The country was utterly taken with Forrest Gump--"Stupid is as stupid does," he says. Wisdom without elitism. Over the last generation education has been under assault, not only from various special interests, but conceptually and ideologically. Pink Floyd's "The Wall," "We don't need no Education!" Movies that romanticize ignorance, politicians incapable of eloquence, and pundits who regularly vilify the "educational elite," are examples. I see the names of young people's musical bands, "Supernothing," "What?!" and "Dumb it Down." I ask myself, what is really under attack? Is it the perception that intelligence, skill, and education are not to be trusted? Or, is it that people with educations are not to be trusted? Or, even more insidious, is it an effort to discredit anyone with an education by forces with ulterior motives--conscious or not?
Watching the news I see story after story where wealthy and/or powerful interests are busy protecting themselves from the fallout of a poor or predatory decision by attacking the veracity of the critics, often using propaganda that vilifies the informers as elitist or self-serving (see any story covering environmental issues, for example).
Where does this leave us as a country and a society? If we constantly attack our educated people, vilify eloquent speakers and politicians, alienate the average citizen with the erroneous claims, and make education more and more difficult to obtain, then are we collectively choosing a path that cannot end well.
We have to ask ourselves as we complain about the environment, the economy, politics, crime, etc., how does ignorance serve us? Schools are becoming more expensive--and therefore more elitist by definition. Competition and punitive elements have become the norm in struggling populations--attack the teachers if students are not performing up to "standards," rather than recognize the challenges and address them effectively. We have created a culture that says I must "lottery" my way into a good education. We make luck and wealth the prerequisites for a valuable place in society. In short, we are becoming crabs-in-a-bucket, scrambling over the backs of our friends and neighbors in an effort gain advantage--ultimately pulling everyone down.
And again, we must ask ourselves, "Who does this serve? Who benefits when we are ignorant, uninformed, and fighting ourselves? Who?"
Sunday, November 14, 2010
Tuesday, October 26, 2010
Expect Something Better
I was in the little coffee shop I go to in the morning before work the other day and noticed a wall of children's artwork. One thing stood out for me--every picture was the same image colored by different children. When I saw this, my heart sank a little bit and I commented to the barrista that I wanted to see something other than coloring between the lines, something original and creative.
Ah well, that was obviously the wrong thing to say on this blustery Tuesday morning. I won't go into the argument that followed (very civil, of course). The up shot was, "don't expect so much, they're just kids."
Needless to say, my soul shrunk just a bit that morning. I thought of all the children in the world encouraged to "expect less of themselves," of the adults overwhelmed with life and responsibility to the point where a clean piece of paper, paints, crayons, and other supplies, is too much. Then I wondered what are we really teaching our kids? Isn't it true that we most often teach what we know? And, if this conversation is reflective of the world, then are we not in dire straights when we begin defending mediocrity and "something less?"
Certainly, children play with coloring books, figuring out how to color inside (and outside) the lines. They learn skills, sense of color, how to recognize shapes and the idea of shape, and the discipline to sit and create. This is good! I am in no way questioning the place in child development for coloring books and the like. However, in the realm learning to be creative beings, what do we really want to encourage with our displays?
For me, the outrageous meanderings of a burgeoning mind is just so much more interesting--especially in a child!
Ah well, that was obviously the wrong thing to say on this blustery Tuesday morning. I won't go into the argument that followed (very civil, of course). The up shot was, "don't expect so much, they're just kids."
Needless to say, my soul shrunk just a bit that morning. I thought of all the children in the world encouraged to "expect less of themselves," of the adults overwhelmed with life and responsibility to the point where a clean piece of paper, paints, crayons, and other supplies, is too much. Then I wondered what are we really teaching our kids? Isn't it true that we most often teach what we know? And, if this conversation is reflective of the world, then are we not in dire straights when we begin defending mediocrity and "something less?"
Certainly, children play with coloring books, figuring out how to color inside (and outside) the lines. They learn skills, sense of color, how to recognize shapes and the idea of shape, and the discipline to sit and create. This is good! I am in no way questioning the place in child development for coloring books and the like. However, in the realm learning to be creative beings, what do we really want to encourage with our displays?
For me, the outrageous meanderings of a burgeoning mind is just so much more interesting--especially in a child!
Thursday, September 2, 2010
BLESSINGS AND CURSES
ON THE
JOURNEY OF MANHOOD
Saturday & Sunday October 23 & 24, 2010
A two-day Men's Psychodramatic event
Incorporating myth, poetry, storytelling and
dramatic participation.
Led by Ben Dennis PhD and Ron Hogan MA.
“Then she asked him if he would rather take a small cake with her blessing to eat on his journey, or a large cake with her curse?”
In this experiential workshop we will weave the timeless oral tradition of myth and story with the modern therapeutic process of Psychodrama to explore the archetypal themes of Blessings, Curses, and the
Journey of Manhood in our Everyday World.
What has made you the man you are?
How can you become the man you want to be?
Please join us in this exploration as we challenge and nurture each other as men.
Date: October 23-24 Sat 9am to ~9pm, Sun 9am to ~3pm
(Meal breaks are on your own)
Place: 3414 Fremont Ave N, Suite D, (Fremont district) Seattle, WA.
Cost $150 ($120 if prepay by September 30. Scholarships available)
Contact:
Ben Dennis (206) 940.1773
btdennis@comcast.net
Ron Hogan (206) 782.1471
innergies@earthlink.net
Benjamin Dennis, PhD Mythology and Depth Psychology, is a scholar and ritual practitioner who incorporates a love of myth, fairytale, and the oral traditions with rituals of transformation and healing. He has participated in both local and international psychodramatic events. For the last 18 years Ben has been active in men’s work and has led and participated in rites-of-passage, traditional ceremony, and ritual process.
Ron Hogan, MA Counseling, has been co-leading weekly therapy groups and weekend intensives for the last 20 years. He is a nationally Certified Psychodramatist specializing in action/experiential, body-integrative, and energy psychology approaches to healing. His work is informed by his life-long exploration of psycho-spiritual systems and processes, 35 years as a licensed massage practitioner, and personal involvement in men's work since 1989.
ON THE
JOURNEY OF MANHOOD
Saturday & Sunday October 23 & 24, 2010
A two-day Men's Psychodramatic event
Incorporating myth, poetry, storytelling and
dramatic participation.
Led by Ben Dennis PhD and Ron Hogan MA.
“Then she asked him if he would rather take a small cake with her blessing to eat on his journey, or a large cake with her curse?”
In this experiential workshop we will weave the timeless oral tradition of myth and story with the modern therapeutic process of Psychodrama to explore the archetypal themes of Blessings, Curses, and the
Journey of Manhood in our Everyday World.
What has made you the man you are?
How can you become the man you want to be?
Please join us in this exploration as we challenge and nurture each other as men.
Date: October 23-24 Sat 9am to ~9pm, Sun 9am to ~3pm
(Meal breaks are on your own)
Place: 3414 Fremont Ave N, Suite D, (Fremont district) Seattle, WA.
Cost $150 ($120 if prepay by September 30. Scholarships available)
Contact:
Ben Dennis (206) 940.1773
btdennis@comcast.net
Ron Hogan (206) 782.1471
innergies@earthlink.net
Benjamin Dennis, PhD Mythology and Depth Psychology, is a scholar and ritual practitioner who incorporates a love of myth, fairytale, and the oral traditions with rituals of transformation and healing. He has participated in both local and international psychodramatic events. For the last 18 years Ben has been active in men’s work and has led and participated in rites-of-passage, traditional ceremony, and ritual process.
Ron Hogan, MA Counseling, has been co-leading weekly therapy groups and weekend intensives for the last 20 years. He is a nationally Certified Psychodramatist specializing in action/experiential, body-integrative, and energy psychology approaches to healing. His work is informed by his life-long exploration of psycho-spiritual systems and processes, 35 years as a licensed massage practitioner, and personal involvement in men's work since 1989.
Tuesday, August 24, 2010
Family Politics
Following is an exchange between myself and my brother over a couple of inflammatory viral emails that have been making the rounds--it is not surprising that they arrive during the run-up to the current elections. The viral emails concerned themselves with upcoming Federal Tax Legislation and were, by my simple research, heavy in propaganda and light on accuracy, but very frightening given the financial condition many Americans are currently experiencing. Certainly, the issues need close scrutiny. But, as I hope the exchange with my brother will reveal, accurate understanding and effective action are called for.
What is even more interesting to me is the tone of our communication. Families, communities, and friendships are being destroyed by the polarization that is infecting our political discourse. We no longer discuss issues--we do battle over ideology. As we war over our rabidly held ideals, we suffer and rob ourselves of the rich opportunity to bring to bear our incredibly vital imaginations to address the tide of problems we face in the world today.
Gone are the arts of debate and inquiry. They are replaced with shock-jock tactics and a whole pundits practicing the fine arts of verbal devastation--Sun Tsu would be proud--but with a wholly inscrutable agenda! For I do not for one second believe it is a struggle for the "soul of America." At least not as claimed by the talking heads spewing from our televisions and radios. No, it is something else. And, if we don't begin to work together at the level of home and neighborhood, we will all discover that while we were wrestling in the mud outside the chicken house, the horses, cows, corn, and carrots were all stolen! (sorry for the heavy handed metaphors).
Anyway, here is how my brother and I did it--and continue to do it. And yes, we differ in our political outlooks...
Benjamin Dennis wrote:
I did a bit of research on the statements. Most are erroneous or misleading. Some I couldn't find much info on. In short. The email seems long on fear and short on facts.
With the current budget crisis, there is certainly going to be changes. What they will be, I don't rightly know. How we got here, however, is rarely spoken about. From what little I am aware of, it is those whose hands got caught in the cookie jar making the loudest noise. Years of deregulation and lack of oversight allowed greed and lack of responsibility to take over what good sense there once was. I find this kind of email disturbing‹mostly because they cloud the issues and offer inaccurate information. That makes it extremely difficulty to trust anything that is said. If I am lied to by someone (omission or commission), then when they do speak the truth, it is likely lost on me. I don't trust any one group over another. And, given the tone of this sort of email, I am convince once again that those with an agenda will say anything to get a reaction. The sad thing is that when there are actual issues at stake, people like me will not hear the message because we have been fed lies and half truths too many times to listen. Remember the story of the "boy who cried wolf?"
In the future, I would rather see something accurately researched and verified--even by the simplest of criteria--before it is sent out. To date, I have yet to see this kind of email contain substantively accurate information.
For example, 10-minutes on Snopes.com refuted most of what was said here. Certainly not the best source in the world, but at least they cite their material and provide links directly to the legislation being referenced.
Thanks, Ben
Brother wrote:
Not looking for an argument here. Just passing along something that looked interesting. I guess we will see when we do next years taxes.
That said whats bothering me about all this is the root of all this. Without getting lost in the minute details of every little debate what I see is this. Liberalism is so much more than just politics. It's a philosophy that when run to it's extreme leads to socialism, apathy, and a lack of personal accountability where our actions and efforts will not reap rewords or punishment. At this extreme it is a lie that promises cures for all our social ills but delivers chaos. It promises enlightenment but removes our freedom and responsibility to do and think for ourselves. It also removes the consequences of being evil, wrong, lazy, or uneducated, or the need to be. People really do need to have this challenge to survive and they really do need to see and feel benefit or pain from their individual efforts and choices.
Conservatism is more a political method that when at it's extreme would lead to anarchy where our nature (good and bad) would rule the day. neither extreme is a good thing. To me the pendulum in this country has swung precariously to the left and much much more so in the last couple of years. One thing that seems so evident to me is that the rule of nature is at least much more natural. In that world having a strong work ethic and some wits would be a requirement for survival.
Socialism failed in Russia and other countries because of the apathy of it's people. There wasn't reason for anyone to be ambitious, work hard or think for themselves. There wasn't cause and effect at a personal human level for them (a basic human need in my book) This ultimately lead to economic breakdown. This is where I see all this going and at a pretty good clip of late. Anyone can see the problems in our society and agree on most of them. It's the solutions that are really the problem and the point of contention. Do we want our already overburdened and extremely inefficient Federal government to solve all of them and lead us to some Utopian ideal of society or do we want to be required to think, act and be accountable for ourselves more on an individual level. What philosophy should we subscribe to when trying to work out the problems.
Benjamin Dennis wrote:
No argument, discussion is important in these days of polarization and extreme propaganda. The difficulty for me is that, while I understand where you are coming from, and the general argument that is being made (it is a rather common one), virtually all of the terms (liberalism, socialism, conservatism, etc.) are either inaccurate or highly misleading--by definition. What results is a skewed conversation where meaning has been lost and emotions such as anger, frustration, misunderstanding, and even hatred take over. For example, a simple search for the basic definitions (even on wikipedia, if one looks at the sources listed on the bottom) reveal that many of the "values" you are holding dear are, in fact, "liberal" and a functional aspect of "liberalism." Conversely, many of the other dearly held values are anti-conservative and functionally "Fascist."
So, definition of terms is another issue that I am continually frustrated by when having these discussions. Therefore, I absolutely abhor leaving them alone when they arise because I then become party to the deception (active and passive).
This is why I am continually looking at the actual facts when emails such as these come out. Most people either agree--and pass them on as gospel, confirming once again a chosen position that is held with ungrounded ideologies; or, there is a knee-jerk disagreement followed by a violent harangue against "the opposition" as being rabble-rouser's, anti-patriotic, biased, etc. Neither position has any real validity without understanding the basic terms, validity of the assertions, some understanding of the history behind the moves, and a basic notion of who is perpetrating the viral email "warning" and why!
I believe what is happening is that there are agenda's in the world that have nothing to do with the ideology and fundamental perspectives you and I hold dear.
When nebulous names, titles, and descriptions emerge, I try to find out what they actually mean and then apply that knowledge to the overall content to see how the perceived meaning shifts the message. By asking why a particular "viral" message is suddenly making the rounds, as well as investigating the veracity of the allegations, the meanings of the terms, and "The Players" involved (both accused and accuser), one can sometimes see the underlying agenda, and that it has literally nothing what-so-ever to do with the claimed ideological point of view. It is my belief that the "agenda's" at work and those perpetrating them care not one whit about what is Liberal or Conservative as long as it serves further the goal.
For example, regardless of one's experience or belief in the ineptitude of the government, the blending of corporations and government (i.e. Privatization, etc.) is, in part and by definition "Fascism."
The scary thing is that those forces fighting hardest to make this happen are using both Liberal and Conservative values and ideology to sell the movement. It is classic propaganda--shift understanding while hijacking meaning to sway public opinion. All the while, selling that same public down the river for the underlying and mostly obscure agenda (an interesting read is the Old Testament story of King Saul, King David, and Samuel 1 Kings).
Of course both "sides" do this. The reason is that "both sides" are needed to cover the bases and keep the population diverted in their attention. I know, this all seems like so much conspiracy theory and, as you have said numerous times, the ineptness of the government makes such a conspiracy impossible. However, I would argue that there are a driving few that "are" able to hold it together, know enough of human nature to drop the proverbial pebble in the pond, and reap the benefits of the fallout. It is a predator's world and, as we all know, predators are a treacherous lot.
Regardless of conspiracies or agenda's, by doing basic research into the actual allegations and defining one's terms accurately, a very different argument emerges. You said that hard work, education, and personal accountability are key to our survival. I posit that those very same ethics and values apply to education and a functional understanding the world we "actually" live in. By "purchasing" the party line, we pay with our very lives, and we buy wholly into the chaos you so eloquently warn of.
It is a full time job being accurately informed. However, it is crucial for us as a people, community, and a nation if we are to survive what is likely coming down the road. We need informed imaginations, the ability to adapt and change our minds when called for, and the fortitude to see beyond the emotional hijack of the day. Personally, I find myself revisiting my ideas and conclusions on a regular basis. I tend toward liberal (by definition though I am very aware that this definition has been co-opted). But more than that, I am curious.
Following are a few references. I am using wikipedia because its information is easily accessible and, more importantly, referenced. If you read something that doesn't sound right, the references are at the bottom. Also, it is an opportunity for additional inquiry and research. No, Wikipedia is not an authority, but it will give a sense of the territory of meaning. It is always our own responsibility to question what is being told to us.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Social_contract
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liberalism
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liberal
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Capitalism
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Socialism
By the way, I also cherish the times we get to play. The trip to California was one of the true highlights of this decade! I won't let our differences of opinion and perspectives get in the way. You are, and always will be my brother--and I am proud to be yours.
Your Brother Ben
Brother wrote:
Thanks for all that. I was unjustifiably hesitant to open your response
for fear that we would launch into another argument when I am about to
come for a visit.
As you said many people don't really do their research. In my case there
simply isn't the time. As is unfortunately probably the case with most
Americans. That being the norm I think we must go with the current
babble and the popular meanings of the words rather than using the
dictionary. After all it is what and who we are referring to when we use
the terms that counts. And the causes and effects of the policy's they
administer. No mater what you would like to call it "liberal, socialism,
conservatism, fascist" it's not hard to see the effects of policies
driven by the so named groups as well as the philosophies they seem to
subscribe to. In all this that is clear as day if you look at things
from a very wide angle. Name them what you will. And in that I stand by
my statements. And I strongly believe that the other party is the lessor
of the evils by a long shot. As evil as they may be. An independent
might even be better but to vote for any of them is a wasted vote in
this system.
One of the interesting observations that I find extremely disturbing is
the effects of the media blitzkrieg that we call campaigning. Thats down
right disgusting and I've come to believe that we vote our candidates
into office because we like their good looks and their catchy phrases as
much as for their actual experience, policy's and ideologies. Another
interesting symptom of this media sickness is the fact that by the time
the primaries are over we end up with two of the least desirable
candidates of the whole bunch time after time. Usually the ones that
have the most money to spend and are the more willing to say anything to
get the office. I remember when I was a kid in school and we were told
time after time that we had a civic responsibility to "GET OUT AND
VOTE". I've always felt that this was BS. I've always felt that we have
a civic responsibility to vote "only" if we have taken the time and made
the effort to at least try to study the issues and form opinions about
which candidates best represent solutions. Otherwise we have a civic
responsibility to "not vote". This whole thing has become nothing more
that a very expensive network beauty contest. You have three groups. The
right, the left, and the average idiot. Win any two of these and you win
the election. It would be interesting if we could take the idiots out of
the picture by "not putting on the big show" for them. This would be the
first thing I would do if I was King of the world LOL!
Well enough said. Yes that trip down the coast was a pivotal experience
for me. I don't even remember when I had so much fun. Looking forward to
seeing you...
__________
That concludes my exchange with my brother. Take it for what it is...
What is even more interesting to me is the tone of our communication. Families, communities, and friendships are being destroyed by the polarization that is infecting our political discourse. We no longer discuss issues--we do battle over ideology. As we war over our rabidly held ideals, we suffer and rob ourselves of the rich opportunity to bring to bear our incredibly vital imaginations to address the tide of problems we face in the world today.
Gone are the arts of debate and inquiry. They are replaced with shock-jock tactics and a whole pundits practicing the fine arts of verbal devastation--Sun Tsu would be proud--but with a wholly inscrutable agenda! For I do not for one second believe it is a struggle for the "soul of America." At least not as claimed by the talking heads spewing from our televisions and radios. No, it is something else. And, if we don't begin to work together at the level of home and neighborhood, we will all discover that while we were wrestling in the mud outside the chicken house, the horses, cows, corn, and carrots were all stolen! (sorry for the heavy handed metaphors).
Anyway, here is how my brother and I did it--and continue to do it. And yes, we differ in our political outlooks...
Benjamin Dennis wrote:
I did a bit of research on the statements. Most are erroneous or misleading. Some I couldn't find much info on. In short. The email seems long on fear and short on facts.
With the current budget crisis, there is certainly going to be changes. What they will be, I don't rightly know. How we got here, however, is rarely spoken about. From what little I am aware of, it is those whose hands got caught in the cookie jar making the loudest noise. Years of deregulation and lack of oversight allowed greed and lack of responsibility to take over what good sense there once was. I find this kind of email disturbing‹mostly because they cloud the issues and offer inaccurate information. That makes it extremely difficulty to trust anything that is said. If I am lied to by someone (omission or commission), then when they do speak the truth, it is likely lost on me. I don't trust any one group over another. And, given the tone of this sort of email, I am convince once again that those with an agenda will say anything to get a reaction. The sad thing is that when there are actual issues at stake, people like me will not hear the message because we have been fed lies and half truths too many times to listen. Remember the story of the "boy who cried wolf?"
In the future, I would rather see something accurately researched and verified--even by the simplest of criteria--before it is sent out. To date, I have yet to see this kind of email contain substantively accurate information.
For example, 10-minutes on Snopes.com refuted most of what was said here. Certainly not the best source in the world, but at least they cite their material and provide links directly to the legislation being referenced.
Thanks, Ben
Brother wrote:
Not looking for an argument here. Just passing along something that looked interesting. I guess we will see when we do next years taxes.
That said whats bothering me about all this is the root of all this. Without getting lost in the minute details of every little debate what I see is this. Liberalism is so much more than just politics. It's a philosophy that when run to it's extreme leads to socialism, apathy, and a lack of personal accountability where our actions and efforts will not reap rewords or punishment. At this extreme it is a lie that promises cures for all our social ills but delivers chaos. It promises enlightenment but removes our freedom and responsibility to do and think for ourselves. It also removes the consequences of being evil, wrong, lazy, or uneducated, or the need to be. People really do need to have this challenge to survive and they really do need to see and feel benefit or pain from their individual efforts and choices.
Conservatism is more a political method that when at it's extreme would lead to anarchy where our nature (good and bad) would rule the day. neither extreme is a good thing. To me the pendulum in this country has swung precariously to the left and much much more so in the last couple of years. One thing that seems so evident to me is that the rule of nature is at least much more natural. In that world having a strong work ethic and some wits would be a requirement for survival.
Socialism failed in Russia and other countries because of the apathy of it's people. There wasn't reason for anyone to be ambitious, work hard or think for themselves. There wasn't cause and effect at a personal human level for them (a basic human need in my book) This ultimately lead to economic breakdown. This is where I see all this going and at a pretty good clip of late. Anyone can see the problems in our society and agree on most of them. It's the solutions that are really the problem and the point of contention. Do we want our already overburdened and extremely inefficient Federal government to solve all of them and lead us to some Utopian ideal of society or do we want to be required to think, act and be accountable for ourselves more on an individual level. What philosophy should we subscribe to when trying to work out the problems.
Benjamin Dennis wrote:
No argument, discussion is important in these days of polarization and extreme propaganda. The difficulty for me is that, while I understand where you are coming from, and the general argument that is being made (it is a rather common one), virtually all of the terms (liberalism, socialism, conservatism, etc.) are either inaccurate or highly misleading--by definition. What results is a skewed conversation where meaning has been lost and emotions such as anger, frustration, misunderstanding, and even hatred take over. For example, a simple search for the basic definitions (even on wikipedia, if one looks at the sources listed on the bottom) reveal that many of the "values" you are holding dear are, in fact, "liberal" and a functional aspect of "liberalism." Conversely, many of the other dearly held values are anti-conservative and functionally "Fascist."
So, definition of terms is another issue that I am continually frustrated by when having these discussions. Therefore, I absolutely abhor leaving them alone when they arise because I then become party to the deception (active and passive).
This is why I am continually looking at the actual facts when emails such as these come out. Most people either agree--and pass them on as gospel, confirming once again a chosen position that is held with ungrounded ideologies; or, there is a knee-jerk disagreement followed by a violent harangue against "the opposition" as being rabble-rouser's, anti-patriotic, biased, etc. Neither position has any real validity without understanding the basic terms, validity of the assertions, some understanding of the history behind the moves, and a basic notion of who is perpetrating the viral email "warning" and why!
I believe what is happening is that there are agenda's in the world that have nothing to do with the ideology and fundamental perspectives you and I hold dear.
When nebulous names, titles, and descriptions emerge, I try to find out what they actually mean and then apply that knowledge to the overall content to see how the perceived meaning shifts the message. By asking why a particular "viral" message is suddenly making the rounds, as well as investigating the veracity of the allegations, the meanings of the terms, and "The Players" involved (both accused and accuser), one can sometimes see the underlying agenda, and that it has literally nothing what-so-ever to do with the claimed ideological point of view. It is my belief that the "agenda's" at work and those perpetrating them care not one whit about what is Liberal or Conservative as long as it serves further the goal.
For example, regardless of one's experience or belief in the ineptitude of the government, the blending of corporations and government (i.e. Privatization, etc.) is, in part and by definition "Fascism."
The scary thing is that those forces fighting hardest to make this happen are using both Liberal and Conservative values and ideology to sell the movement. It is classic propaganda--shift understanding while hijacking meaning to sway public opinion. All the while, selling that same public down the river for the underlying and mostly obscure agenda (an interesting read is the Old Testament story of King Saul, King David, and Samuel 1 Kings).
Of course both "sides" do this. The reason is that "both sides" are needed to cover the bases and keep the population diverted in their attention. I know, this all seems like so much conspiracy theory and, as you have said numerous times, the ineptness of the government makes such a conspiracy impossible. However, I would argue that there are a driving few that "are" able to hold it together, know enough of human nature to drop the proverbial pebble in the pond, and reap the benefits of the fallout. It is a predator's world and, as we all know, predators are a treacherous lot.
Regardless of conspiracies or agenda's, by doing basic research into the actual allegations and defining one's terms accurately, a very different argument emerges. You said that hard work, education, and personal accountability are key to our survival. I posit that those very same ethics and values apply to education and a functional understanding the world we "actually" live in. By "purchasing" the party line, we pay with our very lives, and we buy wholly into the chaos you so eloquently warn of.
It is a full time job being accurately informed. However, it is crucial for us as a people, community, and a nation if we are to survive what is likely coming down the road. We need informed imaginations, the ability to adapt and change our minds when called for, and the fortitude to see beyond the emotional hijack of the day. Personally, I find myself revisiting my ideas and conclusions on a regular basis. I tend toward liberal (by definition
Following are a few references. I am using wikipedia because its information is easily accessible and, more importantly, referenced. If you read something that doesn't sound right, the references are at the bottom. Also, it is an opportunity for additional inquiry and research. No, Wikipedia is not an authority, but it will give a sense of the territory of meaning. It is always our own responsibility to question what is being told to us.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Social_contract
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liberalism
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liberal
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Capitalism
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Socialism
By the way, I also cherish the times we get to play. The trip to California was one of the true highlights of this decade! I won't let our differences of opinion and perspectives get in the way. You are, and always will be my brother--and I am proud to be yours.
Your Brother Ben
Brother wrote:
Thanks for all that. I was unjustifiably hesitant to open your response
for fear that we would launch into another argument when I am about to
come for a visit.
As you said many people don't really do their research. In my case there
simply isn't the time. As is unfortunately probably the case with most
Americans. That being the norm I think we must go with the current
babble and the popular meanings of the words rather than using the
dictionary. After all it is what and who we are referring to when we use
the terms that counts. And the causes and effects of the policy's they
administer. No mater what you would like to call it "liberal, socialism,
conservatism, fascist" it's not hard to see the effects of policies
driven by the so named groups as well as the philosophies they seem to
subscribe to. In all this that is clear as day if you look at things
from a very wide angle. Name them what you will. And in that I stand by
my statements. And I strongly believe that the other party is the lessor
of the evils by a long shot. As evil as they may be. An independent
might even be better but to vote for any of them is a wasted vote in
this system.
One of the interesting observations that I find extremely disturbing is
the effects of the media blitzkrieg that we call campaigning. Thats down
right disgusting and I've come to believe that we vote our candidates
into office because we like their good looks and their catchy phrases as
much as for their actual experience, policy's and ideologies. Another
interesting symptom of this media sickness is the fact that by the time
the primaries are over we end up with two of the least desirable
candidates of the whole bunch time after time. Usually the ones that
have the most money to spend and are the more willing to say anything to
get the office. I remember when I was a kid in school and we were told
time after time that we had a civic responsibility to "GET OUT AND
VOTE". I've always felt that this was BS. I've always felt that we have
a civic responsibility to vote "only" if we have taken the time and made
the effort to at least try to study the issues and form opinions about
which candidates best represent solutions. Otherwise we have a civic
responsibility to "not vote". This whole thing has become nothing more
that a very expensive network beauty contest. You have three groups. The
right, the left, and the average idiot. Win any two of these and you win
the election. It would be interesting if we could take the idiots out of
the picture by "not putting on the big show" for them. This would be the
first thing I would do if I was King of the world LOL!
Well enough said. Yes that trip down the coast was a pivotal experience
for me. I don't even remember when I had so much fun. Looking forward to
seeing you...
__________
That concludes my exchange with my brother. Take it for what it is...
Monday, August 16, 2010
Implications
The question is: What are the mythical implications of what is happening in our society today? As this is going to be an ongoing inquiry for me, I will not try to answer the question right now, but rather begin the exploration into the images, stories, and movements of the psyche as they emerge. By approaching this question in this way, I am aware of a frustration that pervades our larger society. That frustration is in the overwhelming emphasis on "having answers." When we go onto the internet, or search through magazine articles, listen to lectures, ask teachers, or even contemplate issues for ourselves, we want there to be a definitive answer with a clear avenue of action. In the face of staggering amounts of information, along with the stunning pace of change, we each want some sense of surety and stability. If not, then we want a clear direction to go to get that confidence back! In the realm of contemplation of our issues, it occurs to me that an absolutist and declarative approach is the most readily accepted method for managing the immense unknown. If one "knows," then one can cope--regardless of the validity of that "knowing."
It occurs to me that the dramatic escalation of this kind of thinking is a symptom of something much more insidious than the changes we all see and fear--it is a symptom of a lack of imagination. Or, more accurately, the result of a poorly exercised and anemic imagination. We don't explore anymore! We don't hold the unknown as a sacred encounter with life, as an invitation to search (both inward and outward) for new and greater understanding. No, we search for discrete answers--the very lowest form of inquiry there is. After all, once there is an "answer," the questioning is over and the search is ended.
Medieval iconography did something important in the psyche--it provided an avenue for the imagination to apprehend the mystery of the divine. There were no absolutes in an iconographic representation of the Virgin Mary; rather, one contemplated the mystery of the Virgin Birth and perpetuated an ongoing relationship with the divine. There were no discrete answers!
So, in this opening up of my dialogue with what is going on around us, I am inclined to read Homer's "The Iliad" and "The Mahabharata" to find powerful enough images for the events of the day. If I ONLY watch Fox News or MSNBC, I do myself a great disservice. There is a line from William Stafford's poem, "A Ritual to Read to Each Other" that goes like this: "I call it cruel and maybe the root of all cruelty to know what occurs but not recognize the fact."
So, let's see what comes out of seeking, not answers, but imaginings.
It occurs to me that the dramatic escalation of this kind of thinking is a symptom of something much more insidious than the changes we all see and fear--it is a symptom of a lack of imagination. Or, more accurately, the result of a poorly exercised and anemic imagination. We don't explore anymore! We don't hold the unknown as a sacred encounter with life, as an invitation to search (both inward and outward) for new and greater understanding. No, we search for discrete answers--the very lowest form of inquiry there is. After all, once there is an "answer," the questioning is over and the search is ended.
Medieval iconography did something important in the psyche--it provided an avenue for the imagination to apprehend the mystery of the divine. There were no absolutes in an iconographic representation of the Virgin Mary; rather, one contemplated the mystery of the Virgin Birth and perpetuated an ongoing relationship with the divine. There were no discrete answers!
So, in this opening up of my dialogue with what is going on around us, I am inclined to read Homer's "The Iliad" and "The Mahabharata" to find powerful enough images for the events of the day. If I ONLY watch Fox News or MSNBC, I do myself a great disservice. There is a line from William Stafford's poem, "A Ritual to Read to Each Other" that goes like this: "I call it cruel and maybe the root of all cruelty to know what occurs but not recognize the fact."
So, let's see what comes out of seeking, not answers, but imaginings.
Monday, May 3, 2010
Ask
There is a notion that says we have to do it alone, that pride and a strong sense of identity means we are sufficient to our needs, and if we are complete, whole, and truly successful, then we will have abundance to share with those less fortunate. The truth of the matter is that we are all “less fortunate.” There is no one of us that has it all, is complete, or whole enough to not need or benefit from the help of others.
Now, that said, the first thing that comes to mind is how important this statement is for “other people.” After all, it is not an observation that applies to me—is it?
Here is the rub. When it comes to understanding how to successful in the world, when we put our shingle out—put our selves out—into the world, we are asking for something. We are asking the world to come and try our wares, pay us a bit, and to give us the honor of using our services--what ever they may be. There is no businessperson, entertainer, politician, or professional that does not rely on the magnanimity of those in his or her circle.
So, when Keith Farrazzi councils us to “ask,” he is absolutely correct. Whether it is a relationship or a business deal, ask and you “shall receive.” Receiving a yes or no is an answer, a gift, a clear response from the world that has within it the immediate benefit of clarity and the opportunity to make the next step, whatever it is. After all, as the poet William Stafford so eloquently says, “make your yes’s, no’s, and maybe’s clear, the darkness around us is deep” (A Ritual to Read to Each Other).
So ask.
Now, that said, the first thing that comes to mind is how important this statement is for “other people.” After all, it is not an observation that applies to me—is it?
Here is the rub. When it comes to understanding how to successful in the world, when we put our shingle out—put our selves out—into the world, we are asking for something. We are asking the world to come and try our wares, pay us a bit, and to give us the honor of using our services--what ever they may be. There is no businessperson, entertainer, politician, or professional that does not rely on the magnanimity of those in his or her circle.
So, when Keith Farrazzi councils us to “ask,” he is absolutely correct. Whether it is a relationship or a business deal, ask and you “shall receive.” Receiving a yes or no is an answer, a gift, a clear response from the world that has within it the immediate benefit of clarity and the opportunity to make the next step, whatever it is. After all, as the poet William Stafford so eloquently says, “make your yes’s, no’s, and maybe’s clear, the darkness around us is deep” (A Ritual to Read to Each Other).
So ask.
Tuesday, April 27, 2010
Zombies in Our Midst
The image of the zombie suggests that a fusion of African and indigenous Caribbean religious traditions have migrated into the psyche of modern Western society. Reflecting upon the "indifference" of Western colonialism, variations on the theme of the un-dead lurking in the shadows has found diverse expression within film and literature. Playing upon dark and sinister aspects of human nature, the Image of the zombie has evolved, along with modern culture, into a parody of a soul-hunger that mirrors both the consumptive and the impersonal characteristics of Western society. The zombie, then, has become a personification of the soul left to languish in the lonely darkness, hungering for genuine nourishment, and "coming to embody 'a fate worse than death'" (Paravisini-Gebert 43).
The influence of the America’s African slave trade on Western culture is far-reaching and often subtle. As the marginalized slave populations extended into the new world a powerful and subtle bond between the dominant West and the African people was established, intimately linking together the fates of both. Kidnapped into the living death of slavery, servitude, and compelled to do the work of colonialism the Africans assimilated the indigenous Caribbean cultures and together established a socio-religious tradition that blended traditional spiritual practices, amalgamated the diverse populations, and reacted to oppressive conditions. The result became an incredibly resilient and influential subculture rich to the imagination and symbolic of the Modern West.
The resulting development of Haitian culture may be viewed as a reflection of Western civilization as a parody of expansion and development. The pride that the West has in being the melting pot of the world is overshadowed by the tragic example of the slavery and conquest found in Haiti, and throughout the region. The fusion of various one-time indigenous spiritual traditions has helped shape religions such as Vodou as it appears today. The subsequent Haitian spiritual landscape is made up of widely disparate peoples and traditions brought together by adversity, the one true constant of Western society.
Victor Turner's understanding that "the 'liminal' and the 'inferior'...are often associated with ritual powers" and the "subdued autochthonous people...are...ritually potent" leads one to consider the argument that Western society is fundamentally influenced by the people that it once conquered, enslaved, and oppressed (Turner 99-100). This implies psychological and mythological bonds that embody an intimate relationship between slave and slaver. It is a synthesis that finds expression beneath conscious awareness and emerges in the zombie image.
The premise also suggests that along with a psychological and mythological connection, the West is ritually linked to its once enslaved populations. This is further illuminated by Clyde Ford's comparison of African and Western spiritual thought:
Considering these perspectives, Maya Deren's reference to the compelling nature of the Haitian relationship with the dead reveals some of the West's preoccupation with zombies. "Care is taken, as well, that no parts rightfully belonging to the dead matter should remain in circulation in the living world. Such precautions against a false life, which might also be put to magic and malevolent use, are numerous" (43). By understanding zombies as mythic and symbolical entities, and remembering the limitation that the West has in its approach to the divine, the zombie's presence in the Western psyche exploits the ambivalent nature of the living dead as a reiteration of its unrealized soul hunger and the unresolved legacy of slavery and oppression.
The consumptive aspects of Western society suggests a commodification of all “matter," including people, as resource available to be used in any manner consistent with the external rules of economics. With this justification in mind, the African peoples were processed body, mind, and soul to become goods to be traded and resources to be used. Adding voice to this conversation, Toni Morrison, in her novel Beloved, elaborates her character, Paul D, and his personal tragedy of slavery,
Out of this legacy a mythology has arisen that personifies, embodies, and mirrors this characteristic of the slave experience. "Given a glimpse of Caribbean people's resolution to assert their autonomy, they are quick to invoke the titillating figure of the zombie as representative of the AfroCaribbean folk as bogeyman" (Paravisini-Gebert 37). As a reflection of the hopelessness lurking in many a contemporary heart, the zombie might even be an anti-hero. Ripe with certain heroic qualities, zombies challenge imposed conditions, they make change by devouring everything in their path, and they do not give up. "The 'zombification' of the Haitian people and the subordination of their valiant spirit," then, becomes a legacy lurking beneath the consciousness of Western society as it confronts the ubiquitous oppression of an indifferent world (Paravisini-Gebert 56).
In film there are many examples of zombie-like behavior, some predatory, some lethargic, yet all inexorable in some way. "A [zombie] is nothing more than a body deprived of its conscious powers of cerebration," says Maya Deren. "For the Haitian, there is no fate more terrible" (43). This image is amplified in modern films and stories where it is common to hear a phrase such as, "don't let me become one of those things ... kill me first!" More recent films are often characterized by conditions of ‘no escape’ and tantalizing final scenes of the prevailing zombies overtaking the world. It is here that the fascination with zombies in the modern Western world begins to become clear.
During the progress of Western cinema, the zombie has undergone the transformation from an individual experiencing a curse to a collective affliction that threatens all life. The zombie's "pathologizing image [makes] possible a new reflection ... coupled with affliction, touching the soul at the point of death" (Hillman 86). Although the flavor of the individual and personal plight remain, the emergence of the zombie affliction as an overwhelming malicious force emerges as a key element in more recent films where appetite and group depersonalization overtake the themes of individual enslavement. The new emphasis shifts from an individual power struggle between Western colonialism and religion (and the so-called primitive spiritual forces personified by the Bokor) to the depersonalized zombies themselves. They are the ravenous and relentless personification of unfettered appetite. Contemporary film is no longer satisfied with the subjugation of an individual. Instead, zombies now consume everything and continue to grow in numbers, making contagion the operative image.
If one makes the assumption that film is a form of ritual (or at least pseudo-ritual in the sense of large social participation), then the zombie genre becomes a ritual incursion into the culture that pervasively links the psyche of the dominant Western population into the marginalized condition of the past (and present) slave generations. Tracking the pervasiveness of the zombie image, along with its transforgification into something wholly unstoppable, reiterates a rift in society that is growing steadily. James Hillman suggests, "[w]hen the dominant vision that holds a period of culture together cracks, consciousness regresses into earlier containers, seeking sources for survival which also offer sources of revival (Hillman 27). The zombie image is active and reactive to growing segments of the society as a ritual that has become a personification of our collective subconscious. Without conscious recognition of the psychological conditions of consumption, affliction, and soul-hunger, the zombie example emerges as the ritual container.
It is in this way that zombies offer a commentary on life, death, morality, and ritual potency in Western culture. Much the same as the trickster does in traditional tribal life, the tricksterish and ritually potent zombie ultimately functions as a liminal entity and a powerful force that drives the necessity of descent into the darkness of death and mortification. The zombie provides lucidity to the horrific condition of slavery, and therefore our own condition of self-imposed slavery. The implication is that, culturally and individually, descent and mortification are vital to the condition of freedom (Sacred Possessions 49). The need to contend with the numerous unstoppable forces becomes a primary condition of freedom, darkly hopeless yet irresistibly vital.
The zombie is, at least tangentially, related to the trickster, which begins to make sense when one considers its effect. The appearance of the zombie radically brings attention to Otherness in a profound way. All aspects of life and death pass through the mind and deep soulful questions spring forth, unbidden and without respite, causing a subtle personal reflection upon one's own zombification. One may view the zombie as a shadow-trickster, a deification of marginality with immense stature and far-flung implications. Jung, however, reminds us that the trickster emerges as an annoyance, as well as a supernatural agent.
Symbolically, zombies are supernatural, sacralized by their otherworldliness and un-stoppable character. Zombies are a shadow deity, a devil if you will, not at all associated with the "compassionate god" of concretized and popular Western theology, which Clyde Ford indicts by noting, "When divinity is understood in factual terms, even the symbols referring to divinity are arrested" (144). The rise of zombie-ism in popular mythology may be attributed to the pervasiveness of the corporate soul, a shadow-culture that tends to appropriate virtually all aspects of independent innovation and creativity.
Recalling the forceful and violent suppression of the imaginally rich and fecund nature of the enslaved indigenous populations reflected in the amalgamated Haitian people, it is not difficult to recognize that, according to Victor Turner, "[t]he attributes of liminality or of liminal personae ('threshold people')" exert a tremendous, if subtle, influence on the dominant culture; forcing open cracks in the facade of order and contentment (95). This influence is not the sort of force that is commonly recognized. Rather, it is a subversive, subtle pressure that up-wells through the gaps in the dominant society in a mythologically compelling manner. Maya Deren argues:
Without a conscious connection to the sacred, the shadow entities, tricksters, and zombies arrive to provide sustenance for the ache and longing of our souls. The impersonality of the culture reveals the hunger we have for intimacy and connection. The energies of life found in the "symbols representing the source" are the deities and symbols of the mysterious that reflect our own impoverishment (Ford 144). As Maya Deren observes, "All mythology contains legends in which divinity instructs man in some practical technique for survival" (189). Yet, as the mythic lessons are driven more and more underground, a widening fissure appears out of which the mythology of the inferior arises. Though separated and adapted, the ritual potency of those mythic images and symbols become distilled to their most primal essences. They are chthonically powerful and no longer contained by the cultural framework from which they were born. The modern zombie may be such a figure: "an agent of transformation who mediates" from the margins and is portrayed "as [a] divine linguist" of the soul's shadow (Pelton 72).
The zombie trickster becomes a repository of fear. Holding our rapt attention to the titillating spectacle of the horror of our lives, diverting us away from our own self-inquiry. When Joseph Campbell suggests that "Mythology is a system of images that endows the mind and the sentiments with a sense of participation in a field of meaning," he implies that in the absence of functional mythology liminal figures will appear(Thou Art That, 8). They are the zombies, nameless and faceless monsters waiting to devour life and freedom as we know it.
So, what is missing? If, as Deren notes, "religion presumes that the major forces of the universe ... are essentially benevolent in nature," then the psyche that personifies the horror of the modern zombie imagines the opposite (76). When the imagination reckons possibility, a dichotomy occurs and the concretized metaphorical sensibility is unable to accommodate the peculiar truths of life. The result is the formation of imaginal entities, liminal in nature, that embody the archetypal elements that have been suppressed. The essence of the zombie is such an imaginal entity. It is the embodiment of a symbolic fear that the world we call home is not benevolent.
The African story, "How an unborn child avenges his mother," offers an early reference for the zombie (Feldman 225-29). In this story, an unborn child survives the murder of his mother by his father. By leaving the womb after she is dead, the child, "The Little Wombless," pursues his father, haunting his path until the father reaches the compound of his in-laws where he is exposed as a murderer.
The image of the "little wombless" evokes the image of the modern zombie, "a little red thing...it still has the umbilical cord hanging on...'how swollen are those eyes' ... coming on feet and buttocks with its mouth wide open..." inexorably pursuing its father (Feldman, 229). Yet, the importance of this story is not merely the injustice toward the child and the murder of its mother, but the relationship the father has with his world. The fascination we have with the horrifying image of the pursuing child wonderfully distracts the audience, allowing a deeper message greater access to our souls. The father's approach to life, his treatment of his wife, child, and community all are examples of the lessons that are reinforced by the horror of the story.
Functioning as a guide through the labyrinth of human experience, the tale evokes strong emotions. The image of mindless horror, frightening and commanding, place the zombie in the same realm as the "little wombless," both are provocateurs of deep moral issues (Feldman 225-9). According to Jung, the trickster has an ambivalent role in society. "This collective figure gradually breaks up under the impact of civilization, leaving traces in folklore that are difficult to recognize. But the main part of him gets personalized and is made an object of personal responsibility" (9.1: 469). The prevalence of zombies has a hidden life within our psyches, resonant and uncertain. They are intimately tied to both our cultural history and our collective unconscious, offering insight, reflection, and the subtle soul-food we unknowingly crave.
Finally, what is evoked by the presence of the modern zombie are the "gastric fires of human fantasy," craving a new and authentic experience of the shadow (Campbell, Wild Gander 23). For most of us death is primarily known as an absolute. In the absence of powerfully rich elements of ritual initiation and transformation, the true experiences of life, death, and rebirth no longer expose us to the vibrant tenuousness of life. Framed by the chaotic potentials of birth and death, and in the face of such profound hunger of the soul for authenticity, we manufacture playful symbolisms that find us at the edge of our seats, safely clutching barrels of popcorn, as we are frightened to our bones when the zombies try to get us.
(Note: following this article is the complete story, "How an Unborn Child Avenged its Mother's Death")
Works Cited:
Campbell, Joseph. Flight of the Wild Gander. Novato, California: New World Library,
2002.
---. Thou Art That, Novato, California: New World Library, 2002.
Deardorff, Daniel. The Other Within: The Genius of Deformity in Myth, Culture, And Psyche. Ashland, Oregon: White Cloud P. 2004.
Deren, Maya. Divine Horsemen: The Living Gods of Haiti. Kingston, New York:
McPherson, 1970.
Feldman, Susan. Ed., "How an Unborn Child Avenged its Mother's Death."
African Myths and Tales. New York: Dell, 1963. 225-29.
Ford, Clyde W., the Hero with an African Face: Mythic Wisdom of Traditional Africa. New York: Bantam Books, 1999.
Hillman, James. Re-visioning Psychology. New York: HarperPerennial, 1992.
Jung, C. G., The Collected Works of C. G. Jung. Trans. R. F. C. Hull. Vol. 9.1.
Bollingen Series 20. Princeton: Princeton UP, 1969.
Morrison, Toni. Beloved. New York: Penguin. 1987.
Paravisini-Gebert, Lizabeth. "The Representation of Woman as Zombie." Sacred Possessions: Vodou, Santeria, Obeah, and the Caribbean. Ed. Margarite Fernandes Olmos and Lizabeth Paravisini-Gebert. New Brunswick, New Jersey: Rutgers UP, 2000.
Pelton, Robert. The Trickster in West Africa: A Study of Mythic Irony and Sacred Delight. Berkley, California: University of California P. 1980.
Turner, Victor. The Ritual Process: Structure and Anti-Structure. Ithaca, New York: Cornell UP, 1977.
The influence of the America’s African slave trade on Western culture is far-reaching and often subtle. As the marginalized slave populations extended into the new world a powerful and subtle bond between the dominant West and the African people was established, intimately linking together the fates of both. Kidnapped into the living death of slavery, servitude, and compelled to do the work of colonialism the Africans assimilated the indigenous Caribbean cultures and together established a socio-religious tradition that blended traditional spiritual practices, amalgamated the diverse populations, and reacted to oppressive conditions. The result became an incredibly resilient and influential subculture rich to the imagination and symbolic of the Modern West.
The resulting development of Haitian culture may be viewed as a reflection of Western civilization as a parody of expansion and development. The pride that the West has in being the melting pot of the world is overshadowed by the tragic example of the slavery and conquest found in Haiti, and throughout the region. The fusion of various one-time indigenous spiritual traditions has helped shape religions such as Vodou as it appears today. The subsequent Haitian spiritual landscape is made up of widely disparate peoples and traditions brought together by adversity, the one true constant of Western society.
Victor Turner's understanding that "the 'liminal' and the 'inferior'...are often associated with ritual powers" and the "subdued autochthonous people...are...ritually potent" leads one to consider the argument that Western society is fundamentally influenced by the people that it once conquered, enslaved, and oppressed (Turner 99-100). This implies psychological and mythological bonds that embody an intimate relationship between slave and slaver. It is a synthesis that finds expression beneath conscious awareness and emerges in the zombie image.
The premise also suggests that along with a psychological and mythological connection, the West is ritually linked to its once enslaved populations. This is further illuminated by Clyde Ford's comparison of African and Western spiritual thought:
[I]n the West we regard deities as facts of life from which attributes proceed, rather than personifications of attributes found in nature and within ourselves ... while in the mythic wisdom of Africa, one speaks of a god of compassion, a personification of a force (in this case, compassion) that motivates all life, including our own ... [t]hese two different ways of regarding divinity give rise to two different ways of interpreting mythology, for where deities are considered to be facts, tales of those deities are understood historically, and where deities are viewed as personifications of source energies in nature and within ourselves, tales of those deities are understood symbolically. (Ford 144)The African understanding is inclusive--it is subtly aware that the material and spiritual worlds are infused with divinity. The contemporary West, however, is less apt to see the mysterious as divine and more likely to adhere to objectivity and attempt to maintain an adherence to facts. Yet, there is an undercurrent of supernatural fascination that is expressed regularly in a wide variety of ways in entertainment, religion, politics, music, and even science.
Considering these perspectives, Maya Deren's reference to the compelling nature of the Haitian relationship with the dead reveals some of the West's preoccupation with zombies. "Care is taken, as well, that no parts rightfully belonging to the dead matter should remain in circulation in the living world. Such precautions against a false life, which might also be put to magic and malevolent use, are numerous" (43). By understanding zombies as mythic and symbolical entities, and remembering the limitation that the West has in its approach to the divine, the zombie's presence in the Western psyche exploits the ambivalent nature of the living dead as a reiteration of its unrealized soul hunger and the unresolved legacy of slavery and oppression.
The consumptive aspects of Western society suggests a commodification of all “matter," including people, as resource available to be used in any manner consistent with the external rules of economics. With this justification in mind, the African peoples were processed body, mind, and soul to become goods to be traded and resources to be used. Adding voice to this conversation, Toni Morrison, in her novel Beloved, elaborates her character, Paul D, and his personal tragedy of slavery,
He has always known, or believed he did, his value-as a hand, a laborer who could make profit on a farm--but now he discovers his worth, which is to say he learns his price. The dollar value of his weight, his strength, his heart, his brain, his penis, and his future. (Morrison 226)
Out of this legacy a mythology has arisen that personifies, embodies, and mirrors this characteristic of the slave experience. "Given a glimpse of Caribbean people's resolution to assert their autonomy, they are quick to invoke the titillating figure of the zombie as representative of the AfroCaribbean folk as bogeyman" (Paravisini-Gebert 37). As a reflection of the hopelessness lurking in many a contemporary heart, the zombie might even be an anti-hero. Ripe with certain heroic qualities, zombies challenge imposed conditions, they make change by devouring everything in their path, and they do not give up. "The 'zombification' of the Haitian people and the subordination of their valiant spirit," then, becomes a legacy lurking beneath the consciousness of Western society as it confronts the ubiquitous oppression of an indifferent world (Paravisini-Gebert 56).
In film there are many examples of zombie-like behavior, some predatory, some lethargic, yet all inexorable in some way. "A [zombie] is nothing more than a body deprived of its conscious powers of cerebration," says Maya Deren. "For the Haitian, there is no fate more terrible" (43). This image is amplified in modern films and stories where it is common to hear a phrase such as, "don't let me become one of those things ... kill me first!" More recent films are often characterized by conditions of ‘no escape’ and tantalizing final scenes of the prevailing zombies overtaking the world. It is here that the fascination with zombies in the modern Western world begins to become clear.
During the progress of Western cinema, the zombie has undergone the transformation from an individual experiencing a curse to a collective affliction that threatens all life. The zombie's "pathologizing image [makes] possible a new reflection ... coupled with affliction, touching the soul at the point of death" (Hillman 86). Although the flavor of the individual and personal plight remain, the emergence of the zombie affliction as an overwhelming malicious force emerges as a key element in more recent films where appetite and group depersonalization overtake the themes of individual enslavement. The new emphasis shifts from an individual power struggle between Western colonialism and religion (and the so-called primitive spiritual forces personified by the Bokor) to the depersonalized zombies themselves. They are the ravenous and relentless personification of unfettered appetite. Contemporary film is no longer satisfied with the subjugation of an individual. Instead, zombies now consume everything and continue to grow in numbers, making contagion the operative image.
If one makes the assumption that film is a form of ritual (or at least pseudo-ritual in the sense of large social participation), then the zombie genre becomes a ritual incursion into the culture that pervasively links the psyche of the dominant Western population into the marginalized condition of the past (and present) slave generations. Tracking the pervasiveness of the zombie image, along with its transforgification into something wholly unstoppable, reiterates a rift in society that is growing steadily. James Hillman suggests, "[w]hen the dominant vision that holds a period of culture together cracks, consciousness regresses into earlier containers, seeking sources for survival which also offer sources of revival (Hillman 27). The zombie image is active and reactive to growing segments of the society as a ritual that has become a personification of our collective subconscious. Without conscious recognition of the psychological conditions of consumption, affliction, and soul-hunger, the zombie example emerges as the ritual container.
It is in this way that zombies offer a commentary on life, death, morality, and ritual potency in Western culture. Much the same as the trickster does in traditional tribal life, the tricksterish and ritually potent zombie ultimately functions as a liminal entity and a powerful force that drives the necessity of descent into the darkness of death and mortification. The zombie provides lucidity to the horrific condition of slavery, and therefore our own condition of self-imposed slavery. The implication is that, culturally and individually, descent and mortification are vital to the condition of freedom (Sacred Possessions 49). The need to contend with the numerous unstoppable forces becomes a primary condition of freedom, darkly hopeless yet irresistibly vital.
The zombie is, at least tangentially, related to the trickster, which begins to make sense when one considers its effect. The appearance of the zombie radically brings attention to Otherness in a profound way. All aspects of life and death pass through the mind and deep soulful questions spring forth, unbidden and without respite, causing a subtle personal reflection upon one's own zombification. One may view the zombie as a shadow-trickster, a deification of marginality with immense stature and far-flung implications. Jung, however, reminds us that the trickster emerges as an annoyance, as well as a supernatural agent.
One can see this best of all from the fact that the trickster motif does not crop up only in its mythical form but appears just as naively and authentically in the unsuspecting modern man-whenever, in fact, he feels himself at the mercy of annoying "accidents" which thwart his will and his actions with apparently malicious intent. He then speaks of "hoodoos" and "jinxes" or of the "mischievousness of the object." Here the trickster is represented by counter-tendencies in the unconscious, and in certain cases by a sort of second personality, of puerile and inferior character, not unlike the personalities who announce themselves at spiritualistic séances and cause all those ineffably childish phenomena so typical of poltergeists. (9.1: 469)
Symbolically, zombies are supernatural, sacralized by their otherworldliness and un-stoppable character. Zombies are a shadow deity, a devil if you will, not at all associated with the "compassionate god" of concretized and popular Western theology, which Clyde Ford indicts by noting, "When divinity is understood in factual terms, even the symbols referring to divinity are arrested" (144). The rise of zombie-ism in popular mythology may be attributed to the pervasiveness of the corporate soul, a shadow-culture that tends to appropriate virtually all aspects of independent innovation and creativity.
Recalling the forceful and violent suppression of the imaginally rich and fecund nature of the enslaved indigenous populations reflected in the amalgamated Haitian people, it is not difficult to recognize that, according to Victor Turner, "[t]he attributes of liminality or of liminal personae ('threshold people')" exert a tremendous, if subtle, influence on the dominant culture; forcing open cracks in the facade of order and contentment (95). This influence is not the sort of force that is commonly recognized. Rather, it is a subversive, subtle pressure that up-wells through the gaps in the dominant society in a mythologically compelling manner. Maya Deren argues:
Modern technological and primitive ritual are not competitive in terms of man's relationship to the cosmos ... the machine creates a society in which men are no longer dependent upon men, but, instead, upon machines and upon the anonymous, unknown, distant creatures behind the machines, who, like the machines, are impersonally regarded as productive forces. (Deren 190)
Without a conscious connection to the sacred, the shadow entities, tricksters, and zombies arrive to provide sustenance for the ache and longing of our souls. The impersonality of the culture reveals the hunger we have for intimacy and connection. The energies of life found in the "symbols representing the source" are the deities and symbols of the mysterious that reflect our own impoverishment (Ford 144). As Maya Deren observes, "All mythology contains legends in which divinity instructs man in some practical technique for survival" (189). Yet, as the mythic lessons are driven more and more underground, a widening fissure appears out of which the mythology of the inferior arises. Though separated and adapted, the ritual potency of those mythic images and symbols become distilled to their most primal essences. They are chthonically powerful and no longer contained by the cultural framework from which they were born. The modern zombie may be such a figure: "an agent of transformation who mediates" from the margins and is portrayed "as [a] divine linguist" of the soul's shadow (Pelton 72).
The zombie trickster becomes a repository of fear. Holding our rapt attention to the titillating spectacle of the horror of our lives, diverting us away from our own self-inquiry. When Joseph Campbell suggests that "Mythology is a system of images that endows the mind and the sentiments with a sense of participation in a field of meaning," he implies that in the absence of functional mythology liminal figures will appear(Thou Art That, 8). They are the zombies, nameless and faceless monsters waiting to devour life and freedom as we know it.
So, what is missing? If, as Deren notes, "religion presumes that the major forces of the universe ... are essentially benevolent in nature," then the psyche that personifies the horror of the modern zombie imagines the opposite (76). When the imagination reckons possibility, a dichotomy occurs and the concretized metaphorical sensibility is unable to accommodate the peculiar truths of life. The result is the formation of imaginal entities, liminal in nature, that embody the archetypal elements that have been suppressed. The essence of the zombie is such an imaginal entity. It is the embodiment of a symbolic fear that the world we call home is not benevolent.
The African story, "How an unborn child avenges his mother," offers an early reference for the zombie (Feldman 225-29). In this story, an unborn child survives the murder of his mother by his father. By leaving the womb after she is dead, the child, "The Little Wombless," pursues his father, haunting his path until the father reaches the compound of his in-laws where he is exposed as a murderer.
The image of the "little wombless" evokes the image of the modern zombie, "a little red thing...it still has the umbilical cord hanging on...'how swollen are those eyes' ... coming on feet and buttocks with its mouth wide open..." inexorably pursuing its father (Feldman, 229). Yet, the importance of this story is not merely the injustice toward the child and the murder of its mother, but the relationship the father has with his world. The fascination we have with the horrifying image of the pursuing child wonderfully distracts the audience, allowing a deeper message greater access to our souls. The father's approach to life, his treatment of his wife, child, and community all are examples of the lessons that are reinforced by the horror of the story.
Functioning as a guide through the labyrinth of human experience, the tale evokes strong emotions. The image of mindless horror, frightening and commanding, place the zombie in the same realm as the "little wombless," both are provocateurs of deep moral issues (Feldman 225-9). According to Jung, the trickster has an ambivalent role in society. "This collective figure gradually breaks up under the impact of civilization, leaving traces in folklore that are difficult to recognize. But the main part of him gets personalized and is made an object of personal responsibility" (9.1: 469). The prevalence of zombies has a hidden life within our psyches, resonant and uncertain. They are intimately tied to both our cultural history and our collective unconscious, offering insight, reflection, and the subtle soul-food we unknowingly crave.
Finally, what is evoked by the presence of the modern zombie are the "gastric fires of human fantasy," craving a new and authentic experience of the shadow (Campbell, Wild Gander 23). For most of us death is primarily known as an absolute. In the absence of powerfully rich elements of ritual initiation and transformation, the true experiences of life, death, and rebirth no longer expose us to the vibrant tenuousness of life. Framed by the chaotic potentials of birth and death, and in the face of such profound hunger of the soul for authenticity, we manufacture playful symbolisms that find us at the edge of our seats, safely clutching barrels of popcorn, as we are frightened to our bones when the zombies try to get us.
(Note: following this article is the complete story, "How an Unborn Child Avenged its Mother's Death")
Works Cited:
Campbell, Joseph. Flight of the Wild Gander. Novato, California: New World Library,
2002.
---. Thou Art That, Novato, California: New World Library, 2002.
Deardorff, Daniel. The Other Within: The Genius of Deformity in Myth, Culture, And Psyche. Ashland, Oregon: White Cloud P. 2004.
Deren, Maya. Divine Horsemen: The Living Gods of Haiti. Kingston, New York:
McPherson, 1970.
Feldman, Susan. Ed., "How an Unborn Child Avenged its Mother's Death."
African Myths and Tales. New York: Dell, 1963. 225-29.
Ford, Clyde W., the Hero with an African Face: Mythic Wisdom of Traditional Africa. New York: Bantam Books, 1999.
Hillman, James. Re-visioning Psychology. New York: HarperPerennial, 1992.
Jung, C. G., The Collected Works of C. G. Jung. Trans. R. F. C. Hull. Vol. 9.1.
Bollingen Series 20. Princeton: Princeton UP, 1969.
Morrison, Toni. Beloved. New York: Penguin. 1987.
Paravisini-Gebert, Lizabeth. "The Representation of Woman as Zombie." Sacred Possessions: Vodou, Santeria, Obeah, and the Caribbean. Ed. Margarite Fernandes Olmos and Lizabeth Paravisini-Gebert. New Brunswick, New Jersey: Rutgers UP, 2000.
Pelton, Robert. The Trickster in West Africa: A Study of Mythic Irony and Sacred Delight. Berkley, California: University of California P. 1980.
Turner, Victor. The Ritual Process: Structure and Anti-Structure. Ithaca, New York: Cornell UP, 1977.
HOW AN UNBORN CHILD AVENGED ITS MOTHER’S DEATH
A man had taken a wife, and now she had the joy of being with child, but famine was acute in the land.
One day, when hunger was particularly severe, the man, accompanied by his wife, was dragging himself along in the direction of her mother’s home in the hope of getting a little food there. He happened to find on the road a tree with abundant wild fruit on the top. “Wife,” he said, “get up there that we may eat fruit.”
The woman refused, saying, “I, who am with child, to climb up a tree!”
He said, “In that case, do not climb at all.”
The husband then climbed up himself and shook and shook the branches, the woman meanwhile picking up what fell down. He said, “Do not pick up my fruit. What! Just now you refused to go up!”
And she: “Bana! I am only picking them up.”
Thinking about his fruit, he hurried down from the top of the tree and said, “You have eaten some.”
And she: “Why! Of course, I have not.”
Then, assegai in hand, he stabbed his wife. And there she died on the spot.
He then gathered up his fruit with both hands. There he sat eating it, remaining where the woman was stretched out quite flat.
All of a sudden he started running. Run! Run! Run! With-out stopping once, he ran until he reached the rise of a hill.
There he slept, out of sight of the place where he had left the woman.
Meanwhile the child that was in the womb rushed out of it, dragging its umbilical cord. First, it looked round for the direction which its father had taken, then it started this song:
Father, wait for me,
Father, wait for me,
The little wombless.
Who is it that has eaten my mother?
The little wombless . . . !
How swollen are those eyes!
Wait until the little wombless comes.
That gave the man a shake. . . . "There,” he said, “there comes the thing which is speaking.” He listened, he stared in that direction. . . . ‘This is the child coming to follow me after all that, when I have already killed its mother. It had been left in the womb.”
Then rage took his wits away, and he killed the little child! . . . There he was, making a fresh start, and going on. Here, where the little bone had been left: “Little bone, gather yourself up! . . . Little bone, gather yourself up.”
Soon it was up again, and then came the song:
Father, wait for me,
Father, wait for me,
The little wombless.
Who is it that has eaten my mother?
The little wombless . . . !
How swollen are those eyes!
Wait until the little wombless comes.
The father stopped. . . . “Again the child that I have killed! It has risen and is coming. Now I shall wait for him.”
So he hid and waited for the child, with an assegai in his hand. The child came and made itself visible at a distance as from here to there. As soon as it came, quick with the assegai! He stabbed it! Then he looked for a hole, shoveled the little body into it, and heaped branches up at the entrance.
Then with all speed he ran! With all speed! . . .
At last he reached the kraal where the mother of his dead wife lived, the grandmother of the child.
When he came he sat down. Then his brothers and sisters-in-Iaw come with smiling faces. . . . “Well! Well! You have put in an appearance!”
And a hut was prepared for him and his wife, who was expected.
Then the mother-in-law was heard asking from afar, “Well! And my daughter, where has she been detained?”
Said he, “I have left her at home. I have come alone to beg for a little food. Hunger is roaring.”
Food was procured for him. So he began to eat And, when he had finished, he even went to sleep.
Meanwhile, the child, on its part, had squeezed itself out of the hole wherein it had been put and, again, with its umbilical cord hanging on:
Father, wait for me,
Father, wait for me,
The little wombless.
Who is it that has eaten my mother?
The little wombless . . . !
How swollen are those eyes!
Wait until the little wombless comes.
The people listened in the direction of the path. . . . "That thing which comes speaking indistinctly, what is it? “ . . It seems to be a person. . . . What is it? . . . It looks, man, like a child killed by you on the road. . . . And now, when we look at your way of sitting, you seem to be only half-seated.”
“It cannot be the child, Mother; it remained at home.” The man had just got up to shake himself a little. And his little child, too, was coming with all speed! It was already near, with its mouth wide open:
Father, wait for me,
Father, wait for me,
The little wombless.
Who is it that has eaten my mother?
The little wombless . . . !
How swollen are those eyes!
Wait until the little wombless comes.
Everyone was staring. They said, "There comes a little red thing. It still has the umbilical cord hanging on.”
Inside of the hut there, where the man stood, there was complete silence.
Meanwhile the child was coming on feet and buttocks with its mouth wide open, but still at a distance from its grandmother’s hut. “Straight over there!” noted everyone. The grandmother looked toward the road and noticed that the little thing was perspiring, and what speed! Then the song:
Father, wait for me,
Father, wait for me,
The little wombless.
Who is it that has eaten my mother?
The little wombless . . . !
How swollen are those eyes!
Wait until the little wombless comes.
Bakoo! It scarcely reached its grandmother’s hut when it jumped into it . . . and up on the bed:
Father, wait for me,
Father, have you come?
Yes, you have eaten my mother.
How swollen those eyes!
Wait till the little wombless comes.
Then the grandmother put this question to the man: “Now what sort of song is this child singing? Have you not killed our daughter?”
She had scarcely added, “Surround him!” when he was already in their hands. His very brothers-in-law lied him. And then . . . all the assegais were poised together in one direction, everyone saying, “Now today you are the man who killed our sister. . . .”
Then they just threw the body away there to the west. And the grandmother picked up her little grandchild.
(BENA MUKUNl)
Tuesday, April 13, 2010
Breaking through
I had breakfast with a friend (I will call him Joe) today and he was speaking of his endeavors as a small businessman in a relatively new and innovative field. What is fascinating to me was the lengths Joe goes to in his passion for his work. He is an inventor, an innovator of the first order. With hands on and a gleam in his eye, Joe leaps into every project with an insight, creativity, and dedication rarely seen. What also came out is Joe's struggle with the corporate and political worlds he is required to navigate. Joe does not have prestigious degrees or expensive suits, yet he is the one often called upon to solve problems that the biggest and the best are stymied by. Joe is the quintessential take-charge scientist, always ready with a solution or unique approach.
What started us on this conversation was his hourly rate for engineering consultation--the same rate I would get if I were to pick up a hammer and saw. Needless to say I was astounded! I realized that Joe is a supremely confident expert in his field; there is no question about his skill, knowledge, or genius capacity. However, there is an issue with his self-perception and self-worth. While he does not suffer from an overt sense of poor self esteem, he does struggle with the political and corporate environments within which he is called to navigate.
Joe is not in need of therapy or psychological counseling. Rather, he is ripe for observational consulting on how to make a transition from his current situation to the next levels of potential found in his work. In that vein I gave him three things to do: First, I told him to change how he dresses when in business meetings (he is most comfortable in shorts and a T-shirt--they have served him well up to now but are fast becoming a liability). The notion I impressed upon him is that cloths are more important for the person wearing them than they are for those seeing him. How a person feels about themselves is subtly and profoundly impacted by one's clothing and appearance. The feel of well fitting, quality clothing imparts a sense of self that is independent of external influences. Others do not notice the clothing so much as the man "in" the clothing. Wear "powerful clothing," what ever that means for you, and your innate demeanor will resonate with everyone in the room.
Next I told him to immediately raise his prices. There is no clearer way of stating to the world that you know what you are worth than by demanding appropriate compensation for your efforts. This is not greed. It is not a business ploy to gain advantage. It is a way of expressing awareness of one's contribution to the world in a universally common language. Money speaks on many levels beyond those of profit and loss, and by commanding a fair compensation for one's work, that language speaks across a multitude of barriers--the barrier of self-perception being one.
Third, I told Joe to make a contact list of everyone he has a relationship with related to his work, paying particular attention to political and corporate connections. Joe tells story after story of meetings with CEO's, politician's, and notable celebrities regarding his business. In his travels he has been to the State Capital, Hollywood, and Washington DC. He has met with powerful people in a variety of circumstances, all of whom are impressed with his ideas, solutions, and knowledge. When presented with a proposal that has profound political implications, these people are potential resources and advocates who are available to support his work. When Joe calls upon a politician or CEO to support a project, he in effect puts them to work so he no longer needs to do everything himself.
By combining a confident appearance, commanding a fair compensation, and calling upon powerful supporters of his efforts, Joe will be able to address whatever self perception that may be holding him back through action, and allow his experience to push through any inherent resistance to change.
What started us on this conversation was his hourly rate for engineering consultation--the same rate I would get if I were to pick up a hammer and saw. Needless to say I was astounded! I realized that Joe is a supremely confident expert in his field; there is no question about his skill, knowledge, or genius capacity. However, there is an issue with his self-perception and self-worth. While he does not suffer from an overt sense of poor self esteem, he does struggle with the political and corporate environments within which he is called to navigate.
Joe is not in need of therapy or psychological counseling. Rather, he is ripe for observational consulting on how to make a transition from his current situation to the next levels of potential found in his work. In that vein I gave him three things to do: First, I told him to change how he dresses when in business meetings (he is most comfortable in shorts and a T-shirt--they have served him well up to now but are fast becoming a liability). The notion I impressed upon him is that cloths are more important for the person wearing them than they are for those seeing him. How a person feels about themselves is subtly and profoundly impacted by one's clothing and appearance. The feel of well fitting, quality clothing imparts a sense of self that is independent of external influences. Others do not notice the clothing so much as the man "in" the clothing. Wear "powerful clothing," what ever that means for you, and your innate demeanor will resonate with everyone in the room.
Next I told him to immediately raise his prices. There is no clearer way of stating to the world that you know what you are worth than by demanding appropriate compensation for your efforts. This is not greed. It is not a business ploy to gain advantage. It is a way of expressing awareness of one's contribution to the world in a universally common language. Money speaks on many levels beyond those of profit and loss, and by commanding a fair compensation for one's work, that language speaks across a multitude of barriers--the barrier of self-perception being one.
Third, I told Joe to make a contact list of everyone he has a relationship with related to his work, paying particular attention to political and corporate connections. Joe tells story after story of meetings with CEO's, politician's, and notable celebrities regarding his business. In his travels he has been to the State Capital, Hollywood, and Washington DC. He has met with powerful people in a variety of circumstances, all of whom are impressed with his ideas, solutions, and knowledge. When presented with a proposal that has profound political implications, these people are potential resources and advocates who are available to support his work. When Joe calls upon a politician or CEO to support a project, he in effect puts them to work so he no longer needs to do everything himself.
By combining a confident appearance, commanding a fair compensation, and calling upon powerful supporters of his efforts, Joe will be able to address whatever self perception that may be holding him back through action, and allow his experience to push through any inherent resistance to change.
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