The meditation that takes place in the tool shed is concerning the perspectives at which we look at things a thus how they affect our behavior towards them. Lewis seems to take a bit of an existentialist view, saying that you need to experience something before you can find it's truth worth. At the same time he does show some of the value of looking at a situation and being able to observe it objectively.
The more existentialist view of looking along, one which I tend to value much more, has a more real feel to it. Events that seem nearly harmless or bland to an outsider can seem crushing or delightful. There is more passion and life involved in looking along a path that comes from the deeper ties of our own person and arguably our soul. If people were to look along each others lives it would bring peace. If a cruel dictator were to look along the life of one of his citizens and really connected to them, saw what made them happy and sad, he'd become more compassionate to them. Or if our government had stopped to look along the lives of the terrorists of 9-11 they would understand why they did what they did and may have been able to solve much more through diplomacy.
However there is something to be said for looking at life objectively. It allows you to be separate and even cold to the situation. This has paved the way for many scientific discoveries. It can also inspire courage. It can give soldier courage who, if he looked along his life, would be overcome by the staggering odds of the enemy. But if he looks at his life and sees the patriotic hero that he can be and save his country he can charge into battle with all the more ferocity. Or a doctor who's patient is hopelessly ill. If he were to look along the lives of every patients, especially those he lost, he may despair and give up entirely. By looking at the life he may be invigorated by the challenge and work all the harder still.
In closing I would like to promote the looking along point of view because of the passion it ignites. However if we really look hard along our lives and the lives of others we would see times that should look at life and would be able to do so.
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I completely agree with you that it is important to look along somethings, because it has the "more real feel to it." I was wondering though how looking along the lives of terrorists would help solve anything through diplomacy?
ReplyDeleteWhile I disagree with you on the point that the looking along perspective should be emphasized; it is my opinion that it as an even balance that creates the best outlook that one can have. I do agree with you over all and think that you made a great number of valid points for both arguments though I too like Eric am slightly confused by your choice of the 9/11 terrorists as a point of argument.
ReplyDeleteWell in my view a lot of the tension was and is caused by America's disregard to get a more complete understanding of the terrorists religion and culture to realize the circumstances that pushed them to due such a drastic thing. Like Germany before WWII, it was poor and deep in debt because of the recompense that the Allies demanded for WWI. This pushed the people to elect a electrifying and even religious leader who was an inspiring speaker (Bin Ladden?). No one thought a small and poor country could do such damage if they were convinced in their ways and promised greatness. I see many parellels in history and feel that greater consideration of the terrorists actions would lead to agreement with policies the more conservative Muslisms would be satisfied with.
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