True. For the past few days I have indeed been elsewhere. Posting as usual to return by the end of this week. Cheers and happy Day of Portugal!
P.S. For a clue on my current location I recommend the song "8 miles high" by The Byrds.
I'm not there
Deus ex machina - Apó mēchanēs theós
I have always liked the sound of this expression. Deus ex machina makes me think of an almighty god controlling the destiny of mankind in a puppet-like manner. Even when I learned that a deus ex machina is a plot device that provides an external solution to a seemingly unsolvable situation I couldn't help keep that first image in my mind. In fact, the origin of this expression comes from the ancient greek (hence the double title of this post, Apó mēchanēs theós) and literally means "god from the machine". It appears that in Acient Greek dramas tragedeans would use a crane in order to lift an actor playing god and use this character to solve the plot.
The usage of deus ex machina was kept in many plays across time and cultures from the middle ages to 1970's american soap operas, from arab plays to Shakespear. Its usage has also been heavily criticised (its notorious critics range from Socrates to Nietzsche), as it deprives the spectator with crucial information to solve the plot by him/her self, which brings me to the problem of information asymmetries.
Information asymmetries, such as the problem of adverse selection or of moral hazard, arise whenever one party knows (and uses) something that a second party does no know as a mean to take advantage of that second party. Think of George Akerlof's classical example, the used car market, or the "market for lemons" (1970). If you cannot assess the quality of an used car just by looking at it (usually car dealers tend to keep them all pretty neat and shiny), that is, a priori, you will have to trust the seller that you are buying a good car instead of a lemon. You will then pay the same price for the car regardless of it being a good car or a lemon, for you, due to the information asymmetry, cannot clearly assess its quality. However as it is expectable that the owners of lemons will be more likely to sell used cars than others (as they get a lower utility for the car) most cars traded will be lemons. And thus we reach the unhappy end of a no-trade equilibrium to be blamed on an important information asymmetry. Want a solution?
Deus ex Machina!
Blake blake (part I)
Do you have to believe in something to actually follow it? Frankly I don't know. I would like to though..
I mean, I'm not an expert in religious affairs, but Christianity (which I am addressing because I am extremely ignorant on all remaining beliefs) strikes me as quite limited. That's right, limited. For example, people often argue about how timeless the metaphors on the Bible are. In my view that is simply not true. Take the the tenth commandment for instance:
"10. Neither shall you desire your neighbour's house, or field, or male or female slave, or ox, or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbour."
First thing, ox or donkey? If this is truly the word of an All-knowing god, shouldn't it be general enough to fit modern times? I mean, on today's society this would apply only to a handful of movie-like gypsies. Ok, seriously though, should there really be a commandment that implies the institution of slavery? is that trully the word and hence the will of god?
Anyway, my point with this is that you should be able to stand for and live for something that you don't quite believe in. Jesus was a peacemaker, that argued for forgiveness and equality. I don't believe he was the son of god, but he was a pretty good role model.
Now, take Idealism, the philosophical theory. Basically (thank you Wikipedia) Idealism is the philosophical theory that maintains that the ultimate nature of reality is based on mind or ideas. It holds that the so-called external or "real world" is inseparable from mind, consciousness, or perception. In Berkeley's words:
"Esse est percipi" ("To be is to be perceived")
For me, the most interesting thing about Idealism (especially the Subjective idealism) is that it equally hard o accept as it is to reject. To understand why let me introduce you to one of its most famous anecdotes. Suppose a lightning hits a tree somewhere so that the tree is set on fire and falls to the ground. Now, does the tree falling down produce any noise? Well, obviously it will.. or will it not? Has anyone ever heard the sound of of the tree that is falling down with no one near? Of course this may strike you as ridiculous, as we have known trees to always make some noise while falling. To ask such a thing is equivalent to asking whether the earth is the centre of the universe during the middle ages. The sun and the moon both moved around earth meaning that earth must be static, QED, right? well, I guess you know the story.
What is Lou Reed looking for?
Lou Reed is not satisfied. He has never been. Go on, listen to him.
A fucked up middle class college student, as he once said, Lou Reed is a walking contradiction. By hating everyone, by rejoicing from their suffering, their destruction he laid the foundations for punk-rock. He then repudiated them, I'm too literate to be into punk rock, he said. He went from doo-wop to glam-rock, from heroin to caffeine, from rockstar to accountant. What was his point?
If one thing, I admire him. As musical novelist, much of his work has reflected New York's underworld of prostitution, crime, drug addiction as well as its people. People with their own opinions, aspirations and often twisted conceptions of reality. Lou Reed sings them all, from his transexual girlfriend, to the masoquist girl who buys her love from a street gigolo. They are all part of his and our reality, they are citizens of our countries and yet we don't want to see them. He does.
Shelter from the storm
I don't really recall when was the first time I listened to Bob Dylan. Neither don I know when did I start liking it. But if there is one thing that his music has offered me is an unique insight of the risks of so-called Liberal Policy making. Listen to songs such as The Lonesome Death of Hattie Carroll and understand how did left-wing movements appeared in the first place. The smashing and feudal-like power of America's wealthiest was absolutely shocking. I mean, being a Liberal myself I have often seen political measures that facilitate the accumulation of power around a fistful of individuals being called capitalism. Well, capitalism should always benefit the society as a whole by mitigating inequality and balancing bargaining power amongst the population. The thing is that it all too often it doesn't.
But you who philosophize disgrace and criticize all fears,
Take the rag away from your face.
Now ain't the time for your tears.
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