Dr. Bart Herman on a recent post: “I am exceedingly happy to make a major blog announcement. “
What is it?
A caste system where the more you pay, the more you get. A sort of Dante’s journey from Hell to Paradise, “As a final benefit I promise to hold all Platinum members near and dear to my heart.”
The following story is taken from ZEN FLESH, ZEN BONES, compiled by Paul Reps.
Gessen was an artist monk. Before he would start a drawing or painting he always insisted upon being paid in advance and his fees were high. He was known as the ‘Stingy Artist’. A geisha once gave him a commission for a painting. “How much can you pay?” inquired Gessen. “Whatever you charge,” replied the girl, “but I want you to do the work in front of me.”
So on a certain day, Gessen was called by the geisha. She was holding a feast for her patron.
Gessen with fine brushwork did the painting. When it was completed he asked the highest sum of his time. He received his pay. Then the geisha turned to her patron, saying: “All this artist wants is money. His paintings are fine but his mind is dirty: money has caused it to become muddy. Drawn by such a filthy mind his work is not fit to exhibit. It is just about good enough for one of my petticoats.” Removing her skirt, she then asked Gessen to do another picture on the back of her petticoat. “How much will you pay?” asked Gessen. “Oh, any amount,” answered the girl. Gessen named a fancy price, painted the picture in the manner requested, and went away.
It was learned later that Gessen had these reasons for desiring money. A ravaging famine often visited his province. The rich would not help the poor, so Gessen had a secret warehouse, unknown to anyone, which he kept filled with grain prepared for these emergencies. From his village to the National Shrine the road was in very poor condition and many travelers suffered while traversing it. He desired to build a better road. […] After Gessen had accomplished his three wishes he threw away his brushes and artist’s materials and retiring to the mountains never painted again.
The last scene of Shutter Island.
Teddy Daniels: You know, this place makes me wonder.
Chuck Aule: Yeah, what’s that, boss?
Teddy Daniels: Which would be worse – to live as a monster, or to die as a good man?
[gets up and walks off]
Chuck Aule: Teddy?
In his book, Slavoj Žižek (1) begins with the premise that “the global capitalist system is approaching an apocalyptic zero-point.”
Žižek identifies four breaking points, threatening contemporary capitalism: climate change, biogenetics, “imbalances within the system itself,” and social divisions. Dr. Bart Ehrman’s last post on the new blog site seems not to take into account Žižek’s critique. Infact he announces the passage from a system where “Everyone who joins gets the same benefits” to a capitalistic caste system where the more you pay, the more you get. (2)
What to say?
Slavoj Žižek suggests the use of psychoanalytic theories dealing with grief to highlight social responses to the end of Capitalism.
These responses could be overcome through five stages:
- liberal denial
- anger arousal,
- bargaining,
- depression,
- revolutionary acceptance.
The last stage was summoned by Mao Zedong while surveying a collapsing China, who observed that “there is great disorder under the Heavens and the situation is excellent.”
What to do?
I feel it is time for everyone to undergo psychoanalysis, in hopes of becoming normally stupid.
(1) Slavoj Žižek – Living in the End Times. New York: Verso Books- 2010
(2) ** you do not have permission to see this link **
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