It's All About Me.flv

Transcription

1 Handout CHAPT 11 FREEDOM IN A POLITICAL AND CULTURAL CONTEXT "I did it my way" "Me Generaon" "I can't get no sasfacon" "Having my baby" "Because I'm worth it" "Looking out for #1" "My way or the highway" It's All About Me.flv What does each phrase say about what consumers or people in general value in our society? Add to the list from your own songs and daily conversaons. Discuss the dynamics in our society that enable these narcissisc values to flourish. The point here is not so much to make a judgment on the value of the phrase as it is to recognize that the presupposion of each is very "me" centered or "self centered." (See the treatment of narcissism in Chapter 3.) 1

2 To paraphrase E.B. White, the perfect sentence is one from which nothing can be added or removed. Every word plays its part. In my more giddy moments I think that a simple comic strip featuring Calvin, a preternaturally bright six year old, and Hobbes, his imaginary tiger friend, features some of the most lucid sentences committed to print. And when I sober up, I usually think exactly the same. Bill Watterson s Calvin and Hobbes ran between 1985 and His comic strip managed to infuse wondering (and wandering) on a cosmic scale into an ageless world of lazy Sunday afternoons, snow goons, and harassed babysitters. I m not saying that you should take moral and philosophical guidance from the inventor o Calvinball (a game that runs on chaos theory), but you could do much worse. So here, in no particular order, is a selection of quotes that nail everything from the meaning of life to special underwear. Enjoy. (NOTE: Check out Part II: Sixteen MORE Things Calvin and Hobbes Said Better Than Anyone Else) On life s constant little limitations Calvin: You know, Hobbes, some days even my lucky rocket ship underpants don t help. On expectations Calvin: Everybody seeks happiness! Not me, though! That s the difference between me and the rest of the world. Happiness isn t good enough for me! I demand euphoria! On why we are scared of the dark Calvin: I think night time is dark so you can imagine your fears with less distraction. On the unspoken truth behind the education system Calvin: As you can see, I have memorized this utterly useless piece of information long enough to pass a test question. I now intend to forget it forever. You ve taught me nothing except how to cynically manipulate the system. Congratulations. On the cruel reality of commercial art Hobbes: Van Gogh would ve sold more than one painting if he d put tigers in them. On the tragedy of hipsters Calvin: The world bores you when you re cool. On the tears of a clown Calvin: Isn t it strange that evolution would give us a sense of humour? When you think about it, it s weird that we have a physiological response to absurdity. We laugh at nonsense. We like it. We think it s funny. Don t you think it s odd that we appreciate absurdity? Why would we develop that way? How does it benefit us Hobbes: I suppose if we couldn t laugh at things that don t make sense, we couldn t react to a lot of life. Calvin: (after a long pause) I can t tell if that s funny or really scary. On the falling of sparrows (or providence s lack of a timetable) Calvin: Life is full of surprises, but never when you need one. On why winter is the cruelest of seasons Calvin: Getting an inch of snow is like winning 10 cents in the lottery. On the gaping hole in contemporary art s soul Calvin: People always make the mistake of thinking art is created for them. But really, art is a private language for sophisticates to congratulate themselves on their superiority to the rest of the world. As my artist s statement explains, my work is utterly incomprehensible and is therefore full of deep significance. On playing Frankenstein with words Calvin: Verbing weirds language. On realising God is more Woody Allen than Michael Bay Calvin: They say the world is a stage. But obviously the play is unrehearsed and everybody is ad libbing his lines. Hobbes: Maybe that s why it s hard to tell if we re living in a tragedy or a farce. Calvin: We need more special effects and dance numbers. On why ET is real Calvin: Sometimes I think the surest sign that intelligent life exists elsewhere in the universe is that none of it has tried to contact us. On looking yourself in the mirror Hobbes: So the secret to good self esteem is to lower your expectations to the point where they re already met? On the future Calvin: Trick or treat! Adult: Where s your costume? What are you supposed to be? Calvin: I m yet another resource consuming kid in an overpopulated planet, raised to an alarming extent by Madison Avenue and Hollywood, poised with my cynical and alienated peers to take over the world when you re old and weak. Am I scary, or what? On the truth Calvin: It s a magical world, Hobbes, ol buddy Let s go exploring! 2

3 The making of Modern Society People used to see themselves as part of a larger order. In some cases, this was a cosmic order... in which humans figured in their proper place along with angels, heavenly bodies, and our fellow earthly creatures. This hierarchical order in the universe was reflected in the hierarchies of human society. People were often locked into a given place, a role and station that was properly theirs and from which it was almost unthinkable to deviate. Modern freedom came about through the discrediting of such orders. Replacing this society structured around a sacred cosmic order was the modern liberal democratic society. What brought about this dramatic shift? The establishment of the liberal democratic society goes back to the same period in history that we now identify as the beginning of modern time: the seventeenth century. From this time period, five beliefs began to emerge that today shape Western society's view of the world: The belief in unlimited progress The belief in the exclusive supremacy of reason Monty Python The Annoying Peasant.flv The belief in the supreme autonomy of the individual The belief in the ever increasing domination and control of nature by human beings The belief that success and efficiency are the two principle criteria for judging the worth of human beings and their activities 3

4 Question What is a social Contract? Hobbes social contract.flv 11.1 Social Contract Thomas Hobbes Trade Power/Security Tacit contract where individuals give up their want for power in exchange for security. role of a social contract in Limits freedom in relationship order to safe to guard freedom John Locke Property rights we invest powers that we ourselves had into government institutions for laws to protect Security, safe trading of our.. Property includes our skills and knowledge etc Monty Python The Annoying Peasant.flv pp Jean Jaques Rousseau Common will > Democracy People are 'sovereign' in charge and make the laws under which they will live 'General Will' People obey the 'General Will' and give up their choices to do what the majority say John Rawles Maximise Human rights individuals must consent to give up some of these freedoms in exchange for the security of their by the state as long as its fair first principlemust have the most rights but they need to be traded off one with another. What happens to Trade freedom freedom under for safety a government? only those who possess have a say in the running of society Agree to follow laws that they write. Individual freedom traded for things that otherwise would not have. language,, life, freedom To get the most possible rights we trade one with another. Privacy for safety, etc... What obliges people in a society to follow the rules laid out by those in authority? people want their rights/ Fear of others protected, so they motivates them tofollow the rules. obey the ruler in order to get protection They give up freedom for freedom in society. For the rewards society gives.. see above To get a fair reward they have to follow the rules of the society. They accept inequality if it benefits all (ie wages for doctors etc) Why do people agree to participate in a society when there is a cost to their To uphold the natural law in defence of Gives them more Provides security interests freedom within so they don't needto the community. society by having power. The Gov. runs the laws they make. trading of to trade they must support it. To get the most possible freedom. They believe the trade in rights is fair. role of government? To protect the competition between the different appetites for power from deteriorating to murder. The protection of private > individual liberties are handed out with the understanding that the common good is served when individual rights to private are protected. Government supposed to secure freedom equality, justice, for all regardless of the will of majority. Majority not always right. To always put individual rights first. Before the common good. To balance the rights of all.. 4

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6 complete the Budget exercise as per HO. Each row gets a different budget amount this replaces the 3500 for one month at the top of the page., left row $35K ($2900 per month), middle $50K ($4150 per month), right $80K ($6,660 per month). Have each person complete the budget individually, 10 mins Then discuss it with others in his row, and reevaluate their budget as necessary, 10 mins. They then complete a reflection on: "What values have I demonstrated in how I completed this budget. What have I deemed to be important? What influences in society shaped my spending? Did my spending reflect any of the 'Beatitude' values?" 6

7 Thomas Hobbes John Locke Jean Jaques Rousseau John Rawls What is a social Contract? role of a social contract in relationship to What happens to freedom under a government? What obliges people in a society to follow the rules laid out by those in authority? Why do people agree to participate in a society when there is a cost to their role of government? Implicit Contract between Indiv. & rulers Give up freedom get security' boundary set by the ruler threat of violence Security seen as essential. keep order, balance freedom's a market place of trading for owners pursuit of owners life freed from natures uncertainty owners are free to act without interference from others uphold natural law the common good is served by serving those with private protection of private general will of the people develop their government the majority of the people should support "they limit themselves from designing it" need to protect individual will because general will is the majority and may harm minorities when self governed, you believe in the law because you have say in it there must be something beneficial to each individual. only receive benefits when you participate stable / peaceful environment To remain free we must consent to give up some freedoms to do so. Must be fair. Personal freedoms traded for rights. Freedoms are to be balanced for common good Reasonable and benefits common good. Balancing freedoms to get most freedoms. Give you the most possible rights based on limitations 7

8 Question What is a social Contract? role of a social contract in relationship to Thomas Hobbes John Locke Implicit Contract between Indiv. & rulers Give up freedom get security' Roll of gov is to control trade and management of gives people with " Control of gov ie skills, objects land Jean Jaques Rousseau The general will of the people determines the social contract To preserve themselves and remain free by submitting to the general will of the people John Rawles regardless of race gender guaranteed all rights, (Because they're human What happens to freedom under a government? boundary set by the ruler all people are equal as long as they hold ie something of value People accept the limits because they create their limits What obliges people in a society to follow the rules laid out by those in authority? Why do people agree to participate in a society when there is a cost to their role of government? threat of violence Security seen as essential. keep order, balance freedom's gov controls what things are To secure worth. u must freedom, equality, have some thing and justice. that u can sell. the mutual pursuit of life liberty and estates. ie land trades ext keep order in the markets and up holds the laws surrounding To balance their rights, they accept their limits to have as many rights as possible. To implement and laws and enhance the general will of the people. And to work to keep the will of the people reasonable. 8