Thursday, June 23, 2011

Latest Essay

This latest writing I am doing is getting me into some weird stuff. The title of the essay is 'Relationships And Mediums: Habits, Historical Knowledge, and Self-Creation'. I originally just wanted to conduct an analysis of relationships in the broadest sense. It then turned into this reconnection with my writing on creating a historically informed theory of mind. And from there it has turned into the issue of understanding minds by understanding the mediums that minds work through. And that has then turned into an analysis issue of cities, economic systems, politics, and other issues, which I believe are the most important mediums that minds work through. And that in turn brings me to the issue of macro social and political change, which would have to come through politics/policy. So this essay is jerking me all over the place. I'm struggling to keep my ideas clear. Because I am drifting quite far away from my original plans.

Thus, what seems to be emerging from this writing is the idea that there could be a way to create a historically informed theory of mind that would serve as a valuable guide to intelligent human-self creation through political choice and macro socioeconomic change. I see it in many ways as a pedagogical idea. A seed for a form of education yet to be specified. In essence, the finished essay, the core of the idea, would be a way to enhance political judgement.

I have not left the Clausewitzian project behind. I am still so inclined to think in terms of policy/politics. I am still so inclined to think of ways that political leaders could be better educated.

I once told a friend that I was inclined to direct my intellectual work towards higher political leaders, and hope that I could work on that level.

He was, understandably, disturbed by that idea. It is terrible to think that we are dealing with this world in which there is so much top down control.

But the analysis I am currently conducting is revolving around things like urban design, economic systems, very macro things. And I am afraid that it seems like the way that politics and economics structures peoples lives is more important than anything else.

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About Me

I spend most of my time working as a mental health professional. I have been preoccupied with philosophy, politics, healing, and many other questions for the last 15 years or so. I am currently working on putting together my study of Plato and Aristotle with contemporary work in philosophy, psychology, psychotherapy, and trauma research. I use this place primarily as a workshop for ideas. I welcome conversation with anyone working on similar problems. The major contours of my basic project have been outlined here

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