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Cth's
Cryptic Comments or How To Make Your Brain
Hurt In Ten Easy Steps by Cth (cth@clickcom.com) Let's talk
existentialism for a second. Actually,
let’s throw in some solipsism too for good measure. (Whaaaaaaaaaaat?) Y'know..
that philosophical movement.. John
Paul Sartre and all of that?
Ok, I
realize that's like saying the Encyclopedia
Britanica is just a bunch of words in some books. So, let's
get some textual definitions… Ex·is·ten·tial·ism
n. Philosophy A philosophy
that emphasizes the uniqueness and isolation of the individual
experience in a hostile or indifferent universe, regards human existence
as unexplainable, and stresses freedom of choice and responsibility for
the consequences of one's acts. Sol·ip·sism
n. Philosophy 1.
The theory
that the self is the only thing that can be known and verified. 2.
The theory
or view that the self is the only reality. Isn't this
going to be a fun column this week? No really,
honest. I was
thinking.. (I know, already a
mistake) the other day on this very same subject.
Well, admittedly, I had some help.
Over at JINXWORLD,
someone jokingly asked "Why Is The Sky Blue?" in an attempt to
draw out a witty reply by another poster.
First off,
let me state that I am not an Existentialist nor a Solipsist.
I mean, what's the point of being a columnist if your philosophy
is that no one really exists outside of yourself? “..
what’s the point of being a columnist if …no one really exists
outside of yourself?” See?
I told you this would be a fun column. Consider the
following example. Take
your time with it if you have to..
If it helps, re-read your collection of Grant Morrison's Invisibles.. Colors do
not "exist". What we
"see" is how our eyes interpret the information coming into
them. How can
we see color? From the
scientific fact that when light is bent around an object, our eyes
interpret the resulting color spectrum.
Beakman said so, and frankly, if it’s good enough for
him…well… So in fact,
that orange you're eating for lunch,
isn't REALLY orange.
Don't believe me? Step into a closet and close the door. Now make sure the light is off, or it won't work. Now, look at
the orange... Or your
hand... Anything in
the closet. What color
does it look like? Neon Black? Good
answer. At this
point, the object sitting in your "hand" is a loose collection
of atoms we commonly refer to as an "orange".
But consider, your "hand" is also another loose
collection of atoms. If you
REALLY want to get
interesting.. start looking at the world as a collection of atoms. Perception
is the key to all things. And for the
record, no, I have never touched drugs.
Scary huh Why am I
talking about this? Well,
besides the fact it's kind of an interesting way to view the world.. it
has some strange applications to how life could be in the future.. Consider the
following. Are you more of
a person because you have both of your legs?
Your hands? They're only
tools, really when you think about it.
So, if you
can.. Imagine how it would be like not to have any of these tools
available.. Could you not envision a world where you exist only in
thought? Atoms
transfer energy all the time. If
what truly makes us... "us" is electrical in nature think of
all the possible implications this could mean. Energy
cannot be destroyed, only transferred. Could we not
transfer our "consciousness" into a medium that could store
it, or interact with it somewhat? I'm not
talking "The Matrix"
here.., but could this not be another world yet unexplored? I explored
these thoughts in the graphic novel I’ve been working on called "The End" but I've also seen it touched upon in the anime
movie "Serial Experiments:
Lain". To
summarize, there exists another world, layered on top of ours,
co-existing. What
if, however, something was there already on the other side?
What if it wasn't totally benevolent either, waiting for its chance to break through? Sure, this
is the makings of science fiction here, but think of what makes you who
you are, and why your loose collection of atoms means more than any of
the others out there.. What makes you … “you” and why do things
interact the way they do? If you
really want to think bizarre, consider yourself a cell in a larger body.
The criminal element is an attacking disease, so we provide
antibodies to combat them. Far fetched? Not
really. It's a theme
touched upon in comics like Earth
X, movies like Osmosis Jones,
etc. Isn’t it fun to
imagine the world this way? Consider
Scott McCloud’s Understanding
Comics example. What
causes us to absorb other items into our collective selves. How can a
hat become part of you? How
come when someone bumps into your car, you say “That idiot hit me!”
instead of “You hit my
car!” A collection
of atoms that due to our perception become part of a larger whole, that
being our identity. The point
I’m trying to make with all this stuff? Start
thinking about the other atoms out there.
Your environment, your co-workers, your pet, anything and
everything. If there are no
colors, no disabilities, anything, what do we have to disagree about?
Perceptions can be changed, and what better time to start than
now? Hi folks.. Cth here.. If you made
it this far, congratulations. Yeah,
this weeks column was a bit intellectual and weird..
Wait til the next update ;)
Seriously though, I’ve juggled some of the other columns
around, so expect some fun stuff on its way shortly.
Now go do something mindless like watching Teletubbies or
something to recover.. As a reward
for making it this far.. here’s some more recommendations this week.
These are a short list of some things I think you may enjoy..
contact me at my email address if you’d like a more in depth
discussion or anything else related. MOVIES/DVDS American Beauty: Directors Cut
[An
excellent directors commentary track explaining some interesting themes
that are hidden throughout the movie.
Enhances the film quite well!] Seven Samurai: The Criterion Collection
[You
can easily see why Lucas, Spielberg, and others rate this film as one of
the all time great films of all time.
Another great commentary track too!] BOOKS/COMICS
Titus Crow vol 1&2 by Brian Lumley
[A modern delving into the Cthulhu Mythos from the author of the
Necroscope series.. Very
faithful to Lovecraft, in addition to being a fun read] Robert Anton
Wilson’s The Illuminatus Trilogy
[Interesting reading. Past,
present, and future spoken in the same breath.
Learn about the Illuminati and why they control everything] Thieves World Anthology
[Explore the city of Sanctuary, as told by numerous fantasy
authors. As featured in
many online RPG/MUDs. Edited
by Robert Asprin and Lynn Abbey] WildCards
[Difficult to find series – If you see any of the paperbacks,
contact me! A world where
everyone was mutated by fallout into jokers (monsters) or Aces
(superheroes). One of the
early realistic portrayals of superheroes in everyday life and what
their impact in a world like ours would be like. Ed Brubaker’s Deadenders
[DC Comics/Vertigo. A
futuristic action/drama/punk story.
Realistic portrayals of human relationships, as well as slowly
burning subplots and real consequences for actions] ACME Books: Jimmy Corrigan The Smartest Kid on
Earth
[Chris Ware is one of the most innovative artists out there,
constantly experimenting with format and storytelling style.
If you enjoy David Mack, Dave McKean, or any other experimental
artist, you’ll love his work. It
also helps that he’s a competent storyteller too.] MUSIC The Doors Concerto
[An orchestral version of many popular Doors hits.
As always I am on the lookout for various versions of the song
“The End” If you have
any, contact me :) ] Fight Club Soundtrack
[An oldie, but a goodie. The
Dust Brothers make an excellent film debut in scoring this soundtrack.
Also worth getting for the Tyler Durden Monologue track.] WEBSITES www.wfcomics.com/boards/bendis
-
Brian Michael Bendis’s JINXWORLD Message Board www.psycomic.com/columns/2000/pkeller -
Patrick Keller’s Fightin’ Words Column, featuring the Create Your
Own Comic Thingy.. Ask him
about his character “Disco Midget” http://ftmax.com/ArtLife/Origami/SW/sw.htm - Star
Wars Origami http://www.compsoc.man.ac.uk/~jp/comics/page-index.htm - Superman’s Babysitter by Kyle Baker http://www.notifyus.com/v2/default.asp - Send text to any telephone.. Fun
little toy.. http://toybuilders.com/ - Build
Your Own Toy. Star as an
action figure! Endless
possibilities.. http://www.newgrounds.com/teletubby
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Copyright©2000 Travis W. Howard |