No one knows what it means, but it's provocative
On entirely hypothetically encouraging Elon Musk's self-actualisation
A lot of people have jumped online in the last 50 years. And in an increasingly online world, perception of reality leans increasingly towards the appearance of reality rather than reality itself. This is described in The Society of the Spectacle; the first year philosophy student's favourite paperback to have under their arm.
I don't think differences in ideas of what the thing in front of us is are an inherently bad thing, because the existence of one Truth is debatable. In consciousness science, a field you could reasonably expect to emphasise attempts at objectivity, consensus on fundamentals is split between two significantly different theories.
But it is bad when saying becomes understanding.
Elon Musk (didn't take long!) tweeting about UK politics. Jeremy Clarkson on farming. Management consultants circling back on their synergies to...euphemistically dance around the problem.
All talk being confused with walk. Neoliberalism rewarding shallow comprehension but loud declaration.
The point isn't just to pick holes in the hellscape we find ourselves with, but actually to ask, who is this satisfying?
We all know the feeling of speaking to someone for a short while and coming away from it feeling empty because you haven't really spoken; you've been through pleasantries. These are of course a necessity at times, but not in lieu of everything else.
As we edge further towards a world that rewards saying rather than doing the thing, or understanding actual substance, we concede to living in pleasantries.
Surely the antidote to this is seeking meaning through people and continuing to ask questions. These don't need to be deep, probing questions, but really just showing curiosity in as much as possible. This encourages further questioning, and action, which in turn provokes doing and formative experience. All of this introduces new things or ideas which shake up the old ones, and help us realise our own truth. Renewal of anything is satisfying.
Reviews
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What it says on the tin.
Tim Minchin on participating in the public discourse and kindness
It’s hard not to be in awe of Tim Minchin’s ability to subvert the human and particularly media oriented tendency to put people in boxes. Here he opens up about his philosophy of trying new things and growth, reconciling performing in public with a search for meaning.
Christ Stopped at Eboli, Carlo Levi
This intensely moving memoir of doctor, painter, writer Carlo Levi is a beautiful portrayal of resistance through empathy. Levi was an Italian intellectual exiled by Mussolini's fascist regime to a remote village in Southern Italy called Aliano (fictitiously "Gagliano" in the book) due to his anti-fascist beliefs; the title signifies the extreme isolation and poverty of the region, so much so that even Christ is said to have not ventured further south than Eboli, the nearest town to the village. While living among the impoverished peasants, Levi observes their customs, superstitions, and struggles with the harsh landscape, developing a deep understanding and respect for their way of life despite his initial alienation.