The Power of Myth and Metonymy

I enjoyed “The Power of Myth” not so much for the myths it described, but for its explanation of humankind’s apparent need for myths and the individual and social power(s) that are bound to myths. Myths’ powers can perhaps be analogized to the power of Metonymy in which a word or phrase is substituted for “the real deal”.

In these United States, many learn the nation state’s origin myth by way of the public education system’s presentation of European explorers discovering a “New World” and then creating a new “nation”. While the story-line is false (many peoples did, after all, populate the American continents), it is a pre-requisite for maintaining a nation of “Americans” for without its authority, the power relationships within the U.S. are exposed to involve nothing but an Emperor who has no clothes.

Given that the “Founding Fathers” came from White European Male-dominated Christendom with the initial colonies being commercial enterprises holding governmental power, it is little wonder that today we see business and government in bed together, along with a significant "Christian" influence. This is little more than feudal enterprise, a matter that has remained unchanged as regards three foundational elements of any “nation”: A productive population that supports a protective service (i.e., the military) with the protective service and the population arguably being controlled by individuals holding the powers of governance.

A “truth” might be arrived at by critically analyzing exactly who comprises “We, the people”.

Another Truth of the Day

I previously noted that I would have extended Farley's description of the 'body as fetish object' to include all manner and sort of 'other' bodies. To be sure, he recognized in a footnote that his thesis could be applied in an across-the-board manner to all 'other' bodies. I have no doubt he limited his discourse due to law review publication guidelines and purposes. My thought is merely that, as fully descriptive as his work may be, had other bodies been included in his discourse a great deal more about U.S. society would have been revealed.

Reification and/or objectification seems to be the key issue at play. For so long as, and to the extent that we human beings focus upon the physical, we reveal that we are not as advanced or evolved as we like to believe ourselves to be.

Truth of the Day

Although Farley[1] focused on the Black Body, I have come to think him entirely correct to note twisted relationships between individuals arise from/through the objectification of an individual’s existence as ‘evidenced’ by bodily characteristics. I would extend The Black Body as Fetish Object to include the Body of Brown, Yellow, Red or White, Male, Female or ‘other’ gender, Christian, Jew, Hindu, Buddhist or other faith, and any other ‘Body’ as well. Various notions of différance, as determined under the authority of Western conceptualizations of ‘bodies of knowledge’ and resultant taxonomic ascriptions, preclude individuals of différance from experiencing their relationship(s) except as figurative or symbolic interactions based upon foundational notions of ‘otherness’. Like actors upon a stage, individuals play out roles presupposed to exist due to the presence or presentation of their ‘body’.

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[1] Farley, A. P. (1997). The Black body as fetish object. Oregon Law Review, 76, pp. 457-535. Retrieved from: http://ssrn.com/abstract=1518415

Blogging as a practice of parrhesia

I hope to periodically post a few words regarding the 'truth' seen through the lenses of my life. Notwithstanding my being raised by a minister and his school teacher wife and having been a 'missionary kid' in Nigeria for about five years, any truth I deal with will be along the lines of the practice of parrhesia as referenced in Greek works and as described by Michel Foucault, and as further suggested by the Quakers' that we "Speak Truth to Power".

My 'truths' may support, oppose or moderate various societal truths that many of us who live 'between the lines' of various social groups encounter during our lifetimes. I am as constructed and fractured as any other member of today's U.S. society. I ask that you join me -- speak your truths -- there seems to be a dearth of it these days.