Navigational Technique...

In the last post, at the very end of it, I included a conference at the UofC that is addressing "What are the ideals appropriate to our moment in human history, and how do these ideals derive from or relate to theological reflection in our time?"

'So what?' You might say... or 'Who Cares?' or 'whatever....'

And it is my opinion that this pursuit of ideals and the posing of this question through the UofC, and the way in which it is being presented, is a sign-post. A warning of things to come. The water is gonna get rough!

Now, I am no seller of doom & gloom, or some 2012 apocalyptic, eschatological end time scenario-ist, as that is not my thing. Yet, I will try to ferret out my point here, and to why the minds, great thinkers and The They's are nervous, and in order to do that, I will have to dabble with some things that may be a bit hard to follow, as some of the terms I am going to use will not be used in the standard conceptions of the meanings of these terms. The reader will have to make an effort to see beyond any knee-jerk assumptions and let go of some potentially deep seated beliefs they may hold, all just long enough to be able to see the point of it all clearly. And as the author of the next point said, "on a psychological level, it symbolizes how we must strive never to underestimate anyone, as it is a most dangerous kind of arrogance". You'll remember from my last post, we ALL have a voice, this one is mine.

First thing is to understand what direction I will approach this topic from and why any of this even matters. And to do that, one must understand what myth is.

A myth is a foundational story. Myth is a core element in many belief systems. Myth comes from mythos which simply means "word, narration, tale, and speech" and it is the antithesis of logos... or is it? Both are ways of trying to find a truth. In that sense, myth is truth. Myth is symbolic as well. Myth provides reflection. Myth is concerned with answering the unknowns and provides us all with a way to reflect on individual and collective desires, needs and fears. Myth is like a mirror in this sense, and it has changed little since ancient times. Myth was pre-writing... and is a powerful expression of human imagination. Myth transmits. And in myth, a key is offered to such questions as "Who am I?" and "How do I fit into my culture/society?" And all of this is but one piece of the puzzle, which for your own edification, can all be found in Sarah Bartlett's Mythology Bible. You see, I am not only a fish, but a parrot, too!

Now, I will attempt to take you from this conception of myth, and wrap mythos to the logos to uncover one more small aspect of this metaphorical stream in which we're splashing around in. And one of the keys, or road signs to further understanding, or in-forming, or forming with-in, was in an italicized clue above. That "psychological level" offers us an opportunity to understand quite a few things.

The first is, to take a journey to understanding the historicity of psychology. One book that has done that very well is Robert C. Bolles thematic approach to The Story of Psychology, in which he presents some very insightful bits of in-formation. If you can, get your hands on a copy. Get familiar with his Science. Get familiar with Thomas Kuhn as well. Entertain the idea that science seeks to serve a higher mission. That science seeks broad and powerful generalizations. Science seeks to explain. According to Bolles, "Science is not an abstract thing that transcends normal human activity - on the contrary, science is more than anything else a normal human activity". And science is fluid! And science is not technology. Science is also "not an objective search for truth". And somehow, psychology is "a science, an academic discipline, one of the healing professions and one of the branches of human engineering that tries to cope with social and personal problems" according to Bolles. Wrap your head around it, think critically, and dare to ask yourself what's wrong with this picture? Understand the puzzle, know the problem, see the crisis and embrace the notion that the revolution is soon to follow. Know how and why the paradigm is going to shift. Change is on our door-step.

Now, also consider contrasting Bruce Lincoln's Thesis on Method, in which he points out how language and discussions of the meta-physical are illusive. A good friend and fellow religious studies academic forwarded this pdf to me, and I encourage you to wrestle with it a bit. And depending on how well you do with that wrestling, certain things may come into focus that prior to reading it where unknown to you.

Additionally, it may help to read my piece on Anselm.

Now, all of this ties together. One way is it takes the very approach that the Div School is taking with an interdisciplinary discussion on ideals and how they relate to our point and time. Armed now with Bruce Lincoln's info, and Bolles, and Bartlett and Kuhn and Anselm... you may see that the point here is that there is a shift in the paradigm taking place that has everyone up in arms. What is odd though, is this up in arms thing is still just simmering. Moving toward crisis faster than our economics can't recover from...

You see, the paradigm is run by a bunch of crotchety-crusty-tenured-few. These few are the power-elite. They are The They's and you know what they say... and it is also comprised of those Aspiring-to's that buy the lie that they will ever be a The They!

And anyone in power, and anyone invested in gaining power, fears loosing that power and that effort. And elaborate systems are put in place to ensure that that power is never usurped. Systems of commerce and systems of governance. And like I said in the last post, "all of us are being trained to be part of a society. To be productive members of some idealized Main-Stream. To stay in-line, not cause waves and stay the course that has been predetermined for us by those The They's mentioned earlier" and to that I added the concept of letting go.

Now, the question here is, do you want to take a back-seat and just watch as this story unfolds, cling to the bottom of that stream? or do you want to take theory into reality and take hold of the mental chain's and break em! Take hold of a set of navigation techniques! Take hold of the concept that the paradigm, and The They's are possibly only myth! Vapor! Or just a part of human nature! Let go.

Perhaps one can conceive a different reality if one can shift one's perspective. As myth is also not something that can be contained. Myth is the stream. Myth is the water. Myth flows. Myth is Universal. Myth is enduring. Myth arises "out of economic problems and political and religious manipulations of the people" as Radin said. Myth is a collective unconscious as Jung said. "Myths are public dreams; a dream is a private myth" as Joseph Cambell said. Myth is the heart of the human dilemma... Myth is the source. Myth is a key. Turn it and see! Let go.

So yeah, it matters.

And please, row that boat gently down the stream, merrily, as life is but a dream.

Cheers