Notes/Prompt for Rediscovery of Awe

Schneider describes what he calls "awe" or the "inscrutable" forces of our existence. For the religious this concept may be manifest as a god or gods, for the scientific-minded this may be the forces of nature, energy--forces that we cannot still entirely explain and certainly not completely control (although we often try!). My personal interpretation of "awe" has to do with our state of interconnectedness. Meaning, we are inherently part of a larger reality, whether or not we recognize or act on this state of being. We sense awe in those moments when we are awake to that experience--music, art, prayer, being in nature can all be catalysts for this sense of connection (Norman writes about this experience of "mystery" in the last chapter of On Humanism). At the same time, we may experience awe in all different ways, all the time--and this sense/worldview/experience, Schneider suggests, can serve as a moral compass to help us navigate the contradictory nature of the world and our own nature: "we cannot have magnificence without uncertainty and we cannot have mystery without hope" (161).
Schneider adds, "Linked with mystery is responsibility, the challenge to respond. It is precisely out of uncertainty that we are called to responsibility" (161).
Schneider than goes on to describe the "ethical task." He uses Paul Tillich's concept of "listening love" to describe the state of presence that serves as the foundation for balancing our emotional, intellectual, and our conditioned (coming out of our positionality) reactions and engaging in the process of "discernment."Thus, the first ethical task is the willingness to engage in the inner dialogue (the inner Socratic dialogue that Arendt calls, thinking! And Lehrer also describes this cognitive process in ("The Brain is an Argument"), to struggle with, even doubt ourselves at times as "stuggle jolts the system, dents the armor, and hars the rails" (144).
So, in a sense, we are back to the beginning of the class, listening to Martin Luther King speak truths that could hurt his cause, hurt him, but need to be said because he knows that the civil rights cause that he is leading is connected to all oppressed peoples in the world. Remember I also spoke with you about MLK's doubts and his own weaknesses and flaws?
The contradictions of our reality are both gift and burden because we are conscious, thinking beings. The very things that we fear about ourselves, are also our greatest resources--for example, our vulnerability (think On Kindness, Precarious Life). Our greatest ethical resource is our ability to think, to doubt, to question, to reflect--starting with ourselves. With this process comes the struggle with and recognition of our own contradictions. I think of these contradictions as the dynamic energy that makes us, us and allows us to continue to learn and grow. The more we accept that our unique individual selves are dependent on the larger reality with which we are inextricably linked, the more we will realize, as do the whistleblowers, that our own well-being is tied to the well-being of others, the earth, and maybe beyond!
So, there you have it--use the text, use service, and take it from here!

The Precarious Life They want Us to Live

Let’s face it; we live in a fast food, fast paced, a rat racing driven society, this is for a reason too. Information is spoon feed to the masses via the media censorship and the likes. What we see, or shall we say, what we don’t see, in war has lessen the impact it has on the individual in America. This is shown in her argument when she states, “The cry, “ there is no excuse for September 11” has become the means by which to stifle any serious public discussion of how US foreign policy has helped to create a world in which such acts of terror are possible.” Acts of terror on others for no apparent reason is likely one of the causes for such behavior. She says we fly our patriotic flag high in the air as a sign for the justification, and support of war of war/retaliation. The anti-intellectualism in America is hurting America and its citizens. The intellect or intelligence is a factor the people of power are afraid of; thinking and questions too much can be a threat. Knowledge is power; it’s this power threatens the control of the government. Furthermore, Anti-intellectualism is the numbing or dulling of the people’s mind for political gain. This keeps its people misinformed, desensitized, and callous towards others. Media, narratives, images of the war may functions as an aid for the moral justification for retaliation but its also serves as a tool for anti- intellectualism. The more and more images we get use to seeing in the airwaves, through our televisions, on the cover on the newsstands; the less, less affected we are by such experiences. These images become mundane to use over time; they have less have an emotional response to use; unless we are able to “put ourselves in someone’s position” aka positionality. These events seem so distant to use, because these tragedies are evident in our own backyard. In short, we must not only examine the information that we “access” to, but also examine the “other” perspective, which the “other” is actually the same as “us”, they are no different.

PHIL 1108/3108 Self, Community, and Service: Thinking and Action for Ethical Being: Prompt/Notes for Precarious Life

PHIL 1108/3108 Self, Community, and Service: Thinking and Action for Ethical Being: Prompt/Notes for Precarious Life: "Use these points to help you unpack ideas--please make sure that you find a connection to service. Make sure to notice where Butler identif..."

Sympathetic Identification

A lot of the time people will tend to not accept their opponents side. This is one of the main catalysts of disagreement. How can anyone expect to come to an agreement without looking at the situation from other points of view? Once in class, we all put something on the table and wrote down what we saw. We then moved seats and wrote down what we saw. We continued to change seats and note what we observed until it was obvious that you saw different things depending on where you were seated. If you are not willing to sit in a different position you will never be able to see what is actually happening.

In Precarious Life, Butler says "we tend to dismiss any effort at explanation, as if to explain these events would accord them rationality, as if to explain these events would involve us in a sympathetic identification with the oppressor" (8). People think that if you try and look at something from another point of view that you are automatically conforming to their beliefs. This is not true. Just because you attempt to understand where someone else is coming from, does not mean that you are going to completely transform your entire identity to live as they do. Butler states as, "Our fear of understanding a point of view belies a deeper fear that we shall be taken way by the thinking of the presumed enemy" (8). Understanding is the key to negotiation and one of the main aspects of being human. People have the ability to talk to one another, (even when we speak different languages) and if we are not willing to exercise this amazing ability then we are cutting out a huge aspect of life that can contribute to immense growth. Understanding, communication, acceptance, awareness, any way you want to put it, listening to others side, whatever, are all part of what give people the ability to survive in communities and civilizations.

In current times people have been talking about the idea of a "global community." How are we supposed to have a global community if we are not willing to accept the way other people think within our own communities? Understanding does not mean conformity. Understanding leads to communication, acceptance, learning, and maybe someday, the beginning of a global community.

An Eye For An Eye And A Tooth For A Tooth Leaves The Whole World Blind And Toothless

An Eye For An Eye And A Tooth For A Tooth Leaves The Whole World Blind And Toothless
By Justin Salter
It is important to think and critique the ways in which we receive information about violence for many reasons, as it is important to do so about all information people receive. First off, it is always important to check your sources. When the media is the source of information, it is likely it has the opinion of the people funding the station in which the media source is on. Second, it is important to think about the information because a person is only hearing on side (often the winning side) of the story. Lastly, it is important to think and critique information about violence, because usually retaliation is based off of this information, and with the governments track record of lying, it isn’t unreasonable to think maybe we are going to retaliate for an illegitimate cause.
“We reserve “acts of terror” for events such as September 11 attacks on the United States, distinguishing these acts of violence from those that might be justified through foreign policy decisions or public declarations of war. On the other hand, these terrorist acts were construed as “declarations of war” by the Bush administration, which then positioned the military response as a justified act of self-defense. In the meantime, there remains an ever-increasing ambiguity introduced by the very use of the term “terrorist,” which is then exploited by various powers at war with independence movements of various kinds.” (Pg4) What we forget is that some of our actions are seen as terrorist acts to other countries. America was founded on “Terrorist” acts against the king by the colonists. The only reason it is not viewed as wrong is because we were the winning side.
In terms of “Who counts as human?” (Pg20), Butler talks about people who have experienced loss, vulnerability, grief, and mourning. This is true, but I feel that I can say anyone who takes a breath counts as human since everyone does this too. I think in terms of us, who counts as a human is who we see and interact with directly. When we hear of a death in Yemen or Egypt, we just think of it as a number not an actual person that lost their life, because it doesn’t directly affect our lives.
“Let’s face it, we’re undone by each other. And if we’re not, we’re missing something” (23.) This quote is true about those “who count as human”, because we feed off of each other’s emotions. I know that by hearing stories of residents at Emeritus, I am able to open up to them as well. It helps me connect with them, and it helps them connect with me. This connection brings us closer together which also makes us more vulnerable for grieving for each other’s losses including life. Unfortunately, with the population I work with, this is a very coming thing for me to experience. Last year a resident named Margie died and it was a very difficult time for my girlfriend (who also volunteered there) and me. It was so difficult for my girlfriend that she hasn’t gone back since because she doesn’t want to make herself vulnerable anymore. Maybe the answer to world peace is everyone getting to know each other. That way everyone would count as a human, and people would be a lot less inclined to harm each other.

It's not that easy!

The United States came to be known as the great hegemony due to the wars that America has been in. American has learned to react quickly and efficiently; however, its not always the case. Due to the name that the United States has made for itself over the years among the world, even when its actions were not always the correct ones, it can not rewind or admit it was a bad choice. Instead, the U.S. sticks with that bad decision. From a personal side, the war overseas after September 11th hit me even more when it got closer to home. In 2007 my brother enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps. In 2009, he was to go abroad to the war in Afghanistan. The many months he was overseas were the longest for my entire family. He always told us, while he was there, do not watch the news. Although the media does not do a good coverage of how things are there, it does give an incite. When he came back home, safe, I found out that things were worse than what the media portrays. So many of those acts are so unfair and inhumane. The same way innocent people suffered on Sept. 11th, so have many overseas.

Violence

Violence is something that we all crow up with whether or not we like it. These reading talks about violence and how we react to it, as a nation and as individuals, well at least I think. Growing up with violence on TV, in movies, and in real life is something that most Americans can relate too. This is the reason why violence and death, especially to people we can’t relate to besides the fact that we are both humans, is so easy for us to live with. That, on top of our human nature to do on, as one does to us has made us a nation and society full of violence. Like the reading says, 9-11 made a majority of people want to go to war with Afghanistan, when really it was small group of people that planned 9-11. It wasn’t till after the U.S. made noise that more people joined overseas to fight our hatred of them. The United States became what it is today by Violence, taking over the Native American’s and then battling the British for Independence. This is makes me think, we will be a country always willing to fight, because that is what made us into the Nation we are today. The nation we are today is full of violence, and this is where I am going to connect this reading to my Service Learning. While I don’t know most of the kids well enough, I think that violence is something they have all been around, from gangs to verbal violence, and the way they are has them react to violence in a different way than most Marin kids would. Most kids don’t look for violence, and when it comes, they usually try to hide. I don’t know if this is true, but I would believe that many of the kids at County are sometimes doing the opposite and looking for violence. The chance for them to show how tough they are, even just cussing out at teacher, may make their friends think higher of them. While in most schools if someone cusses out a teacher they are looked down upon and usually don’t have many friends, the kids at county get high fives after class. “To respond to violence with violence may well seem “justified” but is it finally a responsible solution.” This is a question that I may answer different to the kids at county and either maybe than other kids in the class, but that is what makes us humans and why we are so interesting.