorta like the way Republicans keep the crazy stupid parts of Trump a pretend secret.

So then there's Adam Schiff, who many Democrats wish was their dad. Along with Jerry Nadler. Both at the same time.

Al Gore just wants fellow Dems to visit him at his waterfront estate, so he can show off his collection of climate change gulag dioramas. Such big plans he has for the rest of us. Hah. Ahaha. Bwahahahahahahahahahaha! (*snork*)

Anonymous said...

Hey All:

What are your thoughts on when we should lift the social distancing restrictions and reopen for business as usual?

I like May 5th as the target in my state.

Diehard Democrat, I'm with you. I've been down to see Al Gore at his estate, and I've seen the dioramas and heard the plans. I like it. I like it all.

Three words: Basic Universal Income. Chant that over and over and over. That is the mantra that will propel our species to the next level.

Lastly, I'm looking for good new shows to watch on TV, Netflix. HBO, Prime, etc. Any ideas?
I like well made dramas and series.

Anonymous said...

The main ballyhoo bethwarting a Basic Universal Income is cost of living.

Theoretically, the rich pay for the wee pofolks to have enough money to be able to buy the trinkets made by rich-owned corporations, which then keeps the wee pofolks alive while maintaining all the richness. It's a sortof money engine, money going round and round, which I believe is what an economy really is.

But what if the rich own all the stuff that makes the cost of living, the cost of living?

That's right. Eventually, meaning soon enough, likely sooner than later, the wee pofolks, being all stupid and silly will spend all their money on cost of living. And then the rich aren't selling very many trinkets anymore. After a period of misery the rich simply cant take it anymore and they revolt. Typically, they mass their forces and invade the land of the wee pofolks with their limousines, furs and purse dogs, and wreak havoc.

So after having everything destroyed what do the wee pofolks have now? That's right. They have nothing. So BUI (or UBI, sometimes IUB), only causes much pain and suffering. It's a bad idea. Just ask any lobbyist.

Anonymous said...

As for new shoes for watching on TV, Netflix, HBO, Prime, etc, some ideas...

I'd advise Keds, which are pretty comfortable. But Nike's are the old standby. As you know, these poorly-built but well-advertised footwear keep many third world women and children employed who would otherwise get invaded by rich people well-armed with purse dogs. Not to mention, Michael Jordan needs to be achieving sainthood about now. Space Jam is probably the best movie of all time, which I've seen hundreds of times, so I'd advise buying several copies for yourself and many more for your friends. One to be watched and others suitable for framing.

Speaking of the K Street Project, an excellent social networking tool for corporate cronies and their Republican (and eventually Democrat) henchmen, before Facebook ruined it all, I do believe that they've conspired to make Nike's quite affordable for all. There are even plans to provide a free matching facemask with your new pair, for only more 40 more dollars (since they haven't figured out a way to mandate it yet). So what's holding you back?

Anonymous said...

Hello Anonymous:

Enjoyed your comments, always something in those I can relate to, and may I say you have a good writing style.

-Regarding the Basic Universal Income, we are standardizing the acronym as "BUI," pronounced "buoy" as it will "buoy up" the financially drowning. Use this acronym and no other henceforth.

-The BUI This is critical right now. The stimulus checks are just the start of what will become a pervasive and ongoing feature of our world.

-Rich people may or may not like the BUI, that is not important anymore. The rich will be able no longer to starve the poor; the poor will be sheltered and succored by the BUI and in fact they will be poor no longer, as the BUI will afford a pretty decent living.

-The fact is our essential industries are, and have been for a long time, sufficient to provide for all efficiently without more than 50-60% of the population working. The rest will be on indefinite furlough. The government will exercise the right to call up and conscript users of the BUI for special projects, such as drafting personnel for national projects or for defense. The BUI will not come without some strings attached.

-The misguided attempt to keep every last swinging dick working has resulted in a massive pile of non-essential industries which are wasteful and morally bankrupt. Telemarketers blow up our phones 24/7. Time for all that to go. Furlough all of these souls with a BUI and they won't have to jump through burning hoops to get their share of the plentiful food and other goods our society churns out with splendid efficacy.

No more weepofolks, anonymous. Dignified people with a BUI, that's what we will have. And these, unless they are lazy, may very well find some way to be essential. The asteroid belt is loaded with gold, and that shit will not mine itself.

Tootles, Carla

Anonymous said...

Show wise, I'm watching as series called "You" on Netflix. The protagonist is an intelligent and likeable sociopath. Just the kind of guy you have been warning us about. See what he does to Benjie, a romantic rival. See how he can't seem to close the deal with a woman. It is painful, a real train-wreck.

Shoe wise, I've decided that Skechers are the go-to for right now, although Keds get a nod, and Nike are a reasonable option. I would call the footwear business an essential industry.

Anonymous said...

Another option I've considered is liquifying the dead to intravenously feed the living while they live out their lives inside a life sustaining dream world capsule, but I keep getting told that's already been considered. Sometimes I think I'm a bit behind the times.

I like the idea of conscripting the BUI people to do infrastructure, national defense, and deep space mining work. They would be told this in advance if they decided to sign up. There's no such thing as a free lunch. This is just an attempt to keep diseased pofolks from destroying everything in their path, all corpsy zombielike.

Of course wee pofolks cannot ever be conservatives. As we all know, it's physically impossible. Most conservatives wish the wee pofolks would just go away quietly and die in some way acceptable for them. It's a form of tough love ya know. And then being leftists they'll go straight to hell for a bit more tough love. Such is life. Our God may be a loving god, but he's also one tough sumbitch. But mine is not to judge gods.

I just want to avoid zombie apocalypses. I'd rather have the real Apocalypse, with much gnashing of teeth. Zombies don't even know they have teeth. Where's the tough love fun in that?

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