By: James Slider
I've been reading the Practice of the Wild by Gary Snyder and that book has definitely influenced my thinking in regards to nature and what we hold to be natural or wild. By Snyder's definition:
Natural - Anything that exists on earth
Wilderness - Something allowed to grow to its full potential
Wild - The fundamental essence of our relationship with all other things on earth
These concepts led me to thinking about alot of other things and the way we view ourselves as humans.
The concept that we are seperate and different from nature is a huge part of the mindset of a "civilized human." I also think that this concept is a mistake. We are innately wild, and one of our largest flaws is to think that concrete ground and brick buildings seperate us from every other creature that eats and is in turn eaten. We identify with material objects, our houses, our cars, our clothes because they seperate us from what we view as untamed and unorganized nature. We pave over grass and cut down trees to "organize things," essentially we do it to feel that we are in control.
The flaw in this concept is that raw nature is structured upon an organizational pattern that is complex beyond our comprehension, a system of checks and balances that innately maintains itself until we come in and shatter its equillibrium. In this way, the ignorance of the human race leads it to destroying or "civilizing" the natural landscape and destroying a far more intricate and beautiful system than we could even dream of creating.
To accept the fact that our bodies are wild is almost like learning to walk again. We are wild in instinct, in each moment spent involuntarily frozen in the darkness after hearing a noise, in the way we size each other up unconciously, a spark in our minds that cant be put out. To accept this fact means relating yourself to all that we view as untame, in my view this is far from regression, it is closer to revolution. To be wild is not to be cruel or uncaring, it is to grow to the full of your potential, while accepting your place and relation to everything else on earth. The wild is to eat and be eaten, to take life in order to live your own, and to give life so that others may live, to see yourself in every other creature because you are all interdependant. Quite a thought.
If this thought intrigues you as much as it did me you should check out Snyders book, or talk to me about it sometime, im always happy to talk.
Monday, December 14, 2009
Wednesday, December 2, 2009
The Adolescent Fight Club
By: Kris Harrison |Editor|
I just finished watching Fight Club, which I initially put on to make myself feel better about hating studying and the pointlessness of college on whole. It worked. However, this time I caught a glimpse of something I did not pick up on before. It is something I find very crucial to the film and its meaning. It was also prompted by a Facebook message I received quoting the movie. The quote was from a philosophy/personal friend of mine who usually zings me with one liners. Although it wasn't the one liner this time, it still zinged me in a most likely unintended way.
What it made me realize is that I disagreed with what Fight Club stands for. I appreciate the ideas, the meaninglessness of modern life and all that jazz. These are big topics with me. However, what Josh's comment made me realize was the adolescence of the film, and the ideas presented. Now, I must first say that I still love the movie and appreciate it on many other different levels. However, the most important level, which is its message, I do not. Also, I could be misled in my interpretation (in your opinion) but it is a work of art and is open to such, so bear with me. What struck me about the adolescence is its reflection on myself, and encounters I have had. My friend Ryan Clark wrote a song, and believes in the idea that revolution is dead. I agree. Revolution as it has existed for the extent of human history is of no value anymore. This applies to the revolution posed in the movie as well.
You may be say "aw hell Kris, it's just a film." Fuck that, it has a message and if you do not take it serious than I doubt you appreciate the movie with the depth it deserves. Furthermore, if you are one of those revolutionary types, I advise you to read the Unabomber's Manifesto, he articulates why in better detail as well as proves its defaults. Anyways, back to the film. What I am disgusted by is this idea of revolution as a collectivist, gun shooting, explosive, anarchistic event. This is how it has always occurred, and though it may prove effective in some way (blowing shit up still changes things) I do not feel it would have the psychological effect it used to. Blowing up credit card unions wouldn't do anything to further mankind. Not buying things with them on a mass scale would. It is easy to demonize wild eyed revolutionaries. Look at Ted Kaczynski, the Unabomber. The man was a genius who saw humanity heading down a bad path, used force to get his message across and now everyone believes he is a nut. The same would happen to Tyler Durden, regardless of how rational his ideas may seem. Look what they're doing to Tiger Woods for god's sake. The guy got in a car accident late at night, and now everyone's freaking out like he's some loony.
Yes, the tenants of the movie are adolescent. They appear to be awesome in theory, and of course work out in a movie. However, the real revolution would not happen. Yes, there are a great deal of males (and females) disenfranchised with the current state of affairs. Yes, fighting may be a productive form of psychotherapy rather than copious consumption and some fucked up identity therein. However, I emphasize the "may." There is a better way of approaching the clear meaninglessness. It's a lot simpler, and doesn't involve explosions, so people will not latch onto it as well as Fight Club (which by the way, white collar boxing does exist). The solution is in the methods of revolution, and attacks the heart of what the current system is founded on. What I mean is money. The consumer has power as such, what they buy determines what businesses and power exists. Hate Starbucks and Wal-Mart? Stop shopping there. Feel like products aren't doing anything to make you happy? Stop buying them. Feel like a part of you is missing, figure out what it is.
I'm simplifying, of course, but the solution is simple in theory. In practice on a large scale I believe it's impossible. Even the strongest of will splurges now and then. Multiply that by the population of the country and Wal-Mart is still doing fine. However, I find this to be the shape of revolution to come. It is a form of slave rebellion, but it makes more sense than blowing shit up. Just stop buying from places you don't agree with. Cancel your credit cards. "Oh, but things are so expensive! We need Wal-Mart and Meijer for their deals!" Shop Sav-A-Lot and Good Will. They're cheaper and the profits go to the perpetuation of humanity. There are alternatives. I know because I do them. Yes, I could be doing more, and I should be. I'm not asking for all or nothing, just something more sensible for all out chaos. We already live in that, but most people aren't equipped for digesting it.
Look, I don't mean to be preachy, and I know I am coming off like that. My point is, don't let the fantasy get you. It got me, and my glimmering eyes did nothing but shine. Fight Club is a great film, and exposes a lot of stuff going on that people don't often discuss. However, the solution is weak. If you disagree, than fuck it, let's make some soap.
I just finished watching Fight Club, which I initially put on to make myself feel better about hating studying and the pointlessness of college on whole. It worked. However, this time I caught a glimpse of something I did not pick up on before. It is something I find very crucial to the film and its meaning. It was also prompted by a Facebook message I received quoting the movie. The quote was from a philosophy/personal friend of mine who usually zings me with one liners. Although it wasn't the one liner this time, it still zinged me in a most likely unintended way.
What it made me realize is that I disagreed with what Fight Club stands for. I appreciate the ideas, the meaninglessness of modern life and all that jazz. These are big topics with me. However, what Josh's comment made me realize was the adolescence of the film, and the ideas presented. Now, I must first say that I still love the movie and appreciate it on many other different levels. However, the most important level, which is its message, I do not. Also, I could be misled in my interpretation (in your opinion) but it is a work of art and is open to such, so bear with me. What struck me about the adolescence is its reflection on myself, and encounters I have had. My friend Ryan Clark wrote a song, and believes in the idea that revolution is dead. I agree. Revolution as it has existed for the extent of human history is of no value anymore. This applies to the revolution posed in the movie as well.
You may be say "aw hell Kris, it's just a film." Fuck that, it has a message and if you do not take it serious than I doubt you appreciate the movie with the depth it deserves. Furthermore, if you are one of those revolutionary types, I advise you to read the Unabomber's Manifesto, he articulates why in better detail as well as proves its defaults. Anyways, back to the film. What I am disgusted by is this idea of revolution as a collectivist, gun shooting, explosive, anarchistic event. This is how it has always occurred, and though it may prove effective in some way (blowing shit up still changes things) I do not feel it would have the psychological effect it used to. Blowing up credit card unions wouldn't do anything to further mankind. Not buying things with them on a mass scale would. It is easy to demonize wild eyed revolutionaries. Look at Ted Kaczynski, the Unabomber. The man was a genius who saw humanity heading down a bad path, used force to get his message across and now everyone believes he is a nut. The same would happen to Tyler Durden, regardless of how rational his ideas may seem. Look what they're doing to Tiger Woods for god's sake. The guy got in a car accident late at night, and now everyone's freaking out like he's some loony.
Yes, the tenants of the movie are adolescent. They appear to be awesome in theory, and of course work out in a movie. However, the real revolution would not happen. Yes, there are a great deal of males (and females) disenfranchised with the current state of affairs. Yes, fighting may be a productive form of psychotherapy rather than copious consumption and some fucked up identity therein. However, I emphasize the "may." There is a better way of approaching the clear meaninglessness. It's a lot simpler, and doesn't involve explosions, so people will not latch onto it as well as Fight Club (which by the way, white collar boxing does exist). The solution is in the methods of revolution, and attacks the heart of what the current system is founded on. What I mean is money. The consumer has power as such, what they buy determines what businesses and power exists. Hate Starbucks and Wal-Mart? Stop shopping there. Feel like products aren't doing anything to make you happy? Stop buying them. Feel like a part of you is missing, figure out what it is.
I'm simplifying, of course, but the solution is simple in theory. In practice on a large scale I believe it's impossible. Even the strongest of will splurges now and then. Multiply that by the population of the country and Wal-Mart is still doing fine. However, I find this to be the shape of revolution to come. It is a form of slave rebellion, but it makes more sense than blowing shit up. Just stop buying from places you don't agree with. Cancel your credit cards. "Oh, but things are so expensive! We need Wal-Mart and Meijer for their deals!" Shop Sav-A-Lot and Good Will. They're cheaper and the profits go to the perpetuation of humanity. There are alternatives. I know because I do them. Yes, I could be doing more, and I should be. I'm not asking for all or nothing, just something more sensible for all out chaos. We already live in that, but most people aren't equipped for digesting it.
Look, I don't mean to be preachy, and I know I am coming off like that. My point is, don't let the fantasy get you. It got me, and my glimmering eyes did nothing but shine. Fight Club is a great film, and exposes a lot of stuff going on that people don't often discuss. However, the solution is weak. If you disagree, than fuck it, let's make some soap.
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