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Tuesday, April 26, 2011
Tuesday, April 19, 2011
Enlightening concepts that I enjoyed while reading Simone Weil on Society and Solitude
Idea:
Solitude should not make the individual feel as if they are above "the social group" or too good to converse with others but it should allow the individual to let go of his/her ego. The idea is to escape social life in a way and to mentally rise about believing that you need social life for validation or purpose etc. However, solitude is necessary for serenity of the mind and for the sake of productivity. One who fully understands the meaning of solitude can rise "above social life and return to it when he/she wishes." This idea that Simone Weil discusses relates to Emerson's idea of "spiritual elevation" which means being about to rise above it all; time, work, stress, society, social standards, the expectations of others, etc in a modest and non-egotistic manner.
Quotations:
"De-create the created false earthly social identity that society convinces you to accept and instead embrace transcendent presence in the impersonal"
Weil's definition of "the impersonal": being able to voluntarily let go of or the renunciation of ego.
"Solitude, on the other hand is the state of being alone without being lonely and can lead to self-awareness."
My Interpretation of Simone Weil's Theories:
Weil desired to be alone due to the traumatic events that were occurring in the world. She recognized that being alone meant having time to concentrate on her spirituality. She used solitude as a survival mechanism in the ever changing, ever disappointing, and ever unreliable world that we live in. One is in solitude when they are physically alone but solitude is also very much about he individual's mental state. Being in solitude and understanding solitude will allow an individual to block everything out and focus on what is important. The individual will be able to grow due to little or no distractions. Mental control essential.
Solitude should not make the individual feel as if they are above "the social group" or too good to converse with others but it should allow the individual to let go of his/her ego. The idea is to escape social life in a way and to mentally rise about believing that you need social life for validation or purpose etc. However, solitude is necessary for serenity of the mind and for the sake of productivity. One who fully understands the meaning of solitude can rise "above social life and return to it when he/she wishes." This idea that Simone Weil discusses relates to Emerson's idea of "spiritual elevation" which means being about to rise above it all; time, work, stress, society, social standards, the expectations of others, etc in a modest and non-egotistic manner.
Quotations:
"De-create the created false earthly social identity that society convinces you to accept and instead embrace transcendent presence in the impersonal"
Weil's definition of "the impersonal": being able to voluntarily let go of or the renunciation of ego.
"Solitude, on the other hand is the state of being alone without being lonely and can lead to self-awareness."
My Interpretation of Simone Weil's Theories:
Weil desired to be alone due to the traumatic events that were occurring in the world. She recognized that being alone meant having time to concentrate on her spirituality. She used solitude as a survival mechanism in the ever changing, ever disappointing, and ever unreliable world that we live in. One is in solitude when they are physically alone but solitude is also very much about he individual's mental state. Being in solitude and understanding solitude will allow an individual to block everything out and focus on what is important. The individual will be able to grow due to little or no distractions. Mental control essential.
Quotations that I enjoyed while reading a summary on the work of Ralph Waldo Emerson
- "...And because we are dressed in arts and institutions; as he puts it, it is easy to feel functional, to feel whole and self-sufficient by flowing with society's standards. ...In the world, solitude is impractical and society is fatal."
- "The integrity of our mind, as Emerson puts it will be the validating criterion for our lives."
- "What we discover in ourselves becomes compelling because it constantly reinforces our strengths, abilities, and will. ...A great man is able to remain to himself in the midst of the crowd and remembers to live after his own opinion."
My FAVORITE QUOTE!
- "Nature is the model for primary wisdom. Nature does not refer back to authority or precedent. But man postpones or remembers; he does not live in the present but with reverted eye laments the past or needless of the riches that surround him, stands on tiptoe to foresee the future. He cannot be happy and strong until he too lives with nature in the present, above time. Only with maturation of these virtues can our solitude be truly functional. At that point 'your isolation must not be mechanical but spiritual, that is, must be elevation.' ...The individual will manifest to others a higher ethic, 'eternal law' versus social conformity."
- "The integrity of our mind, as Emerson puts it will be the validating criterion for our lives."
- "What we discover in ourselves becomes compelling because it constantly reinforces our strengths, abilities, and will. ...A great man is able to remain to himself in the midst of the crowd and remembers to live after his own opinion."
My FAVORITE QUOTE!
- "Nature is the model for primary wisdom. Nature does not refer back to authority or precedent. But man postpones or remembers; he does not live in the present but with reverted eye laments the past or needless of the riches that surround him, stands on tiptoe to foresee the future. He cannot be happy and strong until he too lives with nature in the present, above time. Only with maturation of these virtues can our solitude be truly functional. At that point 'your isolation must not be mechanical but spiritual, that is, must be elevation.' ...The individual will manifest to others a higher ethic, 'eternal law' versus social conformity."
Wednesday, April 13, 2011
Thursday, April 7, 2011
My Notes (a continuation of my research)
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| Written April 4, 2011 p.1 |
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| notes on meditation p.2-3 |
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| notes on meditation cont'd p.4-5 |
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| notes on meditation cont'd p.6-7 |
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| draft of interview questions p.8-9 |
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| p.10-11 |
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| April 6, 2011 in class notes p.12-13 |
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| in class notes cont'd p.14-15 |
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