1/ Negative Capability in an ecology of mimetic desire.
Definitions:
Mimetic desire is desire arising from imitation: wanting what someone else has, family ideas about right life, cultural ideas about beauty.
Negative Capability is the capability to not resolve conflicts.
Definitions:
Mimetic desire is desire arising from imitation: wanting what someone else has, family ideas about right life, cultural ideas about beauty.
Negative Capability is the capability to not resolve conflicts.
2/ For most of human history, a person grew up in a particular family, in a particular location, embedded in a particular culture. This gave some coherence to desires. Conflicting desires were often low-dimensional: marry for family or love?
3/ Contemporary times often yield high-dimensional mimetic conflict.
The peer group is from a college with one culture; the family is first-generation immigrants; media images point a third way.
The peer group is from a college with one culture; the family is first-generation immigrants; media images point a third way.
4/ A brief digression on ecology:
Wildlife management is an art. A few small adjustments to an ecosystem can be useful, but trying to solve a particular problem often leads to second-order-effect disasters. You kill the wolves, and the ruminants destroy the landscape.
Wildlife management is an art. A few small adjustments to an ecosystem can be useful, but trying to solve a particular problem often leads to second-order-effect disasters. You kill the wolves, and the ruminants destroy the landscape.
5/ There is no ultimate resolution for conflicting desires anymore than there is peace between cheetahs and impalas.
As with wildlife management, one can take conflicting desire as the natural landscape, not in need of intervention, while occasionally intervening artfully.
As with wildlife management, one can take conflicting desire as the natural landscape, not in need of intervention, while occasionally intervening artfully.
6/ Beyond the futile effort of trying to get animals that eat each other to live in harmony, there can be the enjoyment of the grand spectacle of nature displaying its internal conflict.
7/ Extinguishing desire is razing the wildlife park to the ground.
Favoring particular desires can lead to second-order-effect disasters.
Or, you could relax, sit back, and enjoy the drama of one's own internal conflicts.
Favoring particular desires can lead to second-order-effect disasters.
Or, you could relax, sit back, and enjoy the drama of one's own internal conflicts.
