“The seed of greatness is waiting to grow inside of everyone. Let your seed grow.”
—
May 2012
1 post
April 2012
9 posts
Human nature and societies.
All societies are based on the fundamental aspect that power has always been exerted over humans, even the most rudimentary societies. Subjection to power is incorporated into the human structure. Our necessities to breathe, eat, drink, sleep, defecate, and urinate are the fundamental elements that we are capitulated by. The human form predicates the need to function under these systems of power in order to live. Therefore it takes little thought to recognize that we are all subject to even the most intricate, hidden and at times unidentifiable forms of power in modern society.
Extrapolating the 'power-knowledge' relationship
Using Foucault’s idea that power and knowledge directly imply one another, I would like to use an example, from Foucault’s work to extrapolate this idea:
‘What is benevolence towards the poor is transformed into knowledge that is applicable to the rich’ - Foucault, M 1989, The Birth of the Clinic, Routledge: London, page 102
In order to understand this statement it is perhaps best to consider a theoretical situation…
La Trobe University?
I wish. I’m actually at Victoria University. We get a lot of La Trobe’s PhD Graduates come to VU to work as lecturers. Karl Smith and Anna Branford, two notable examples. Are you at La Trobe yourself Anon?
Where does the compass point?
Everyone has that crisis, that need for an epiphany. That point in time where you stand back from the path you’re on and read your compass. To where is your compass pointed? How do you re-orientate yourself to find direction, to find purpose?
That overwhelming sense of urgency, that all too sudden need to re-evaluate your life. Our desires and ambitions change, but do we still lead ourselves to where we want to go?
When was the last time you looked at your compass? Have you been too caught up in the scenery to realize if you have been following the arrow on your compass?
Where does your compass point? Where do you want to go?
If your answer to these last two questions is not the same, then you probably need to change.
I need to change.
“You are subject to being an object.”
—
The paradox of normalization
The notion of forming a homogeneous society magnifies inconsistencies and discrepancies in individuals.
To give an example: Pharmaceutical companies prescribe uniform medicine to counter signs and symptoms of poor health. These products are often successful in alleviating, preventing and repairing symptoms, however on the odd occasion, you may have experienced an allergic reaction or the emergence of new symptoms with taking certain medication. These newly emerging symptoms are referred to as side effects. Headaches, Nausea, Vomiting, Diarrhoea etc.
These side effects are the by-product resulting from the application of normalized medicine being applied to individual bodies.
“Words fail to convey what the mind wants to say”
—
“‘As soon as there is language, generality has entered the scene.’”
—Jacques Derrida
