Untangling the KnotFuturistic Societies – See The Light of Day

Svend Aage Madsen, 1980

Patterns of human interaction Knots, tangles, impasses, binds Quest to find meaning “They are playing a game. They are playing

at not playing a game. If I show them I see they are, I shall break the rules and they will punish me. I must play their game, of not seeing I see the game.“

Truth of individual existence

R.D. Laing – Knots, 1970

Individual identity-formation ~ power-structure and identity-formation of

society Language, Reality, Fiction Assumption of responsibility Language as redemption The Individual

Power and Identity

Philosophy / humor Existence Network of works Labyrinth Mathematics Realism from Aarhus Relativistic attitude Three phases of his

works:◦ Abstract modernism◦ A shift from anti-art to anti

anti-art◦ More realistic

Svend Åge Madsen, 1939

Individual body / political social body Michel Foucault – again ”..nothing is more material, physical,

corporal than the exercise of power.” The fantasy of a social body constituted by

the universality of wills Rebellion separate, independent,

somewhat ostracized

Identity

Kierkegaard - “one must also constantly vary himself, and this is the essential secret.”

Exploration of our humanity Painful existential void State-defined utopia individual prison-

dystopia The self versus the others – in the quest for

happiness Ethical battle

Variation

Mental oppression Uniformity Power internalized Power and knowledge Rebirth “He does not think there is anything the matter with

him because one of the things that is the matter with him is that he does not think there is anything the matter with him – therefore we have to help him realize that, the fact that he does not think there is anything the matter with him is one of the things that is the matter with him.”(Laing)

Existence

Happiness = constant change and challenge Purpose Elef and Maya Engineers of the new society Present – Past Making sense / finding meaning Identity – words Depth – broad experience Predictability - serendipity

See the Light of Day, 1980

SummaryDay 1:

 Time, the bloodsucker, makes my days as fleeting as images gliding

past me.•Main character - Elef • Works as a teacher that day

•First Wife - Judith • Works as a Judge that day

•Two girls“Madame Datam had amused herself by giving me another class the same day where we talk about the same story again.”•Agge – “repellent” and negative attitude•He finishes the day thinking about Time, the bloodsucker

“That’s why I’ve written down this day, when I was Elef and Judith was Judith, piece by piece, the way you write down a dream to hold onto it before it dissolves into nothingness, ceases to have existed.”

Summary Day 2

“Being beautiful just for you.” Donovan.•Maya – second wife• Introduces the idea of repetition in life being beneficial. Elef

thinks this is ludicrous. “Thousands of people were obsessed with one thing. Took upon themselves, voluntarily, one particular task. The idea is stimulating.”

“Unhealthy. That’s how it sounds to me. Out of a lack of meaning, someone focuses on swimming obsessively, all day, every day, in the hope of swimming faster than everyone else. And if he’s finally successful, then a few days later someone else will swim even faster.”

•Maya slaps Elef for apparently no reason, but later it appears she slaps him so he will remember her and the time they spent together

Summary Day 3

To find the thread that can tie my scattered days together.•Octavie – Third wife •Elef sits on an education commission •Equal number of children & adults

“So Madame Datam must have discovered that there were some French words you didn’t know and paired you with me?”

“I wouldn’t be so sure about that. No one knows Madame Datam’s reasons. More likely she wanted you to get a good impression of the city, which is why she assigned you the most charming guy around.”

•Elef bites his hand in an apparent attempt to find & understand feelings physically & emotionally

SummaryDay 4

 …I awake, one day richer, one day poorer…?

•Linda – fourth wife • Works as a counselor

•Had a girl but today has a 5 month old baby boy•Elef is a journalist on organic construction

“ I had a little girl. I wanted to keep her. Only her. Not to get another one, randomly placed at my breast the next day. I wanted it to be her. I wanted to possess her.”

“Back then, people only had experience in very specific areas: a single profession, a narrow circle of family and friends. In order to counter the feeling of isolation, people grasped desperately at news from all corners of the earth and from all categories.”

Summary Day 5

 Longing for longing

•Elvira – Fifth wife•Elef • Constantly thinking of Maya• Not feeling well

•Sees Maya in dancing class•Maya & Elef go for a walk in the park and kiss•Maya keeps the dress he made for her•Elef puts ring on Maya

“I have a heart! I have found it.”

“I can’t hide it from my wife either. My heart is still exposed.”

” I never get what I want / I never want what I get” (Laing)

Choice Uncertainty / unpredictability The right to be wrong Togetherness separateness

The Human Condition

Words and self-identity Inter-subjective meaning The present – the past Relationships and Love after

object ⊹ subject before

Themes

Elasticity of spirit Creativity Control happiness Tied to wrong words The state as mother The “Memories” Own expression – own language Love and marriage Plants Babies

Boredom

Self-identity Alternative growth and change “give me words”

MemoriesBook is Elef’s diary of memoriesElef is trying to figure out the importance of memories“A day worth living is a day worth writing down”

The Scrabble game “Telling” themselves Language as existence Language of body and soul – the other A partner – not the collective

Language as Subjectivity

Individualized expression Laing – and untangling knots Linguistic reconstruction Diary Fixation versus flow “find the thread that can tie my scattered

days together” “We are the Immortals”

Hope for the individual(?)

War War is murder “If a soldier is ordered to cross the border into foreign country, the soldier

must choose for himself: either he can follow the order, invade an enemy country, and risk death; or he can, with no further consequences, shoot the officer who has given him the order”

Choice No choice in profession, family, or friends But some sort of freedom, can drink

Goals There is no mastery ability No pride in work and knowledge

Time Blood sucker Can’t build strong relationships Never an expert at anything because each day you have a new job

Lack of Violence No strong relationships so less violence

More Themes

ConsumerismNo consumerism No sentimental physical belongs

Time / EnergyDissonance between having reality and lasting relationships

Social responsibility Perform jobs for community

PunishmentJudge reprimands through reasoning No physical punishment

Women/sex loving vs. longing

Education and upbringing New parents every day

Utopia / Dystopia

Video Clip

http://www.youtube.com/watch v=ad7_bZrU7vg&feature=PlayList&p=AB6788814AEE3160&index=8

50 First Dates, 2004

Discuss the themes of Variation vs. Boredom – would you like to live in this society?

Why does Elef feel especially attracted to Maja? Is it human nature to need just one mate?

Discuss the function of language and memories – do you keep a diary? Why / why not?

Are memories important to you? Why / why not? Would children benefit from growing up with different

families? Or having different families to turn to? Compare this reading to other readings with regard to the

concepts of free will and choice. Think of the most important characteristics of the future

societies we have discussed

Questions