[MD] Nihilism, hmmm.

[david buchanan]

Fri, 11 Oct 2013, Ron said: 
Dave, Enjoyed "The Jung and the Restless", I was wondering if you saw any co-relationship between the hero's journey and Paul's two context paper.


dmb says:

Thanks for reading. Glad you enjoyed it.
I thought about many things while writing that article but Paul's paper never crossed my mind. There is no intentional relationship but that doesn't preclude an accidental relationship. You have something in mind?

And speaking of Nihilism, I think the MOQ does what philosophy is supposed to do...

"The point—the point of Nietzsche’s philosophy, and of philosophy as such, in my view—is to think within that gap and work against nihilism. To use thought against the nihilism of the present." -- Simon Critchley


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> From: david buchanan  Sent: Monday, September 30, 2013 8:45 AM
> Subject: [MD] Nihilism, hmmm.
> 
> 
> "Jung was the kind of thinker who could disturb the psychologists for being too theological (Freud) and disturb the theologians for being too psychological (Buber). It’s not that he operated in a twilight zone between the two but Jung viewed the psyche as inherently spiritual, without necessarily entailing any belief in the supernatural. A living religion on his view is one that properly serves a psychological need. Not, however, as a comforting crutch or as a bandage for one’s neurosis."
> 
> See The Jung and the Restless @ http://www.partiallyexaminedlife.com/2013/09/28/the-jung-and-the-restless/
> 
> 
> 
> "People are acutely aware of the meaninglessness of their existence, and they try to cover this up in a number of ways. By returning to forms of traditional religion such as fundamentalist Christianity. Or by engaging in new forms of religion—New Age belief, whether that be yoga or sitting with crystals in your hands, finding your inner child, sitting under a pyramid, or whatever. All of these are examples of passive nihilism. You might also try what Nietzsche calls active nihilism, engaging in acts of terrorism or whatever. The idea here is that, given that nothing means anything, we might as well blow the whole place up. I would recommend neither passive nor active nihilism, both of which seek to escape from the “meaning gap” in our lives. The point—the point of Nietzsche’s philosophy, and of philosophy as such, in my view—is to think within that gap and work against nihilism. To use thought against the nihilism of the present."
> 
> See the whole Simon Critchley interview at: http://www.believermag.com/issues/200308/?read=interview_critchley