caitlin: everyone kept telling me that
John Brit: when nietzsche says that god is dead he talks about a particular view of god
John Brit: maybe you can't see God there or feel distant because in Africa, God can't be seen yet with american eyes
caitlin: why the hell not
John Brit: because sight is mediated
caitlin: so what am i supposed to do?
John Brit: i think that maybe you ask them how they see
John Brit: you be the caitlin who asks great questions because that's part of who you are
caitlin: okay.
caitlin: i can handle that.
Wednesday, October 3, 2007
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7 comments:
what the hell does "John Brit: because sight is mediated" mean?
because when you see something you don't just see it. it's not a pure object by itself. you see it for what it means, how you can use it, what it reminds you of.
for example...if you have to use a hammer to hang a picture in your apartment you know what a hammer looks like and you know how to use it. so when you see the hammer you see it's possibilities...but these possibilities are conditioned by the task at hand or maybe by previous tasks that you've used a hammer or seen a hammer used for. so there are limits to what possibilities for the hammer that you see. however, other people might show you a new way to use the hammer...and then you'll see it with different possibilities.
therefore, when we see things...we see them as mediated, or passing through specific cultural and linguistic lenses that we've inherited. we don't purely see.
It's true we recognize things by association. Seems like the implication here is that Caitlin can't see God or hope because she doesn't see anything in Africa that she associates with God or hope. Caitlin, I can't presume to know what is going on inside you or analyze why you feel this way. For myself, what is happening inside my heart determines my distance or closeness to God no matter where I am.
cathy g, who are you? my mom is cathy g, but you don't sound like my mom...
thanks for your comments.
What is your mom supposed to sound like? Because I am your mom and I love you with all my heart...
makes more sense. i was confused by the use of the word mediated. your use fits websters definition though, which i thought it didnt.
haha, mom you surprise me so much...i guess i've just never heard you express yourself in writing like that before...must be where i get it :)
so why haven't you replied to my emails, huh?
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