Friday, September 04, 2015

Hmm …

 The dangerous idea that life is a story – Galen Strawson – Aeon. (Hat tip, Dave Lull.)

I think the narrativists confuse character and story. One can adopt a persona — as a fellow named Archibald Leach created a persona called Cary Grant. The persona must be sufficiently flexible and adaptable to serve in all sorts of changing circumstances. It is the reaction of one's persona to circumstance over time that lends a certain narrative impression to events seen in retrospect. But any sane person always distinguishes between himself and his persona, and knows that the apparent narrative is grounded in a mix of improvisation and haphazard events. In the end, life and the self are both mysteries.

2 comments:

  1. Your comment on this was wonderful, Frank. Thanks for sharing!

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  2. Well, thank you, Vikram. I appreciate that.

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