Philosophical metamodernism is terrifying yet comforting, artistic metamodernism is a beautiful kaleidascope, but political metamodernism hints to me at options for a flourishing future of humanity.
I'm struggling with the concept of "the map is not the territory". A few theorists have written about this, especially Deleuze and Guittari in their twin concepts of deterritorialisation/reterritorialisation. You reminded me that this is a gap in my own knowledge I want to explore and learn more of.
philosophical metamodernism being terrifying yet comforting is v true, like standing on the edge of a conceptual cliff and realising the void can actually be generative.
I actually haven't engaged at all with Deleuze and Guittari on this, but this is a helpful guide that it sounds like I should, sounds relevant
appreciate that you framed dualism as beautiful - it’s so often flattened into a problem to be solved, when really it can be a dance, a tension that generates meaning!
It's reductive to break things down into binaries despite that beauty. D&G talk a lot about rhizomatic structures which use fractal geometry - a near infinite potential for growth of new lines of flight from any point and in any direction. Their ideas are esoteric and weird here. Sometimes I return to the minimalism of modernist ideas out of a desire for simplicity.
it's so hard to put it into words, but when all these framings start dissolving, everything just feels so much better
theres this zen story where a student is asked if a dog has buddha-nature, and the master just says, “mu”
It means something like "emptyness" but I read someone translating it as "un-ask the question", as in the question itself has a framing that makes any answer not complete
same as the "what sound does a single hand makes when both hands clap?" meditation
YES omg - I love that you brought up “mu" I've never heard of it!! That idea of un-asking the question because the frame itself is the trap?? when language drops away and what’s left is just… aliveness and essence, like the dissolution of framing doesn’t lead to nihilism, but weird luminous clarity. Mind-melting in the best way!
Also can’t believe I haven’t read Nishitani yet - bumping him to the top of the list immediately. Any specific work you'd recommend starting with?
YESSSSS, love how you said it, "it doesn't lead to nihilism", one of the BIG points of nishitani is how nihilism overcomes itself!! and the interconnectedness of everything, and how different reality becomes when you look at it without the usual framing
love how your recent writing dances with his ideas
for recs: "religion and nothingness" and "the self overcoming of nihilism". They feel like text books, but in a good way
forgive my yapping, I got excited and typed too much... but the authentic me doesn't want to delete it, even tho I feel I got too carried away so:
pretty comprehensive on his ideas, very interesting take on how deeply engaging with the world can shape you. My brain still loves the feeling of reading it and feeling like I'm melting into the universe, and I am it as much it is me. The self realization is such a perfect way of putting it... "realization" as in both "perceiving" and in "actualizing", the conscious realizing that it perceiving itself and the world is the same as bringing itself and the world into reality
This piece mirrors a lot of my frames and the aesthetics I go for. I loved all the references, and I think Lakoff's work might have fit into the piece well, too. I especially appreciate the poem's inclusion as a footnote; good footnotes are underrated.
I’m so glad it resonated, always a joy to stumble across someone with overlapping frames and aesthetics. I haven't come across Lakoff before, but appreciate pointing me to him, seems like his work on metaphor and embodied meaning definitely echoes through the piece, even if I didn’t name him directly.
and yes to good footnotes! I think of them as little hidden doors into parallel conversations. thanks so much for reading :)
this is an incredible piece. I will be referencing it for some time. I love the story of the false (yet true) map. reminds me of the myths of old which did not explain the world scientifically but with enough truth to keep the harvest going.
<3 thank you for your thoughtful attention, as always, Tim! love your framing of myths that “did not explain the world scientifically but with enough truth to keep the harvest going” -- sometimes the things that move us or sustain us aren't empirically accurate, but they work because they hold a deeper kind of resonance or imaginative truth. our beliefs and myths shape us fr
"It’s like that old taco ad where the girl is asked if she wants hard or soft shell tacos. She pauses and says, “Why not both?” Then they lift her on their shoulders like a genius. Be that girl."
"I hope this isn’t a niche reference"
I actually more so know it just from peolpe saying "por que no los dos" a lot
Philosophical metamodernism is terrifying yet comforting, artistic metamodernism is a beautiful kaleidascope, but political metamodernism hints to me at options for a flourishing future of humanity.
I'm struggling with the concept of "the map is not the territory". A few theorists have written about this, especially Deleuze and Guittari in their twin concepts of deterritorialisation/reterritorialisation. You reminded me that this is a gap in my own knowledge I want to explore and learn more of.
Dualism is such a beautiful concept isn't it!
philosophical metamodernism being terrifying yet comforting is v true, like standing on the edge of a conceptual cliff and realising the void can actually be generative.
I actually haven't engaged at all with Deleuze and Guittari on this, but this is a helpful guide that it sounds like I should, sounds relevant
appreciate that you framed dualism as beautiful - it’s so often flattened into a problem to be solved, when really it can be a dance, a tension that generates meaning!
It's reductive to break things down into binaries despite that beauty. D&G talk a lot about rhizomatic structures which use fractal geometry - a near infinite potential for growth of new lines of flight from any point and in any direction. Their ideas are esoteric and weird here. Sometimes I return to the minimalism of modernist ideas out of a desire for simplicity.
omfg yessssssssss
it's so hard to put it into words, but when all these framings start dissolving, everything just feels so much better
theres this zen story where a student is asked if a dog has buddha-nature, and the master just says, “mu”
It means something like "emptyness" but I read someone translating it as "un-ask the question", as in the question itself has a framing that makes any answer not complete
same as the "what sound does a single hand makes when both hands clap?" meditation
you'd LOOOOOOVE keiji nishitani's work
YES omg - I love that you brought up “mu" I've never heard of it!! That idea of un-asking the question because the frame itself is the trap?? when language drops away and what’s left is just… aliveness and essence, like the dissolution of framing doesn’t lead to nihilism, but weird luminous clarity. Mind-melting in the best way!
Also can’t believe I haven’t read Nishitani yet - bumping him to the top of the list immediately. Any specific work you'd recommend starting with?
YESSSSS, love how you said it, "it doesn't lead to nihilism", one of the BIG points of nishitani is how nihilism overcomes itself!! and the interconnectedness of everything, and how different reality becomes when you look at it without the usual framing
love how your recent writing dances with his ideas
for recs: "religion and nothingness" and "the self overcoming of nihilism". They feel like text books, but in a good way
forgive my yapping, I got excited and typed too much... but the authentic me doesn't want to delete it, even tho I feel I got too carried away so:
pretty comprehensive on his ideas, very interesting take on how deeply engaging with the world can shape you. My brain still loves the feeling of reading it and feeling like I'm melting into the universe, and I am it as much it is me. The self realization is such a perfect way of putting it... "realization" as in both "perceiving" and in "actualizing", the conscious realizing that it perceiving itself and the world is the same as bringing itself and the world into reality
This piece mirrors a lot of my frames and the aesthetics I go for. I loved all the references, and I think Lakoff's work might have fit into the piece well, too. I especially appreciate the poem's inclusion as a footnote; good footnotes are underrated.
I’m so glad it resonated, always a joy to stumble across someone with overlapping frames and aesthetics. I haven't come across Lakoff before, but appreciate pointing me to him, seems like his work on metaphor and embodied meaning definitely echoes through the piece, even if I didn’t name him directly.
and yes to good footnotes! I think of them as little hidden doors into parallel conversations. thanks so much for reading :)
this is an incredible piece. I will be referencing it for some time. I love the story of the false (yet true) map. reminds me of the myths of old which did not explain the world scientifically but with enough truth to keep the harvest going.
<3 thank you for your thoughtful attention, as always, Tim! love your framing of myths that “did not explain the world scientifically but with enough truth to keep the harvest going” -- sometimes the things that move us or sustain us aren't empirically accurate, but they work because they hold a deeper kind of resonance or imaginative truth. our beliefs and myths shape us fr
I also love taco gril
she's so wise fr, tryna be like her
I love this. Always be checking your maps!!
"It’s like that old taco ad where the girl is asked if she wants hard or soft shell tacos. She pauses and says, “Why not both?” Then they lift her on their shoulders like a genius. Be that girl."
"I hope this isn’t a niche reference"
I actually more so know it just from peolpe saying "por que no los dos" a lot