Ritual and Its Consequences: An Essay on the Limits of SincerityThis pioneering, interdisciplinary work shows how rituals allow us to live in a perennially imperfect world. Drawing on a variety of cultural settings, the authors utilize psychoanalytic and anthropological perspectives to describe how ritual--like play--creates "as if" worlds, rooted in the imaginative capacity of the human mind to create a subjunctive universe. The ability to cross between imagined worlds is central to the human capacity for empathy. Ritual, they claim, defines the boundaries of these imagined worlds, including those of empathy and other realms of human creativity, such as music, architecture and literature. The authors juxtapose this ritual orientation to a "sincere" search for unity and wholeness. The sincere world sees fragmentation and incoherence as signs of inauthenticity that must be overcome. Our modern world has accepted the sincere viewpoint at the expense of ritual, dismissing ritual as mere convention. In response, the authors show how the conventions of ritual allow us to live together in a broken world. Ritual is work, endless work. But it is among the most important things that we humans do. |
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... Pleasure Principle. New York: Norton, 1961 [1920]. ———. Civilization and Its Discontents. New York: Norton, 1989. ———. ''Fetishism.'' In The Standard Edition of the Complete Psychological Works of Sigmund Freud, edited by James Strachey ...
... Pleasure Principle. New York: Norton, 1961 [1920]. ———. Civilization and Its Discontents. New York: Norton, 1989. ———. ''Fetishism.'' In The Standard Edition of the Complete Psychological Works of Sigmund Freud, edited by James Strachey ...
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... Pleasure Principle (Freud), 110, 119–20, 194n.29 Bible, vii, 9, 108, 121 Bloch, Maurice, 72, 79, 80, 89 bodily gestures, 48 Bokkoji Pure Land temple, 157 Book of Documents, 33 Book of Music, 33, 166–67, 172, 177 Book of Rites, 18, 33 ...
... Pleasure Principle (Freud), 110, 119–20, 194n.29 Bible, vii, 9, 108, 121 Bloch, Maurice, 72, 79, 80, 89 bodily gestures, 48 Bokkoji Pure Land temple, 157 Book of Documents, 33 Book of Music, 33, 166–67, 172, 177 Book of Rites, 18, 33 ...
Page 224
... pleasure principle, 53, 110, 119–20, 189n.26, 194n.29 pluralism, 77 poesis, 157 Poetics (Aristotle), 61 poetry, 96–97, 109 Poland, 107 politeness, 8, 21–23, 24–26, 35 political correctness, 139 politics, 10, 71, 84, 122, 123, 154 ...
... pleasure principle, 53, 110, 119–20, 189n.26, 194n.29 pluralism, 77 poesis, 157 Poetics (Aristotle), 61 poetry, 96–97, 109 Poland, 107 politeness, 8, 21–23, 24–26, 35 political correctness, 139 politics, 10, 71, 84, 122, 123, 154 ...
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ability action allows ambiguity argue aspects attempt become begin behavior boundaries called century chapter child Chinese Christian claim concern construction continually convention course create cultural defined developed differentiation discussion distinctions earlier early example existence experience expression fact figure formal forms frame function given Greek hand human idea imagination important individual interaction Jewish kind least less live meaning modes move movements nature never noted object ornament particular performance person play pleasure principle political position possible practice prayer present problem pure reality realm recognize reform rejection relations relationships religion religious repetition ritual role rules sense shared shows similar simply sincerity situation social society space structure subjunctive symbolic tension Theory things tradition true turn understanding universe whole