http://dangerousintersection.org/2006/05/31/there%e2%80%99s-more-than-one-way-to-maintain-civilization-around-here/ Human Animals at the Crossroads of Culture, Science, Religion and Media Fri, 19 Mar 2010 23:16:01 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.7.1 hourly 1 http://dangerousintersection.org/2006/05/31/there%e2%80%99s-more-than-one-way-to-maintain-civilization-around-here/comment-page-1/#comment-316 Sujay Fri, 02 Jun 2006 18:50:01 +0000 http://dangerousintersection.org/?p=203#comment-316 Well, I do not agree with Freud here. I think the so called 'higher' instincts we possess, manifested in aesthetic or artistic sensibilities are quite distinct from the baser instincts that we are endued with. Though I do think that these basic human instincts can be 'redirected' I don't think that can be reformed to attain a new form constituting a new 'finer' kind of sensibility. If that were the case, the quality of art or intellect springing from socially liberal regions would be inferior. As far as art is concerned, I believe comparing the quality of art emerging from Europe and America (the former being much more socially liberal, from what I know) would settle the matter. As for mate restrictions discouraging aggression and displays of strength, from what I have seen, the case has been quite the opposite! For 8 years of my life, I lived in a such a horribly restrictive city in Southern India (which resembled an Islamic nation, as far as tolerance for any kind of persmissivity was concerned) and I observed the culture there to be much more masochistic than the culture or the present metropolis that I live in. Gender equality is always a problem is 'strict' cultures, and art and culture is considered sacrosanct to the point of far too strictly regimented. Perhaps the reason this is so is because the people in these cultures imbibe their cultural values 'aspiritually' and mechanically, as though they were memorising something by rote, without understanding what it means. When the edifices of cultural (and social) values and norms begin to be given more importance over their underlying significance, imagination and original thought begin to killed. Hence I propose the opposite of what Mr. Frued in suggesting! Well, I do not agree with Freud here. I think the so called ‘higher’ instincts we possess, manifested in aesthetic or artistic sensibilities are quite distinct from the baser instincts that we are endued with. Though I do think that these basic human instincts can be ‘redirected’ I don’t think that can be reformed to attain a new form constituting a new ‘finer’ kind of sensibility. If that were the case, the quality of art or intellect springing from socially liberal regions would be inferior. As far as art is concerned, I believe comparing the quality of art emerging from Europe and America (the former being much more socially liberal, from what I know) would settle the matter.
As for mate restrictions discouraging aggression and displays of strength, from what I have seen, the case has been quite the opposite! For 8 years of my life, I lived in a such a horribly restrictive city in Southern India (which resembled an Islamic nation, as far as tolerance for any kind of persmissivity was concerned) and I observed the culture there to be much more masochistic than the culture or the present metropolis that I live in. Gender equality is always a problem is ’strict’ cultures, and art and culture is considered sacrosanct to the point of far too strictly regimented.
Perhaps the reason this is so is because the people in these cultures imbibe their cultural values ‘aspiritually’ and mechanically, as though they were memorising something by rote, without understanding what it means.
When the edifices of cultural (and social) values and norms begin to be given more importance over their underlying significance, imagination and original thought begin to killed. Hence I propose the opposite of what Mr. Frued in suggesting!

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