SEEING IS BELIEVING, BELIEVING IS SEEING

 

HUMAN MOBILE by Felipe Reynolds

The Atrium, Melbourne, AU (2016)

Most of the time,

We do not see things as they are, but as we are

So, believing is seeing. And not seeing is believing.

Given this perception of ‘reality’ how do we see our future?

The above question was posed last night by the Chancelor of the university I work for. It made me think and I started contemplating on the question. I picked my thoughts and below was my response verbatim.

"Perhaps an existentialist perspective may give an insight to this dilemma, where it assumes the individual exist first and then they define their essence through choice and action. Prescriptively the individual should have the freedom of choice and be accountable for its outcome. Hence indivduals create their own purpose.

Therefore the phrase believing is seeing tend to incline towards the existentialist view, where it acknowledges the nuances of subjectivity as to how one interpretes and develops a world view.

In the case of seeing is believing, it is constructed within the boundary of empiricism, hence it may restrict thought processess within a known realm. As for existentialism it encourages individuals to go beyond observation and actively engage in the pursuit of "meaning."

"The self consiousness we ought to consider, not as a new consiousness, but as the only mode of existence which is possible for a consciousness of something." - Satre.

Satre expounds, that there is a need for a core awareness in order to to have the awareness of experience (which he terms it as pre-reflective self consciousness). This is the concept called 'Vokhta" in the Katha Upanishad.

So, the future, perhaps is a construct that one pursues.

We are at the cusp of the end of 2023, another year had passed, i ask myself, where am i, where am i going, and the most important of all, who am i?

The journey continues.........

Cheers to Everyone.

ravivarmmankkanniappan@1304301220233.0567° N, 101.5851° E

Note:

The above photo was taken at the Atrium Building, Federation Square, Melbourne, Australia in 2016. This giant 50kg inflatable baby was placed on the ceiling of the Atrium entrance, supposedly a modern take on the Sistine Chapel. This was the work of artist Felipe Reynold, capturing the modern society's constant need for engagement, affirmation, play and novelty. Called the Human Mobile and nicknamed 'Ping Pong', the inflatable baby is gender neutral and culturally ambiguous, befitting the current narrative. 

The artist perspective is that, the baby is actually on the ground and its the bystander who are upside down, who are the active players for the amusement of the baby. The artist said that he drew his inspiration from Michaelangelo's, "Creation of Adam", from the Sistine Chapel. An according to Felipe, the pose of the baby depicts Adam, and visitors can play the part of God.

It was ironical, I found this photo from my collection that appeared apt for the occasion.