Helluva' sequel. I'd like to hear more of your thoughts on how it's so profitable to provoke people and disrupt their peace. Why can't we look away from these violating spectacles? And how does that convert into making the provocateur money? I feel like we're hijacked. "Instead, we have scandals, entertainment, PR-crafted apologies, publicity stunts, and miserable nudity at the Grammys."
Appreciate it Max :) yea that's an interesting point, I think it's like some kind of fundamental flaw where we're drawn to forbidden things, like Pandora's Box. it's like how when there's a traffic accident and everyone who drives around it turns their neck to see what happened even though in theory "no one wants to see terrible things" - I think kardashian's rise to fame is the same. And the more something is blocked off (ie. paywalled), the more people want to get in on it
I also think curiosity (even for morbid things) is the flip side of creativity, like how stubbornness is the flip side of persistence. (a negative that comes with a positive). if we're to be creative, we have to have some curiosity
I love the choice of subject and how you approached it—it really shifts the perspective. I love the examples and the underlying motive of how it influences the viewer, not just the one being viewed. I also love its applicability to social media and exposing yourself on the internet in general. Nice one!
Takeaway most relevant...paradise lost... in every civilization( no longer civil ) morphing into culture breeds disobedience. Being found out is imprinted within us. We will never escape it... paradise lost is ground zero...every emanates from its center. I had someone tell me about a blind man (from birth) that was caught up in his imagination of dancing naked women. The allure of it... When planes (supposedly) crashed into buildings on 9/11 I was finishing up a photo gig at a fancy hotel in Boston ( week after the incident ). I had a drink at the bar afterwards with a vendor discussing the whole ordeal. I remember saying that there's nothing new under the sun. Thousands of years ago it was the use of rocks, boulders, sticks or clubs...Now it could be planes flying into buildings. It's simple to say its constantly and consistently in our faces due to the technology and its true. But the human condition both abhors and adores corruption. It's who we are and it will always be... After paradise lost ( Genesis 3 to the end of the chapter) the antidote is offered up. For most of us that price back to a semblance of paradise found is a price most will never traverse... Its to simple and to difficult a price...
yea i think the pandora's box/curiosity killed the cat trope is so interesting because the audience is always like "don't open it, if i were you I wouldn't open it" yet, irl, most of us DO open it
Self control is a myth. An illusion. If you are good at it you become a false god within yourself and to the followers who believe in such nonsense. True power is in the letting go process... of everything that's not really you...
You probably have some idea how impactful your writing is, but possible have little to no idea how much it nit only moves a reader like I, but compels me to want to change the way I behave or at least see the world. You're a gem.
towards the end i was gripped with fear that you were about to recommend a vpn. to my relief it was a thoughtful piece that did not breach the sanctity of contemplation.
Really enjoyed this - a good perspective on our social media panopticon. (By the by, one reference i was surprised you didn’t mention is Noah’s reaction to his son Ham, who observed his father’s drunken nakedness and told his brothers about it - Genesis 9:20-27)
Thank you so much for sharing. You’ve beautifully articulated the thing I couldn’t quite figure out about why our oversharing selfie culture bothers me so much. Profound and thought-provoking piece!
So good. Your line: "Looking is linked to power, but also to punishment. Just because you can, doesn’t mean you should" encapsulates the archetype of Pluto. It is Dionysian at its core, carrying the paradox of creativity and destruction. We're currently in a long world transit with Uranus-Pluto (until 2032) which historically reflects periods of liberating (Uranus) the libido (Pluto). These planets were in the same alignment during the 1920s. We're in for a wild ride! As always, thank you for sharing your poetic and paradigm-shifting wisdom, Sherry.
Helluva' sequel. I'd like to hear more of your thoughts on how it's so profitable to provoke people and disrupt their peace. Why can't we look away from these violating spectacles? And how does that convert into making the provocateur money? I feel like we're hijacked. "Instead, we have scandals, entertainment, PR-crafted apologies, publicity stunts, and miserable nudity at the Grammys."
Appreciate it Max :) yea that's an interesting point, I think it's like some kind of fundamental flaw where we're drawn to forbidden things, like Pandora's Box. it's like how when there's a traffic accident and everyone who drives around it turns their neck to see what happened even though in theory "no one wants to see terrible things" - I think kardashian's rise to fame is the same. And the more something is blocked off (ie. paywalled), the more people want to get in on it
I also think curiosity (even for morbid things) is the flip side of creativity, like how stubbornness is the flip side of persistence. (a negative that comes with a positive). if we're to be creative, we have to have some curiosity
I love the choice of subject and how you approached it—it really shifts the perspective. I love the examples and the underlying motive of how it influences the viewer, not just the one being viewed. I also love its applicability to social media and exposing yourself on the internet in general. Nice one!
Thank you Hana!
Love this. Snowden quote slaps
Appreciate it Catherine 🙌 I love your writing btw
Outstanding post. Best I’ve read on this topic thus far. Appreciate you writing this.
Thanks Matt 🔥
Basil Hallward not wanting to show Dorian Gray his portrait because "I put too much of myself into it", then being killed when he reveals that secret
duuuude so true i forgot about dorian gray
Takeaway most relevant...paradise lost... in every civilization( no longer civil ) morphing into culture breeds disobedience. Being found out is imprinted within us. We will never escape it... paradise lost is ground zero...every emanates from its center. I had someone tell me about a blind man (from birth) that was caught up in his imagination of dancing naked women. The allure of it... When planes (supposedly) crashed into buildings on 9/11 I was finishing up a photo gig at a fancy hotel in Boston ( week after the incident ). I had a drink at the bar afterwards with a vendor discussing the whole ordeal. I remember saying that there's nothing new under the sun. Thousands of years ago it was the use of rocks, boulders, sticks or clubs...Now it could be planes flying into buildings. It's simple to say its constantly and consistently in our faces due to the technology and its true. But the human condition both abhors and adores corruption. It's who we are and it will always be... After paradise lost ( Genesis 3 to the end of the chapter) the antidote is offered up. For most of us that price back to a semblance of paradise found is a price most will never traverse... Its to simple and to difficult a price...
Thank you...
yea i think the pandora's box/curiosity killed the cat trope is so interesting because the audience is always like "don't open it, if i were you I wouldn't open it" yet, irl, most of us DO open it
Self control is a myth. An illusion. If you are good at it you become a false god within yourself and to the followers who believe in such nonsense. True power is in the letting go process... of everything that's not really you...
Master your emotions, else your thoughts will enslave you.
It All goes back to the garden
Sherry,
You probably have some idea how impactful your writing is, but possible have little to no idea how much it nit only moves a reader like I, but compels me to want to change the way I behave or at least see the world. You're a gem.
WOW thank you! This just made my day :D
Shut the door!
towards the end i was gripped with fear that you were about to recommend a vpn. to my relief it was a thoughtful piece that did not breach the sanctity of contemplation.
lol my subscribers keep this place ad-free <3
Wow, never thought of privacy like this. Yeah, online oversharing always felt uncomfortable. Makes sense now.
🫰🏾
‘Thoughts on using one’s real name, as opposed to a nom de plume?’
-Your next article !
Really enjoyed this - a good perspective on our social media panopticon. (By the by, one reference i was surprised you didn’t mention is Noah’s reaction to his son Ham, who observed his father’s drunken nakedness and told his brothers about it - Genesis 9:20-27)
YES this is why I deleted IG
Thank you so much for sharing. You’ve beautifully articulated the thing I couldn’t quite figure out about why our oversharing selfie culture bothers me so much. Profound and thought-provoking piece!
So good. Your line: "Looking is linked to power, but also to punishment. Just because you can, doesn’t mean you should" encapsulates the archetype of Pluto. It is Dionysian at its core, carrying the paradox of creativity and destruction. We're currently in a long world transit with Uranus-Pluto (until 2032) which historically reflects periods of liberating (Uranus) the libido (Pluto). These planets were in the same alignment during the 1920s. We're in for a wild ride! As always, thank you for sharing your poetic and paradigm-shifting wisdom, Sherry.