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Decolonizing Femenism: NEW
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Sun, 14 Jan 2024 18:08:05 +0000
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The essay “Decolonizing Feminism: Challenging Connections between Settler Colonialism and Heteropatriarchy” by Maile Arvin, Eve Tuck, and Angie Morrill discusses two main ideas. Firstly, it explains that the United States, along with other Western countries like Canada, Australia, and New Zealand, are built on the idea of settler colonialism, meaning they were formed by outsiders settling in these lands.
Secondly, it talks about how this process of settler colonialism involves gender issues.
The article uses Native feminist theories, which are ideas and perspectives from Native American women, to show how closely connected settler colonialism is to gender issues, especially heteropatriarchy. Heteropatriarchy is a system where society is dominated by men and heterosexual norms. This connection has significant effects on both Indigenous and non-Indigenous people.
The authors argue that understanding these connections is very important for everyone, not just those studying gender and women’s issues. They believe that by understanding these connections, we can think about nationalism and alliances in new ways. The essay presents five main challenges that Native feminist theories bring to the study of gender and women, suggesting new ways to engage with these ideas.
Overall, the article emphasizes the importance of recognizing the ongoing impact of settler colonialism and its link to gender issues. It calls for a deeper consideration of these topics in the study of gender and women’s issues.
The essay highlights how Native feminist theories show that both gender and women’s studies and ethnic studies haven’t fully addressed settler colonialism. Settler colonialism is the process where outsiders establish a community in a new land, often impacting the original inhabitants. This topic requires a new way of thinking, different from traditional approaches in these fields.
Usually, gender and women’s studies focus on women and gender issues, while ethnic studies look at Indigenous and other ethnic groups’ issues. These studies help us understand how society is influenced by gender and race. However, when it comes to Indigenous peoples, the understanding of colonialism often stops at seeing it as something that happened in the past.
Focusing on settler colonialism in these studies shows that this process is still ongoing and affects Indigenous peoples and others today. This understanding can lead to new ideas about what it means to decolonize and can create new ways for people to work together.
The essay also points out that current multicultural approaches, which aim for inclusion and equality among different groups, can actually maintain settler colonialism. These approaches often don’t fully recognize the unique situation of Indigenous peoples, who may seek independence from Western nations on their own terms. This is different from other minority groups who might be looking for equality within the nation-state.
The concerns of white women, women of color, and Indigenous women can differ and sometimes conflict. For Indigenous women, issues are closely tied to the broader concerns of their communities, which include land rights and sovereignty. These concerns are often addressed through decolonization, not just by striving for equal rights.
The authors, three Indigenous women scholars in ethnic studies, education, and Indigenous studies, aim to correct the widespread misrepresentations of Indigenous peoples in education, media, and society using Indigenous theories and decolonizing frameworks. They emphasize the significance of Native feminism in this work.
The article is intended not only for their own fields but also for mainstream (“whitestream”) feminism and other feminist movements, including Asian, Black, Latina, third world, transnational, and queer feminisms. They stress the need for these various feminisms to engage more with Native feminist theories.
They challenge both traditional and more radical forms of feminism, particularly critiquing what Rey Chow terms “the ascendancy of whiteness.” This concept critiques the perceived neutrality of whiteness and how it often includes racial, sexual, and other minorities, sometimes to their detriment. They argue against the notion that aligning with feminism should mean accepting inclusion within a whiteness framework. Instead, they believe Native feminist theories can help decolonize this dominance in global contexts.
The authors acknowledge the long history of activism and intellectual thought behind Native feminist theories, which have been somewhat neglected by academic disciplines that could benefit most from them. They see the contributions of Native women scholars, artists, and activists as invaluable intellectual gifts that have made their own work possible. They feel a responsibility to continue developing Native feminist theories, aiming to challenge both the wider academic world and gender and women’s studies in particular. Their work is driven by a passion to promote and enhance the influence of Native feminist theories.
In this section, the authors define several key terms essential to understanding their article: Native Feminist Theories: These are theories that significantly enhance the understanding of the connections between settler colonialism and both heteropatriarchy and heteropaternalism. Native feminist theories deal with complex issues of gender, sexuality, race, indigeneity, and nation.
The term “Native feminist theories” is chosen to reflect the broad and ambitious scope of this field. These theories are not limited to Indigenous, feminist, or woman-identified individuals, and they have contributions from a wide range of scholars. There’s also a recognition that some Native women distance themselves from the label “feminist” due to its association with whiteness.
Settler Colonialism: This term refers to a societal structure where new settlers or colonizers claim a place as their own and work to erase the Indigenous peoples originally living there. In settler colonialism, land exploitation is of utmost importance, often leading to the destruction or removal of Indigenous peoples and the use of slavery and labor exploitation. It’s a persistent structure in society, not just an event in history. The authors emphasize that settler colonialism has been central to the creation of wealth and power in the U.S. and continues to affect Indigenous, Black, and other marginalized communities.
Heteropatriarchy and Heteropaternalism: Heteropatriarchy refers to social systems where heterosexuality and male dominance (patriarchy) are seen as normal and natural, while other forms of gender and sexual expression are viewed negatively. Heteropaternalism extends this idea to societal structures, suggesting that a family model with a dominant male figure should be the basis for organizing the state and its institutions. Both concepts emphasize a rigid male/female binary where male attributes are valued over female ones.
These definitions set the foundation for the article’s arguments and challenges to gender and women’s studies, as well as other academic disciplines, by emphasizing the need to consider these complex intersections of gender, race, and colonialism in their theories and practices.
The section “Toward a Different Kind of Gender and Women’s Studies” discusses the importance and impact of Native feminist theories on the field of gender and women’s studies. Mishuana R. Goeman and Jennifer Nez Denetdale, in a 2009 special issue of the journal Wicazo Sa Review, emphasize that while the term “feminist” is contested among Native peoples, Native feminist analysis is essential for decolonization. Native feminism doesn’t have a single definition but multiple ones, reflecting the diverse experiences and aims of Native women. These include opening up spaces silenced by colonialism and examining the intersections of power and domination affecting Native nations and gender relations.
The authors argue that Native feminist theories offer crucial insights for gender and women’s studies, yet these theories often face erasure due to the invisibility of settler colonialism as a current social order. They reference Lorenzo Veracini, who describes settler colonialism as trying to appear natural and inevitable. This perspective is why inclusion politics is inadequate in Native feminist frameworks. INCITE! Women of Color Against Violence’s slogan “Feminist since 1492” highlights the long-standing resistance of Indigenous women against domination, predating the conventional waves of feminism.
Native feminist theories, according to the authors, are integral to feminist thought and theory. They contend that the experiences and intellectual contributions of Indigenous women are central, not marginal, and have been overlooked due to the gendered logics of settler colonialism for centuries.
To truly integrate Native feminist theories into gender and women’s studies, the authors call for critical reflection and a commitment to structural change. They urge ethnic studies, Indigenous studies, and gender and women’s studies to address the erasure of Indigenous women and Native feminist theories, not as token inclusions but as foundational shifts in how these disciplines view their subjects. The challenges posed by Native feminist theories to feminist discourses are significant, and the authors suggest ways for these disciplines to respond productively.
The first challenge presented by the authors is to critically examine and theorize the intersections of settler colonialism, heteropatriarchy, and heteropaternalism. Native feminist theories expose how these elements are deeply intertwined and perpetuated, especially in how settler colonial nations have historically managed Indigenous peoples’ gender roles and sexuality to assimilate them into the settler state.
Key points include:
Impact of Settler Colonialism on Indigenous Structures: In settler colonial nations like Canada and the United States, policies and institutions (like the Indian Act and boarding schools) were used to disrupt Indigenous peoples’ government, kinship systems, and cultural identity, often enforcing Western gender roles and heteropatriarchy.
Material Consequences: The enforcement of gender roles and heteropatriarchy has serious implications for Indigenous nations, including their claims to land and sovereignty. This is exemplified in policies like Hawaii’s blood-quantum law, which has significant effects on Native Hawaiian women and their familial choices.
Resistance and Decolonization: Indigenous women are actively working towards decolonization within and beyond their communities. Native feminist theories highlight the false binary between “women’s issues” and “Native issues,” stressing that for Indigenous women, these are inherently connected.
Rethinking Feminist Discourse and the Nation-State: Native feminist theories challenge existing feminist discourses to reconsider their goals, especially those that implicitly support the continuity of the nation-state. They suggest envisioning forms of governance that are based on interrelatedness and responsibility, as opposed to domination and coercion typical of nation-states.
Decolonizing Feminist and Academic Discourses: Native feminist theories advocate for a decolonization that aims to eradicate both heteropatriarchy and settler colonialism. This requires a shift in gender and women’s studies to incorporate these perspectives, leading to liberatory scholarship and activism that benefits not only Indigenous women and men but all people.
In essence, this first challenge calls for a fundamental reevaluation of how settler colonialism, gender, and power dynamics are understood and addressed in feminist and academic fields, urging a move towards more inclusive and decolonized perspectives.
The second challenge focuses on moving beyond mere inclusion of Indigenous women and Native feminist theories in gender and women’s studies, towards a more meaningful engagement that transforms the discipline.
Key points include:
Beyond Inclusion: The goal is not just to include Native feminist theories within existing frameworks but to engage with them in a way that changes the very structure of gender and women’s studies. Inclusion alone may perpetuate existing power hierarchies, whereas meaningful engagement with Native feminist theories can lead to transformative changes in feminist discourse.
Contestation of Mainstream Feminism: There’s a notable unease within Native communities about mainstream feminism’s focus on whiteness and its tendency to prioritize gender over other identities like race and indigeneity. Indigenous identities are complex and cannot be simplified to fit into mainstream feminist frameworks.
Challenging Heteropatriarchal Categories: Native feminist theories argue that the conventional categories of “man” and “woman” are creations of heteropatriarchy and settler colonialism. The oppression of Native women is not solely at the hands of Native men but is deeply rooted in the colonial, heteropatriarchal structures imposed on their societies.
Native Womanism: The term “Native Womanism” has been proposed to better represent the vision of a more humane and gender-egalitarian future in Indigenous communities, emphasizing resistance against colonial and patriarchal structures.
Redefining Native Feminist Theories: The authors use the term “Native feminist theories” to highlight a diverse field that critically reexamines standard narratives of identity, focusing on intellectual and political contributions rather than adhering to Western theoretical traditions.
Engagement on Indigenous Terms: Indigenous scholarship should be engaged with on its own terms, not merely as an addendum to the American literary canon or mainstream feminism. It’s about recognizing the contemporary and complex nature of Indigenous lives and writings.
Empowerment and Reclamation: Native feminisms should be understood as part of Indigenous communities’ histories and as a means of reclaiming strength, power, and unapologetic identity.
The challenge calls for a deeper, more nuanced understanding and integration of Native feminist theories in academic disciplines, going beyond tokenistic inclusion to fundamentally alter perspectives and approaches in feminist studies.
The third big idea in our article is about creating strong partnerships that really respect and understand the differences between people, especially when it comes to Indigenous peoples and their connection to land and culture. It’s not just about having Indigenous people as part of a group; it’s about truly listening to them and understanding their unique experiences and perspectives. One big part of this is for people who aren’t Indigenous, especially those who are settlers, to learn about how settler colonialism affects Indigenous peoples. They shouldn’t just rely on Indigenous people to teach them everything. Being a true ally means being dedicated to making big changes, not just being interested in Indigenous cultures because it seems cool or trendy at the moment.
Sometimes, people who aren’t Indigenous get really interested in Indigenous art, clothing, or stories, but they might not understand the deeper meaning behind these things. This can make Indigenous people feel like their culture is being used as a fashion statement or a way for others to feel good about helping, without really understanding the struggles they face. There’s a long history of settlers copying Indigenous identities, like when some early American settlers dressed as Mohawk people during the Boston Tea Party. This kind of behavior can erase the real stories and rights of Indigenous people.
We also talk about how it’s important not to just see Indigenous people as victims who need saving. There was a news story that showed Indigenous people in a very sad and poor light, but young people from that community responded by making their own video. They wanted to show the world that they’re more than just their struggles; they have intelligence, traditions, love, and hopes for the future.
Finally, we discuss how partnerships with Indigenous communities should be thoughtful and respectful. People who want to work with these communities need to think carefully about why they’re interested and what they hope to achieve. It’s important to remember that Indigenous peoples have their own goals and perspectives, which might be different from what others expect. Just like in feminism, where some people want to help women from other cultures without really understanding their unique challenges, it’s important to recognize and respect the different histories and concerns of Indigenous women and not try to change them to fit a certain idea of what a woman should be. This means that true partnerships and alliances need to be based on deep understanding, respect, and a commitment to listening to and learning from each other.
The fourth big idea is about understanding and respecting Indigenous ways of knowing, or how Indigenous people understand the world. This means acknowledging their unique perspectives and knowledge, but it’s important not to just idealize or wrongly use Indigenous cultures and religions, like what sometimes happens in New Age practices.
This challenge might seem a bit tricky at first. It’s not about trying to copy Indigenous traditions or digging into the past to find “authentic” Indigenous ways. Rather, it’s about seeing Indigenous peoples as creators of important ideas and theories about our world. Native feminist theories are not just looking back at a past unaffected by settler colonialism; they’re about an ongoing effort to resist control and unequal power relations.
Indigenous thinkers and activists are making big changes in many fields of study, like Native and Indigenous studies, gender and women’s studies, education, law, history, and more. They bring new ideas and ways of understanding things that are really valuable. We can’t cover everything here, but we can talk about a few key concepts that are really important in Native feminist theories. These include ideas about land, sovereignty (or the right to govern oneself), futurity (thinking about the future), and decolonization (working to undo the effects of colonialism).
By focusing on these ideas, we can start to understand how Indigenous knowledge and perspectives are shaping discussions and studies in many different areas. This isn’t just about adding Indigenous views to the mix; it’s about recognizing these views as essential and transformative.
In Indigenous cultures, the idea of land is very different from what most people are used to. For Indigenous peoples, land isn’t just something you own or a resource to make money from. Instead, land is about knowledge and a deep connection to the place where you come from. It’s not just a piece of property but something much more meaningful and spiritual.
A Native Hawaiian scholar, Manulani Aluli Meyer, explains it like this: Land is like a mother to us. It’s not just a saying; it’s real. Land is where you’re from, where you grow up, and it shapes how you think and what you value. You don’t just learn about land in books; you learn from being on the land, living with it, and feeling it. For people in the Pacific Islands, this connection includes the ocean too. That’s why when Indigenous people lose their land or can’t access the ocean, it’s really harmful to them, not just physically but spiritually too.
For many Indigenous people, keeping their connection to the land and ocean means making really tough choices. In places like Hawai’i, where living costs are extremely high, some Native Hawaiians have to decide between leaving their homeland or living without a traditional house. They might end up living on the beaches, which can be risky because they could be forced to leave by the police. But for them, it’s not about being homeless, because the land and ocean are their true home. This shows just how important and deep the connection to the land is for Indigenous peoples. It’s a part of who they are and how they understand the world.
In Native feminist theories, the concept of sovereignty – the right for a group to govern itself – is seen in a new light. It challenges both the traditional ideas of nation-states and the usual gender roles that come with them. Sovereignty in Indigenous contexts often clashes with what we usually think of as government power, especially when that power is recognized by a colonial system that doesn’t really understand or respect Indigenous ways.
For example, in the 1980s, First Nations activists in Canada fought against the Indian Act of 1876 because it was unfair to women. But, many First Nations men didn’t like these changes. They thought the women were being too influenced by non-Indigenous ideas about feminism, which they saw as part of a bigger problem of colonization. This situation shows how settler colonialism can use gender roles to create divisions within Indigenous communities.
Recent studies have shown that these debates about the Indian Act aren’t just about men versus women. They’re really about how colonial ideas and gender roles are used to control Indigenous people. But, some Indigenous scholars think that looking back at traditional Indigenous ways of understanding gender could help in the fight for sovereignty. They talk about how, in some Indigenous cultures, men and women had different roles but were seen as equally important, each with their own area of influence and respect.
These Native feminist theories also question some traditions that might seem like they’re part of Indigenous sovereignty but are actually influenced by outside ideas. For example, the idea that you’re only truly Indigenous if you live on a reservation is challenged. Instead, Indigenous sovereignty is seen as something that exists wherever Indigenous people are living their lives, whether on reservations or in cities.
Native feminist theories also strive to make space for Indigenous women’s voices in broader feminist movements. For instance, Native Hawaiian feminists are working to ensure their unique experiences are recognized within the wider feminist movement, not just lumped in with other groups or forgotten. They want to show that Indigenous women’s experiences are connected to, but also different from, other women’s experiences around the world.
In short, Native feminist theories are reshaping how we think about Indigenous sovereignty. It’s not just about political power; it’s also about respecting Indigenous ways of knowing, recognizing the importance of gender balance, and understanding the interconnectedness of all these issues.
The fourth big idea is about how Native feminist theories are changing the way we think about the future and the process of decolonization. It’s about imagining a future for Indigenous peoples that they shape themselves, based on their own values and ways of knowing.
In discussing this future, Native feminist theories talk about the concept of futurity. This means thinking about what the future could be like, especially in ways that are different from the past and present. It’s about creating a future where Indigenous people have control over their lives and communities. This idea is really important because, for a long time, Indigenous peoples were treated as if they didn’t have a future or as if their ways of living and thinking weren’t important.
One example is how some queer theorists talk about the idea of “no future.” This idea is about refusing to follow society’s expectations, like having children just because it’s expected. But for Indigenous peoples, the idea of “no future” is different. Their future has often been ignored or taken away by colonization. So, when Native feminist theories talk about the future, it’s about creating a new path that respects Indigenous ways and fights against the harm done by colonization.
Native feminist theories also look at how traditions and history are important in shaping the future. They don’t just want to reject the past but to use it to build a better future. This includes understanding the harm that’s been done to Indigenous peoples and finding ways to heal and move forward. For example, some scholars talk about using desire-based research instead of just focusing on the damage and problems in Indigenous communities. This means looking at what Indigenous peoples hope for and dream about, not just what they’ve suffered.
In each approach to decolonization, the goal is not to give one perfect solution, but to create a space where people can think deeply about what decolonization means in different places and situations. The main point is to see Indigenous knowledge as rich, complex, and full of history and hope. By truly understanding and respecting Indigenous ways of knowing, we can help make a future where Indigenous peoples and their knowledge are valued and central.
The final big idea challenges us to think about how gender and women’s studies, and even the whole academic world, might be involved in taking away from Indigenous peoples – their lands, their ways of life, and their futures. We need to change these practices and stop being a part of this problem.
A good place to start is by looking at what we teach in our departments and classes. We should really think about how Indigenous peoples are talked about in these materials. Are they shown in a fair and accurate way? Also, how can Indigenous ideas and knowledge be included in research?
For example, teaching about famous Native American women like Sacajawea or Pocahontas as just historical figures misses the point. It makes it seem like they’re only part of the past and doesn’t show the real impact of American citizenship and control on these women. Instead, we could teach Native feminist scholarship as something that’s happening right now and include Indigenous peoples in our modern understanding of the world.
There’s a lot of Native feminist work that talks about the problems with how Sacajawea’s and Pocahontas’s stories are usually told. They’re often stuck between being seen as either perfect, helpful women or negative stereotypes. This kind of thinking doesn’t help us understand the real lives and challenges of Indigenous women.
Another big issue is how the idea of Manifest Destiny is taught. It’s often seen as a good thing, but when you look at it closely, you see it’s really about taking land and power, and it’s caused a lot of harm to Indigenous peoples.
In our research and writing, we should also be careful about how we talk about Indigenous peoples. For example, when studying queer issues, it’s important to include Indigenous perspectives and not just assume everyone fits into the same categories of gender and sexuality.
Finally, we should think about the relationships between universities and local Indigenous communities. Are these relationships respectful and helpful, or are they causing more problems? We need to be careful about supporting organizations that harm Indigenous peoples.
In conclusion, this challenge is about looking at everything we do in gender and women’s studies and making sure we’re not part of the problem. It’s not going to be easy, and there’s no simple solution. But it’s necessary if we want to really support decolonization and make a better future for Indigenous peoples. This means changing how we think about feminism and working towards not just equality for women, but also fighting against the harm caused by colonization. This could lead to a new and better direction for feminism and for everyone.
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Decolonizing Feminism: Challenging Connections between Settler Colonialism and Heteropatriarchy
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DREAM WORLD ONE
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Thu, 28 Dec 2023 05:06:11 +0000
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DREAM WORLD ONE: A Brief, and Rather Extraordinary, Account of the Universal Sleepscape
In the vast, uncharted backwaters of the unconscious mind, there exists a place known to the initiated as Dream World One. It’s the sort of place where the phrase ‘the sky’s the limit’ is considered rather pedestrian. After all, when you can conjure up a sky made of raspberry jelly, vanilla skies, and clouds of cotton candy, a mere ‘limit’ is laughably inadequate.
In this remarkable dreamscape, everyone – yes, everyone – shares the same dream. It’s like a cosmic cocktail party but without the awkward small talk and questionable canapés. Every hour of every night, as hundreds of millions, sometimes billions of Earth’s residents slip into their pajamas and under their duvets, they unknowingly RSVP to the grandest gathering in the galaxy.
However, not all attendees are aware of the party’s full potential. Many meander through Dream World One like bewildered tourists, gawking at the impossible landscapes and improbable creatures. These are the Non-Lucidians, or as the more enlightened dreamers call them, ‘The Sleepwalkers.’
Then, there are The Lucid Ones. These are the dreamers who’ve realized they’re in a dream and have decided to make the most of it. They’re the ones you see flying unaided, creating symphonies with a snap of their fingers, or conversing with Shakespeare over a cup of tea. For them, Dream World One is less a dream and more a playground of infinite possibilities. Quite often, sophomoric Lucid Ones act malevolently in their curiosities while pushing the boundaries of their new god-like abilities. These are what the Sleepwalkers and those new to lucidity experience as nightmares.
Now, here’s the twist–Dream World One isn’t just a nocturnal escapade. It’s also the final stop for those about to permanently check out of Hotel Earth. In the brief window after death and before the ‘Game Over’ screen, the recently departed get a complimentary, unfettered, fully lucid final tour of this dreamscape.
For those who have passed away, those twelve to twenty minutes of Earth time feel like an eternity in Dream World One. The dying first experience their life in a flash – that’s called Life Review. It’s like binge-watching your entire existence but without the need for a streaming subscription. This is the bootstrapping into Dream World One for one last fantastic voyage.
In this fantastical realm, the Lucid Ones of the living can mingle with the departing, exchanging stories, farewells, or even apologies. It’s a cosmic crossroads, a meeting point between the here and the hereafter. To those who have passed, it is an eternity.
So, as you lay your head down tonight, remember: you’re not just going to sleep. You’re diving into Dream World One, the most extraordinary adventure you’ll never remember. Unless, of course, you’re one of The Lucid Ones. In which case, do say hello to Shakespeare for me. He owes me a sonnet.
Waking Up in Dream World One, “An Ephemeral Soirée”
Dream World One is a place where the ordinary laws of physics politely decline to apply and where imagination reigns supreme, a world where the mundane and the miraculous coexist, a place where countless souls have found their paths intertwined in the most extraordinary of ways. A place where rendezvous and possibility meet.
Michael, a seasoned navigator of this dreamscape, is a lifetime resident of a bustling coastal city regularly blanketed in morning fog known for its cultural diversity, fabulous foods, vibrant art scene, and maritime history. His life, a tapestry of books and knowledge, has always leaned towards the extraordinary. By night, in Dream World One, he’s an architect of impossible structures, weaving stories that defy gravity and time; a seasoned Lucid One that navigates the dreamscape with the ease of a well-versed librarian strolling through familiar aisles. His dreams are a grandiose tapestry of adventures and quests peppered with literary references and philosophical musings. Here, amidst the floating islands and talking animals, he has penned countless unwritten epics and solved myriad problems and puzzles that the waking world has deemed unsolvable. And if you ever find yourself there, look up to the skies. That’s where you’ll often find him strapped into his winged sandals known as “talaria,” which allow him to fly and move swiftly as the Greek god Hermes.
Emily, another Lucid One, who lives across a vast ocean in a land of breathtaking green landscapes and dynamic cultures, brings her artistic visions to life not only in reality but also in her dreams. A graphic artist by day, she transforms into a fashionista of fantastical designs by night, pushing boundaries and waking world constraints; her creations are as vivid and extraordinary as her waking artwork. A relative newcomer to this boundless realm, she nightly brings a different flavor to Dream World One. As a graphic artist, her dreams are vibrant canvases, alive with colors and textures that would make even the boldest artists of the waking world envious. She fashions haute couture gowns dripping with moonlight for starlit masquerades with painted sunsets that outshine the beauty of anything ever seen in the waking world.
Their chance meetings in this shared dreamscape were as unpredictable as the world itself. Time, after all, was a mere suggestion in Dream World One. Yet, when their dream paths crossed, the air buzzed with creativity and unspoken understanding.
One such encounter unfolded beneath a sky of swirling auroras. A new Lucid One had been hard at work painting a pastel masterpiece. Michael, having conjured a library with infinite stories, found Emily weaving a tapestry of starlight.
“Working on a new collection?” Michael asked, materializing beside her.
“You could say that,” Emily replied, her fingers dancing through the cosmos. “And you? Writing the next great dream novel?”
“Something like that,” he chuckled. “Though I find our conversations far more enriching. Care to fly with me?”
“But of course,” Emily replied. “Lead the way.”
Their dialogue, a blend of whimsy and wisdom, flowed effortlessly. They shared stories of their waking lives, their aspirations, and the peculiarities of being Lucid Ones.
As they conversed, a peculiar phenomenon occurred. Walking a little before they took to the air, the world around them began to blend their imaginings. The library’s walls stretched into infinity, becoming canvases for Emily’s starlit art. Meanwhile, Michael’s words wove themselves into the fabric of her creations, giving life to characters and narratives. Together, their shared presence, thoughts, and words, seemingly a new collaborative work was manifesting in their wake.
But the night was not without its shadows and occasional nightmare narratives. As Lucid Ones, they were acutely aware of the Sleepwalkers, those who traversed the dream realm unaware. Emily and Michael often pondered their role – were they to be mere observers, or did they hold a responsibility towards these unknowing souls? Is it possible they could teach them about their limitless potential?
Their discussion took a deeper turn as they approached the Edge of Consciousness, a static train station if you will. One of many places of transition from the living world, a boundary where the dreams of the living blurred with the final journey of the departing. Here, they encountered souls embarking on their last grand adventure, their Life Review that proceeds their seemingly eternal stay. It is a crossroads, a place where the living briefly touch the essence of those departing from the earthly realm. In this space, Michael and Emily encounter souls on their final journey, sharing moments of profound connection and exchanging stories and wisdom that transcend the barriers of life and death.
Emily, ever the empath, regularly reached out to these souls from time to time. And this was one of those days, offering comfort and a listening ear. Michael, with his wealth of knowledge, shared stories of hope, resilience, and possibility.
As dawn approached in their respective corners of the world, Emily and Michael both sensed their time was short. Alight, as it is called, is the last moments before the living ones begin their transition back into the waking world. A place where Lucid Ones find themselves bargaining with an inevitability, begging for just a few more moments with which to remain. Reluctantly prepared to part ways, they knew that each departure and return to Dream World One might not bring them together for some time, but the bond they’d formed transcended the ephemeral nature of dreams.
“Until next time,” Emily said, her image starting to fade.
“Until next time,” Michael echoed as the library and starry tapestry dissolved into the gentle pull of waking reality.
And so, our protagonists returned to their lives, carrying with them the wonders and mysteries of Dream World One – a place where every night was an opportunity for adventure and discovery, filled with hopes of an unexpected reunion.
Despite the vast distance and time difference that separates their physical worlds, Michael and Emily, regular oneironauts, those with the ability to travel within a dream on a conscious basis, find themselves repeatedly crossing paths in their sleep. Here, in this boundless realm, their adventures take flight, unencumbered by the physics or logic of the waking world.
Their individual experiences are as varied as they are fantastical, together, their creations are orders of magnitude greater than their individual experiences. Michael, with his two decades of lucid dreaming, regularly guides Emily, the relatively newer dreamer, through lofty landscapes that defy description. Together, they create and scale mountains that touch the stars, dive into the deepest of oceans glowing with bioluminescent wonders, and wander through cities where the buildings pulse with life.
But it’s not just a playground. Dream World One is also a crossroads, a place where the living can briefly touch the essence of those departing from the earthly realm. In this space, Michael and Emily encounter souls on their final journey, sharing moments of profound connection, exchanging stories and wisdom that transcend the barriers of life and death.
Each night, as they lay their heads to sleep, separated by oceans and continents, they embark on a journey to meet in Dream World One. It’s a place where their creativity and curiosity find no bounds, where every dream is a doorway to another adventure, another story.
And so, as Michael pens his tales by day, inspired by the night’s escapades, and Emily weaves her artistic magic into her waking life, they both know that when the sun sets, a new chapter awaits in Dream World One – a chapter where they are the authors of their own extraordinary narrative and on occasion a magnum opus.
One day you too will join them there. With a little practice, you could meet with them there sooner rather than later.
If by chance you meet them, tell them Hypnos, father of the Oneiroi, says hello.
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Kantianism vs. Utilitarianism. Which is Better for Joe and Why?
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Mon, 04 Dec 2023 02:26:05 +0000
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According to Mill and Utilitarianism, a vanilla Utilitarian breakdown of the prescribed scenario might lead a sophmoric mind to initially see that cheating would be the right way to go about maximizing the immediate happiness for Joe and his family. However, on deeper inspection and a wider scope of long-term outcomes would likely lead Joe to the conclusion that not cheating si the right, more ethical choice when exercising a well worn philosophy of Mill.
“When the temptation arises to violate the norms of justice or the acknowledged rights of others for the sake of maximum happiness, Mill believes that the Utilitarian must always keep this crucial human need for security in mind. We must never underestimate how acts of injustice or the violations of rights undermine this one good upon which all of our happiness depends. The willingness to readily lie, cheat or steal, undermines the security of all, and should therefore be avoided except in the direst circumstances.” (Mill pgs. 18-19)
As a Kantian I would argue that to cheat on the exam would be a moral no-no. Strictly off limits. Regardless of the potential benefits to Joe and his family, cheating cannot be justified. Duty and moral law emphasizes that certain actions are at heart wrong, regardless of outcome. It cannot be universalized; others are not a means to an end, and justice would not be served.
“To use someone “simply as a means” is to involve them in a scheme of action to which they would not in principle consent. If I lie to you about the state of the transmission of
my car in order to persuade you to buy it, I am using you. And hence, my actions are a violation of the categorical imperative. Just as before, the consequences don’t matter.
It is irrelevant how great the consequences will be for me, for my family, etc. The action is wrong as a matter of principle. So for Kant, the key to acting morally is simply to follow the categorical imperative. This means that before you act, you must make sure that your actions and intentions are consistent with the categorical imperative. You can use either version of the categorical imperative, because both amount to the same thing.” (Kantianism pg. 4)
At this point in time I find myself aligning more with Mill and Utilitarianism, though I hold, with much respect and high regard, the views of Kant. I believe that to side with Mill as a Utilitarian is the better path as the result could still be the same as Kant.
And the objective truth, regardless of my belief, is that I am out of time, as the clock on this assignment won’t allow me to write anymore.
Cheers…8)
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What I Learned From a Cool Catt Named Jake
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Sun, 26 Nov 2023 01:52:34 +0000
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Michael J. Loomis
Intercultural Communications-COMM25
Intercultural Interview Paper – Fall 2023
What I Learned from a Cool Catt Named Jake
As a lifelong learner and someone who was born into and raised in a Christian culture, this journey into the life and heart of Jewish culture through the experiences of my son-in-law has opened my eyes to a cultural world that I have been on the outskirts of for quite some time. What follows is a reflection of a young man named Jake Catt, who recently married my older daughter, Kylie. I intend to share with you the insights I discovered while interviewing Jake, along with some contrasts and similarities between the Jewish and Christian cultural norms we both experienced. The tapestry of intercultural communications that binds us all together across diverse backgrounds and faiths is complex but not as different as I thought before this interview.
The Early Years and Family Influences
Jake’s early life was spent in the shadow of our nation’s capitol, Washington D.C., and he lived there until he moved to California at eighteen years of age. His dad is a Kiwi, born and raised in Wellington, New Zealand, and his mother was from Rockville, Maryland, about twenty minutes outside of Washington D.C. The influences that Jake experienced growing up were heavily skewed more toward his mother’s side of the family, which is the Jewish side, where he found most of the influence that defined his Jewish identity. His experience was different than mine in that I was fortunate enough to have both sides of my family all living within a five-mile radius.
Comparing and Contrasting Family Dynamics
Reflecting on the time spent with Jake, I realized that my Christian upbringing was not completely unlike Jake’s Jewish upbringing. We both shared an Abrahamic faith. We both attended religious schooling throughout our childhood. And we both had a similar departure from our religious upbringing in our early teens. Yet, strangely, we both still have a strong affinity for our cultural foundations. Another interesting point is how we both have a non-theistic understanding underpinning our religious beliefs. Yet, strangely, we both feel drawn to stay somehow connected to our religious foundations’ overall spiritual and ritualistic practices.
The Role of Entrepreneurship in Jewish Culture
Of all the influences Jake spoke about in the interview, the one that brought out his warmest sentiment was the relationship he had with his grandfather, who himself was not an entrepreneur but the son of an entrepreneur, Jakes’s great-grandfather. His great-grandfather started an industrial laundry business that his grandfather eventually became the CEO of after attending the University of Maryland, earning a master’s degree from George Washington University and a Ph.D. from American University. He continued to run the family business until it was eventually sold in 2000. Jake did not pursue a conventional education like his parents or grandfather, but he learned much from his grandfather.
Jake shared a delightful story during the interview. I will let him tell it using his own words. “Entrepreneurship has just been a part of my family and my life. I think a lot comes from my great grandpa, an entrepreneur who started a business. My grandma and my grandpa ran that business. And so, my entire childhood was filled with examples of entrepreneurship. My grandpa was the patriarch of my whole family. He was my big family’s leader, so I always looked up to him. He was a great inspiration to me. Even now, in my mind, I go back to when I was 10. I interviewed my grandpa. I filmed this interview of me interviewing him, asking him for business advice. He gave me this incredible advice I had completely forgotten about until a couple of months ago when I rediscovered the tapes. And so, I have this 40-minute interview that I did with my grandpa when he was alive that I get to apply to my current business now.”
A Grandfather’s Lasting Influence and Legacy
Jake’s grandfather was not just the elder of the family, but he was also an exemplary pillar within the Jewish community that Jake grew up in. A man who embodied the traits celebrated within Jewish culture. An intelligent man with a resilient spirit in the face of adversity who did not acquiesce in the challenges of opportunity. His sense of social responsibility and Jewish values shined through as a dedicated supporter of The Anti-Defamation League, which is the largest anti-hate crime organization in the world—a man whose morals, ethics, and praxis clearly informed and fostered a similar spirit within Jake—the true meaning of a role model. Someone not afraid to stand up for what is right.
The Inquisitional Spirit of Judaism
Towards the end of the interview, Jake shared something I did not expect to hear. It was not a question I even thought to ask but simply a manifestation of the conversation. Something that made me realize that my own Christian upbringing and past practices were more aligned with that of Jewish culture and practice. The ability to question one’s faith. Not something usually encouraged within Christianity.
In Jake’s own words. “Something that I also wanted to bring up. A significant value and one of the tenets of Judaism is questioning. It is embedded in the religion to ask questions, and that is what separates it from other Abrahamic religions, where you are told this is God’s way, how it is, and that is it. And you listen. And that, I believe, is leading to the downfall of Judaism. Yet that same questioning spirit has brought us many great minds: Jewish scientists, mathematicians, and philosophers. But you also end up with a lot of atheists if you tell everyone in your religion to question what they believe. You end up with a lot of people asking if God exists. That spirit of questioning has brought us many wonderful things but also may spell the end of Judaism. I think about this a lot, and I do get sad when I think about that in the context of Judaism. And then I’m like, oh damn, I’m a part of that problem. It makes me think that maybe I should go back to the temple again.”
And this is where he and I come together. We both find ourselves in the same place despite taking two different paths.
Closing Thoughts…
More than a week now has passed since I conducted this interview with Jake. This interview has been an enlightening and transformative experience, offering me not only a bird’s eye view into Jewish culture but also allowing me to get to know my son-in-law in a way that might not have even happened without the prompting of this class and assignment. It allowed me to reflect on my own experience growing up within the culture of Christianity, which is deeply rooted in the Abrahamic cultural foundations of Judaism. Not only has this interview provided me with a better understanding of intercultural communications, but it has also enriched my appreciation for the overall breadth of the human experience in our increasingly interconnected world of modern technological innovations. And now, here I stand, having a deeper understanding of cultural nuances and traditions that I expect, and hope will help us all better navigate the straights of the future that lay before us.
Shalom
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Jean-Paul Sartre – Inventing Oneself at Every Instant
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Fri, 10 Nov 2023 04:17:27 +0000
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Jean-Paul Sartre – Inventing Oneself at Every Instant
Man is nothing else but that which he makes of himself.That is the first principle of existentialism. — Jean-Paul Sartre
The Life and Work of Jean-Paul SartreJean-Paul Sartre (1905-1980), was one of the greatest philosophers of the 20th Century and the most prominent figure of the French existentialist movement. His most important philosophical text, Being and Nothingness (1943), is a monstrous work of over 800 pages that takes on most of the main themes of Sartre’s existentialism including the nature of consciousness, perception, the existence of “nothingness,” free will, self-deception, authenticity, morality, and responsibility. Sartre was a prolific writer, and in addition to his non-fiction philosophical works, he wrote numerous plays, short-stories, and novels, as well as political commentary and literary criticism. In 1964 Sartre was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature. The Swedish Academy noted that “his work which, rich in ideas and filled with the spirit of freedom and the quest for truth, has exerted a far-reaching influence on our age.” Sartre, however, chose to decline the prize citing that he always declined official honors and that “a writer should not allow himself to be turned into an institution.”
Sartre had a nearly lifelong friendship and love affair with the philosopher Simone de Beauvoir, whose book The Second Sex, brought together the ideas of feminism and existentialism. They first met at the Sorbonne in 1929 and were largely inseparable (though never monogamous) thereafter. Each had tremendous impact upon the thought of the other. World War II also profoundly shaped Sartre’s life. He was drafted in 1939 and served as a meteorologist for the French Army. He was captured by the German troops and was held for nine months as a prisoner of war. This period was influential to Sartre’s later thoughts on freedom of the will and personal responsibility, and it was during this detainment that Sartre first read Martin Heidegger’s Being in Time, which was also extremely influential in shaping Sartre’s own existentialist views. After World War II both Sartre and de Beauvoir were politically active, and eventually became two of France’s most famous public intellectuals. Sartre’s political philosophy was largely shaped by Marxism, and geared toward economic transformation to increase the freedom and dignity of the worker. Sartre also published influential works opposing racism and the inequitable and oppressive treatment of Blacks and Jews.
The excerpt below is from Existentialism is a Humanism, which was originally a lecture, given by Sartre without the use of notes, in Paris in 1945. While Being and Nothingness remains the quintessential expression of Sartre’s existentialism, Existentialism is a Humanism provides a more accessible entry-point for new students of Sartre’s philosophy.
In Sartre’s Words: What is Existentialism?
Most of those who are making use of this word would be highly confused if required to explain its meaning. For since it has become fashionable, people cheerfully declare that this musician or that painter is “existentialist.” A columnist in Clartes signs himself “The Existentialist,” and, indeed, the word is now so loosely applied to so many things that it no longer means anything at all…
All the same, it can easily be defined. The question is only complicated because there are two kinds of existentialists. There are, on the one hand, the Christians, amongst whom I shall name Jaspers and Gabriel Marcel, both professed Catholics; and on the other the existential atheists, amongst whom we must place Heidegger as well as the French existentialists and myself. What they have in common is simply the fact that they believe that existence comes before essence — or, if you will, that we must begin from the subjective.
What exactly do we mean