From: "Colin Wight" <Colin.Wight-AT-aber.ac.uk>
Subject: RE: BHA: various queries
Date: Mon, 5 Jun 2000 09:15:10 +0100


Hi Mervyn,

Very quickly. I do think that for various reasons there is a general mood
within what we might call Western civilization for some form of spiritual
"hook-up". Traditional religion just doesn't seem to do it, but a sense of
spiritual absence and the desire to fill has led, I think, to all sorts of
new age movements and a turning to Eastern philosophies. You can see this as
a form of postmodern religion where people electically take the bit they
like but not others. It's kind of a religious supermarket (there was a good
programme on this last night) where you can believe in heaven, but perhaps
not God, reincarnation, but not the soul, etc. A kind of design your own set
of beliefs. I think RB might be tapping into this, but it is very
problematic. Mind you I view FEW as RB's most postmodern book; the novella
in part 2 for example is clearly autobiographical yet he denies that it is a
claim to historical truth (which parts aren't true?).

Cheers,

=================================Dr. Colin Wight
Department of International Politics
University of Wales, Aberystwyth
Tel: 01970 621769
http://www.aber.ac.uk/~cow
==================================
> -----Original Message-----
> From: owner-bhaskar-AT-lists.village.virginia.edu
> [mailto:owner-bhaskar-AT-lists.village.virginia.edu]On Behalf Of Mervyn
> Hartwig
> Sent: 02 June 2000 21:36
> To: bhaskar-AT-lists.village.virginia.edu
> Subject: Re: BHA: various queries
>
>
> Hi Colin
>
> >the book has clearly struck a deep spiritual longing.
>
> Could you elaborate a bit please?
>
> Mervyn
>
>
> Colin Wight <Colin.Wight-AT-aber.ac.uk> writes
> >Hi Jan,
> >
> >Yes the idea that this whole disaster was immanent was of course Ruth's
> >point. I don't buy it myself. Or at least, I have to wonder why
> i have not
> >caught the bug. Oh god (metaphorical slip), maybe I have the virus and am
> >not aware of it. Actually, as a form of punishment I keep
> re-reading it. I
> >do not agree that it is his most open and honest book to date.
> Accessible,
> >well maybe, but access to what?
> >
> >Your queries:
> >
> >
> >>
> >>- where are those beautiful schema's and illustrations ?
> >>[i certainly miss the one outlining the interwoven structure
> >>of the lives of part 2]
> >
> >beautiful? What planet are you on mon ami?
> >
> >>
> >>- are notions as "reincarnation" and "ex nihile" really without
> >>incoherence ?
> >
> >The argument for reincarnation is, well let's just say it is...
> >>
> >>- and what about the theorem "Thus one changes society by
> >>first (and also) changing oneself."[EW:68] ?
> >
> >Don't mind this, as a necessary but insufficient condition.
> >
> >>
> >>- isn't TDCR -in the end- vulnerable to the charge of total
> >>absorbence and thus total immunization of critique ? [again,
> >>it's "unbounding" but is it coherent ?]
> >
> >Absolutely, which is why I earlier called it Transcendent dogmatism.
> >>
> >>- and what is the function of part 2, or rather, is its didactical
> >>function not a bit meager ? [to mee it seems just a nice outline
> >>for a film script ;-) [and in what sense is it autobiographical]
> >
> >It can only be understood as autobigraphical, check out life 15.
> >
> >>
> >>***
> >>
> >>anyway, i find it his most open, honest and accessable book,
> >>it's a work-book, and i'm going to plan some workshops on it
> >
> >Quite what you will do on it intruiges me. I'm intriuged at how many CRer
> >plan to do this, the book has clearly struck a deep spiritual longing. I
> >blame the millennium myself, but then as far as religion is concerned I'm
> >firmly with Marx.
> >
> >>yours in TIC,
> >
> >Go on, you simply must explain TIC. Pleasssseeee Jan?
> >
> >On a more serious note, since you and i both share an interest in Zizek I
> >wonder how his fussing about absence (lack) relates to his concern with
> >religion?
> >
> >Cheers,
> >>Jan
> >>
> >>         "there is little to say; the men are away" (EW:97)
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>     --- from list bhaskar-AT-lists.village.virginia.edu ---
> >>
> >>
> >============================================> >
> >
> >Dr. Colin Wight
> >Department of International Politics
> >University of Wales, Aberystwyth
> >Wales
> >SY23 3DA
> >Tel: (01970) 621769
> >
> >
> >     --- from list bhaskar-AT-lists.village.virginia.edu ---
>
> --
> Mervyn Hartwig
> 13 Spenser Road
> Herne Hill
> London SE24 ONS
> United Kingdom
> Tel: 020 7 737 2892
> Email: mh-AT-jaspere.demon.co.uk
>
>
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>



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