Bishwa Darpan

Monday, April 11, 2022

Interview With Desh Subba On Trans Philosophism

Trans Philosophism Is A Terminator

Desh Subba

Desh Subba was born in Nepal and lives in Hong Kong. He has been writing various books in 'Philosophy of Fearism'. His book 'Trans Philosophism' published in 2021. He is a founder of 'Philosophy of Fearism'. On its base, several books and articles have been written. Bishwa Raj Adhikari has interviewed him for Bishwa Darpan:

1. May we start the interview with the introduction of your writings?

I am Desh Subba. I have written different genres of literature. Since 1999, I have been concentrating on the 'Philosophy of Fearism'. It took a long time to shape a philosophy. I researched; consulted with professors and studied to support it. It was hard to find a clear outline. In the beginning, Fearism was a matter of mocking concept because it was hard to accept as philosophy. No one thought and heard such Fear+ism before. As for them, fear was an average thought as others’ emotions. It was true in a sense. It was the reason that it became a joke. It was not happening to me only. Most of the philosophers faced such difficulties. In my experience, people learn a piece of philosophy. A piece of learning cannot complete the learning process. We cannot understand if we start from the middle. It is the same as watching a movie after one minute or starting to read a book from the 2^nd page. When we miss the beginning, then we get lost somewhere. It is the trend of our academic research and study. Suppose, somebody read Marxism and said I know Marxism. At least to know Marxism needs to reach to Socrates and Plato because thesis, antithesis, and synthesis came from Meno and 'The Republic'. Once Meno asked Socrates,

Meno: "Can knowledge (virtue is written in Wikipedia) learn and teach?"

Socrates: "Cannot because it exists within us".

Meno: "How to draw it out?"

Socrates: "Through dialectic method."

He was talking about conceptual knowledge. Until the synthesis, dialect must continue.

Similarly, word communism first came from Plato. He used it in how to rule Athens. He said, "Ruler and warrior class are not permitted to keep the private property because if they acquire private property, they can be corrupted." He had a fear of corrupting the state. In a social measure, he preferred the communist system. We are playing a role like scholars of Socrates. After conversing with scholars, he said, "We do not know—neither the sophists, nor the orators, nor the artists, nor I—what the True, the Good, and the beautiful are. But there is this difference between us: although they believe they know something; whereas, I, if I know nothing, at least have no doubt about it."

2. 'Philosophy of Fearism' is now widely read. Can you explain it in the simplest form? 

It is a philosophy as other philosophies. Its primary subject is fear. It looks at life and the world on its basis. It is my understanding; most of the influential philosophies have come from suffering, pain, pleasure, happiness, will, desire, etc. Fear was left behind, even some philosophers had given the place but it was negative, harmful, and secondary. We (fearists) are giving full focus on it. Its major quotes are "life is conducted, directed, and controlled by fear", and the "(Existence of) fear precedes essence". At present, politics, economics, education, healthcare, entertainment, and relation is conducted, directed, and controlled by fear of Covid—19. It is very practical. It is not negative; it is the most positive motivator. We see the fear of pandemic activated government, scientists, and medicines. If it was not spread, it would not require the invention of medicine, insulin and issue the laws. We are not doing it just for Corona, we did since early civilization. The bottom line of our invention, development, and construction is fear.

3. 3. End of last year, your new book 'Trans Philosophism' was published. Can you say some words about it?

It is a metamorphosis of 'Philosophy of Fearism' in one sense and terminator in another sense.  By name, if we go through, it has four words Trans+Philo+sophy+ism=Trans Philosophism.  It argues that the later philosophies have to turn on 'Trans Philosophism' way. It has operated, refuted, criticized, and fearmorphosed (metamorphosed) the political theory of Thomas Hobbes, Communist Manifesto, Of Grammatology of Derrida, postmodernism, the subaltern studies, ecological crisis and Existentialism. 

4. How can it be metamorphosis and terminator?

When the variant of philosophy comes that is a metamorphosis; if it strongly refutes and takes into an advanced level that is the terminator. Das Capital is an offspring of the Communist Manifesto. Several philosophies are in metamorphosis form. It is in Communism, Existentialism, modernism, postmodernism, etc. Some parts of Hegelian idealism (idea, or mind, or reason, spirit, or and Giest) is the metamorphosis of Purush and Prakriti of Sankhya philosophy. The spirit of Hegel and Purush of Sankhya has a common base; it has the potential to create matter. Similarly, the political theory of Hobbes, Locke, and Rousseau is a kind of metamorphosis because their first form is the state of nature. An animal is a living thing, so the same animal changes in different forms. An idea needs to change through philosophers. We cannot ignore the metamorphosis structure of the Communist Manifesto, Das Capital, Leninism, Maoism, and some other communists. If we see in the context of Nepal, there are plenty of metamorphosed offspring of communists. They are metamorphoses in the 'Trans Philosophism' terminology. 'Trans Philosophism' is a terminator because it terminates the previous meaning. In reality, fear is a terminator. It terminates other emotions. To look from a fearism point of view is fearmorphosis.

5. How is the development of Philosophy of Fearism?

It is growing to the adolescence stage. It will grow into teenagers and adults. On its base, almost 20 books and lots of articles have been written. Trans Philosophism is among them. Dr. Bhawani Shankar Adhikari has applied it in his Ph.D. dissertation. It is a healthy symptom. In some books, I involved myself. Several universities have kept it in reference lists. Within 8 years, its progress is zeal.

6. Do you have some words for readers?

It is my experience, if we want to learn philosophy, we must go back to 570 BC, and nevertheless, we miss the page. Around 600 BC is its beginning. As I said, reading from the 2^nd page misguides our knowledge. 

Presented by: Bishwa Raj Adhikari

http://bishwarajadhikari.blogspot.com/2022/04/interview-with-desh-subba-part-2.html?m=1

Getting playfully serious about what would fearlessness look like in a "future's scenario" of the global problems... this is an interesting video you may want to watch on Dr. R. Michael Fisher (yours truly) spinning a real/imaginary scenario of being called into an international conference to help solve the most serious global problems. 

go to: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-yF36_-NV7I

This excerpt (first draft only) is a small piece to give you a sense of what I am 'onto' these days, especially in writing this tenth book (to be published later this year by Information Age Publishing, in their Philosophy of Education Series, Ed. Dr. John Petrovic) [1]. I have been working months and months, and it has been quite a ploughing the soil. Hard going at times. This Chapter Five took weeks to complete, as I just did this morning. Wow! It is by far the largest chapter in the book (coming in at a heavty 25,000 words itself, without the references). Yikes.

A number of fresh insights came from the writing that I could put into it, so that was good. It is never a boring writing because I risk all the time, on the edge of not knowing what I am doing and not creating chapter outlines. I just start writing. 

As always, I trust this bit of expository on fear will intrigue you to critique, to commnent, here on the FM ning. And/or you can always email me directly: 

r.michaelfisher52@gmail.com

Notes

1. Excerpt from Fisher, R. M. (in progress). The Fear Problematique: Role of Philosophy of Education in Speaking Truths to Power in a Culture of Fear. 

This is the inside back cover of the Bio. for Samuel Nathan Gillian (1939-2015). I had a friendly (email relationship) with Sam since May 2004 until March 2005. And recently with one of his nieces (thankfully) contacting me--now I am in conversation with his wife Bernice, and there is a new project on my plate to write an intellectual biography on SNG. Just wanted to let you all know that. He has written two amazing books on fear (and education) [1], and I know of no one who has done that, and especially with him being an African-American black man, again, I know of no black person who has written two major books on fear; this combination puts his work out as an important historical record in Fear Studies. Intellectually, he developed some close links at one point with the Ernest Becker Foundation and he absorbed the writings of Ernest Becker. Sam was likely an existential thinker. Bernice says, with a great "zest for life." He also puts his own spin on fear and how best to relate to it, based on his life's experience and being one who loved children and teaching. In 2020 I wrote a technical paper on my initial connections with Sam and why he and I had our overlapping same interests and our differences about fear and fearlessness [2]. 

IF ANYONE has further information, of any kind, about SNG, please contact me: r.michaelfisher52@gmail.com

FYI: I just posted May 10/22 on "Cornel West" (see FM ning)-- as it is truly West's liberal-radical philosophy that in many ways (not all) is very much akin to Gillian's philosophy.

Notes: 

1. Gillian, S. N. (2002). The Beauty of Fear: How to Positively Enjoy Being Afraid. Phemore Press, Inc.; Gillian, S. N. (2005). Terrified by Education: Teaching Children to Fear Learning. Phemore Press, Inc. 

2. Fisher, R. M. (2020). Samuel N. Gillian's Beckerian Educational Philosophy of Fear/Terror. Technical Paper No. 102. In Search of Fearlessness Research Institute. 

Recently published: 

Fisher, R. M. (2022). How we care for fear: Understanding fearism. International Market and Competitive Intelligence Magazine, 11 (March/April), 23-27.

For a word.doc version of this Understanding Fearism article 2022.docx.

Untitled by Amaris - watercolor on paper, Feb. 17, 2022   (published with permission)

This image is recently created from a participant in a Spontaneous Creation-Making (SCM) group session (on Zoom), which Barbara and I had initiated decades ago, and currently Hallie is running a group. It is amazing what births shows up when we have time to connect communally, slow down, and then each go off into our own homes for 25 min. creating something completely unplanned. One does not need to be an artist to do this. All medium and found objects, and performances, have shown up over the years. This one above happens to be a stunning water-color painting. Barbara and I have called this SCM practice and the care that goes in sharing the creations in the group sacred circle after, a 'fear' vaccine process since the early 1990s. Why? I'll get to that later. 

First, I'll share the story of the 'artist' (creator Amaras) behind this image, as they recently shared this image from a SCM session, as I was interested to put a quote to the piece. I discovered the quote some days after in reading a book entitled "Mary Magdalene Revealled" (by Megan Watterson) of which Barbara was reading and showed me some quotes related to fear in the soul/archetypal register of experience. So, here is the quote that I found and immediately. It seemed like a 'response' to the painting and how it was shared that night on Zoom. 

Watterson wrote in a poetic-trance like 'prayer':

"IF I could start again, it would be in the darkness. 

And in the darkness, all we would see is a hand suddenly extending out toward us.

And the invitation would be terrifying. 

Seeing this hand would compel our heart to start beating....

The fear comes from feeling out of control. 

We want to leave and we want to stay in equal measure.

We want to know what might happen next and for everything to remain exactly the same. 

Taking this hand is a choice to surrender." (p. 13) 

-------

Amaris replied to the quote: 

"This is an absolutely incredible gift...It captures the feeling that I had while painted--fear and rebirth, including moving through fear and lack of control within the internal space. Fear that holds immobile in stasis but can give way to room for creation and joy. Thank you so much. 

When I mentioned I wanted to publish their creation, they wrote, "I would love to read a blog about art and fear. These are themes that resonate with me very much, especially as it relates to phobia of one's inner experience. Art has been such a part of that personal exploration for me regarding this fear."

------

I suggest anyone reading this, take time also to be with the creation--and imagine its creating--itself. Wet and unabashedly a singularity of flow and ecstasy, and of course, with all birthing there is fear, perhaps terror, perhaps many sensations and feelings that only later we conceptualize as terror. The painting itself is important also as a process, not merely for Amaris, as she connects memories and investigates the "phobia of one's inner experience"--as she wrote of it later. It is important collectively, and that is significant for the group of SCM with it happening. What an interesting phrase that is. Like their painting emerging, a phobia is emerging to the light, with all the attention of the creator/artist entering into the unknown and unexpected that began with a paper with 'nothing' on it and then the materials and water and colors and rhythms became alive, like a "surrender" --and, ultimately this creation process is still going on, and is now going on in this digital medium of a blog.

I share this all because of the art itself and the process of SCM which I highly recommend as a practice of liberation--and, yes, I also share this 'story' because it challenges what Alan Watts wrote of (Zen style) in the 1970s in a book, I always enjoy going back to, "The Book: On the Taboo Against Knowing Who You Are." In oppressive societies that 'shut down' early in our lives the full re-membering of the matrixial (mother-child-birthing)--and deny its true importance to our being on this planet in a body--I think arts-expressive modalities are a tremendous gift to 'touch' again the rich sensory experiences of who we really are--embodied that is, and yes, for us to stand back and feel the "room for creation and joy" as Amaris says. 

So many layers of interpreting and being/with are possible here... I am mostly aware of the power and healing that comes from wit(h)nessing, as Bracha Ettinger speaks of it and when 'more than one attends the fear' and re-births the fear--as communal practice in a sanctuary of art-care. My acknowledgement of gratitude to Amaris for sharing this with us. 

Thanks be, to Creation. 

This is when you know the system is fear-based. 

Have a look at this video I did over two years ago. 

Sono un filosofo. Significa che per mestiere rifletto su concetti, argomenti e situazioni che la moltitudine non considera pensieri plausibili. E mi rendo conto che la guerra in Ucraina ha colto tutti di sorpresa, producendo scalpore e paura.

Alla sensazione inverosimile che prova l’uomo comune atterrito dalle esplosioni in Ucraina, il mio pensiero torna alle immagini della primavera di Praga del ‘68, del putsch di Mosca, degli studenti schiacciati a Pechino. Inoltre, sul pianeta la guerra non è mai scomparsa e chi avesse voglia potrebbe andare sul sito www.acleddata.com e verificare la miriade di conflitti e violenze distribuiti sul pianeta.

La pace e il benessere dei quali l’occidente ha beneficiato si pensava fossero una conquista valida per sempre, non si immaginava fossero un risultato di attento cesello oppure, tale può sembrare alla luce degli eventi ucraini, frutto di fortuità e fortuna. Non siamo di fronte al suo spengleriano tramonto, ma l’occidente ha messo a nudo l’ipocrisia e l’impreparazione dei propri leader, capaci solo di costruire il consenso giocando con i social media, convinti illusoriamente che lo scontro tra civiltà – gli autoritarismi cinese, russo, islamico – si possa combattere a colpi di tweet.

Ulteriore errore della classe politica occidentale, la credenza che la ricchezza si potesse continuare ad accumulare grazie alla finanza, alla produzione dematerializzata, alla forza immaginifica dei brand, continuando a sottovalutare e dismettere l’economia reale, anzi, favorendo che le produzioni fossero dislocate in quei paesi considerati in via di industrializzazione, sottostimando che il controllo delle materie prime sia degli stati non capaci di prodotti ad alto coefficiente tecnologico. Con una metafora, potremmo dire che l’occidente ha concentrato la propria energia per costruire il suo frigorifero senza rendersi conto che necessitava di essere tenuto pieno – in primis con l’armonia tra i popoli.

Stamattina, con i carri armati nel centro di Kiev, ci siamo risvegliati con il fallimento dell’idea dell’internazionalismo liberista, ridimensionata la boria che si possa esportare la democrazia, con la certezza che il secolo breve sia più lungo che mai. Con la fine definitiva della globalizzazione.

La forza militare si è ripresentata nuovamente quale protagonista in quell’occidente che presumeva di averla se non demonizzata, almeno, trasferita altrove.

Alle ore 10.25 di Roma del 25 febbraio 2022, le sirene invitano i cittadini di Kiev a nascondersi negli scantinati e nelle metropolitane per salvarsi la vita.

Quella stessa sirena dovrebbe invitare noi occidentali a scendere in piazza per gridare banalmente alla pace e per offrire a tutti la consapevolezza di quali siano i veri valori da custodire; per ribadire quali siano le necessarie virtù in relazione al valore sociale del singolo; per restituire significato a ciò che davvero conta per custodire, accudire, conservare la vita – anche in senso strutturale. Un occidente che non fa studiare la storia neppure alla sua classe politica, che non esalta la cultura e gli umanismi, che riduce il ruolo dell’economia all’abilità degli affaristi, che arricchisce gli influencer e mortifica i lavoratori, che paga decine di migliaia di dollari il biglietto della finale NFL e cinquanta centesimi un chilo di farina. È quell'occidente che promuove il culto della persona, che esalta l’individualismo, che costruisce partiti nello scontro sul politically correct, schwa e lgbtq+, che grida scandalizzato per gli hate speech, che denuncia come atti di bullismo le litigate tra bambini salvo poi distribuire loro un paternalistico placet per i comportamenti illegali che avranno da adolescenti, derubricati a ragazzate, che fa della demeritocrazia la leva strutturale dell’ascensore sociale.

La sirena di Kiev ci comunica che è decisamente tramontato il mito col quale le generazioni del dopoguerra sono state educate, l’idea che tutto andrà verso il meglio per cui ci si possa concentrare per il futile.

Il terrore e il sangue versato dagli antenati non sono mai sufficiente obolo pagato per garantire il benessere dei posteri, poiché ogni generazione deve costruire cultura, moralità e lungimiranza quali presupposti per una società finalizzata al bene comune.

 * In foto: Kiev sotto attacco russo. www.ilgiornale.it

I appreciate Desh Subba connected me some months ago with Rom, who produces adult education programing, and Rom eventually got around to interviewing me: 

https://www.linkedin.com/posts/romwerrangayoso_my-guest-today-is-dr-r-michael-fisher-activity-6900110653852303360-Mz3I

Christine Breese, Ph.D., University of Metaphysical Sciences, and from Wisdom of the Heart Church (non-profit 501(c)3), offered in 2011 a free book entitled: 

"Fearlessness In the 2012 Paradigm Shift" (here is free copy in pdf.

I have not read too much detail but scanned her Table of Contents --and it is interesting for sure. A few highlights: "Paradigms Are Built to Fight Change, It's Natural" and "Hypnosis in Fear For The Masses" and Chapter 5 "Facing Fear" and "What Does a Fearless Life Look Like?" 

Those are all topics that interest me a lot as a fearologist. I'm writing my own book now on The Fear Problematique, and a core of what I need to articulate is the importance of what a Fearlessness Paradigm, contra a Fear Paradigm is all about. And, then link that to a fearlessness philosophy and theories and finally to education as a field. 

Anyways, you folks may want to check out her book here. It's historical of course, that 10 years ago there was a lot of 'new age' hype, especially in the astrological and metaphysical communities about some critical juncture of alignments and ancient Mayan calendars, etc... whereby, a "quantum leap" in the evolution of consciousness and humanity was being predicted--albeit, Breese admits in the book apparently, one cannot ever totally predict such things in terms of when--yet, there is a transformation going on she asserts, along with many others. And, I have been hearing about this since at least the early 1980s--and, especially with another big celestial and astrological event in 1987, of which I found so many new ager types of folks way too optimistic about what was going to happen at that juncture on a particular day, etc. I think the evidence is clear that these people exaggerate things yet, I am also not one to put them down for their enthusiasm generally for the need to transform the paradigms of the day. I like that Breese in particular has identified "fear" and "fearlessness" as significant vectors for this transformation. I agree!. 

I found this excerpt from a magazine article online. The point I'm interested in for this FM blog, is not this article per se. I find article after article, and most books or video talks, that discuss the culture of fear, have so little deep analysis of the phenomenon. Perhaps, folks here on the FM ning will do some analysis and serious writing about this topic? I have lots of articles on it, e.g., go to Google Scholar, if you wish. Mostly, I think the term "culture of fear" is powerful in itself, and there is no easy answer in the details and reality of the work, the healing, the re-education needed--that is, to just say we need a culture of hope, culture of love, culture of peace. Unfortunately, that's about all that gets offered out there. We need fresh thinking and new perspectives--even if imaginative and creative. You may also notice this author suggests "eradicating fear from mind, life and society" is the key point of the article. Why not call it a "fearless society" rather than a "culture of hope" as the solution? Yet, even such a statement is like a sweeping the dust away on the porch of a cabin in the desert. I want to look at why in 33 years of my own work on this topic, I do not see a coalition of people, forces, theories, philosophies, that are truly working to make this change. I see a lot of people talking, writing and teaching, but they are for the most part 'all doing their own thing.' That's why I started the In Search of Fearlessness Project, Movement, FM ning, etc. I have to sadly say, however, very little 'fire' is burning in these ventures in terms of collaborations that are continuous and passionately leading, and putting our best thinking together. I guess, the answer for the lack is 'people are too busy'...and, of course, I guess there's some reality to it. I just find that a lame answer and there's gotta be much more going on why we stay so separate and fragmented. 

I've long been a believer that artists, and the aesthetic mode of thinking, feeling, acting (that is, the arational) is a more effective way to change our fixed and overly-conditioned ways of thinking about anything--especially "fear" itself. So, in the above 'play' I situate two major concepts, and phenomena, and now they sit within a 'taoist' model or philosophical system of thought and imagination. I wonder what new could be discovered if this re-mapping of both Taoist philosophy and the understanding of fear in general could be adopted--as a thought experiment. So, if any of you want to try and play with it. I'd love to see what you come up with. 

There are so many things one could say about this new film. I'll hold back for now, as I want to watch it a few more times before I write too much. However, there is a clear picture of the morphing notion of "The One" and what the latest movie Resurrections makes of it, with Trinity coming into her own--and, in fact women generally coming into their own to challenge the men characters and designers of The Matrix which controls human's lives (for the most part). The control pretty much declared throughout the four films since 1999 of The Matrix, as control via fear-- that is, when a fear choice is taken over a love choice. The enactment to reclaim the love choice, is however, made clear to me (at least) is about fearlessness--call it "fearless"--but it is fearlessness nonetheless--utter and shown as a harder choice (it seems) for women (and mothers) than for men. But, I'll let you all decide what dramatics are going on in this great piece of art--again, congrats to those who all made this latest film possible. I do trust the teachings from it will have more impact, 20 years later, in this self-reflective work with a critical edge. 

What are the Matrix teachings?, you may ask. They are, based on my study of this film series since 1999, a most poignant and deeply powerful set of "fearlessness teachings"--of the Fearlessness Movement--and, if viewers miss that, it's sad, but truly most people don't see the full depth in this art work project. It's profound. And it is available to learn from. 

The death of David Sassoli, President of the European Parliament, restores to us all a character of great cultural and moral depth. Above all, leaders, by their example, should have safeguarded solidarity and democracy through political action that should have been conducted with courage and loyalty. Without the fear of confronting diversities.

Il parlamento europeo a Strasburgo ha celebrato la figura del suo presidente, David Sassoli, venuto meno pochi giorni or sono. Una persona gentile e sorridente, David Sassoli, formatosi con gli ideali della solidarietà, della giustizia, dell’impegno sociale.

I leader europei, nel ricordarlo, hanno portato con sé una rosa, emblematico ricordo dei Ragazzi della Rosa Bianca: nel giugno del 1942 un gruppo di studenti, vincendo la paura, mosse il dissenso distribuendo i volantini a Monaco e dintorni, invitando i propri concittadini a lottare contro il nazismo. Quei giovani alludevano a un’azione non violenta restituendo il valore alle parole, opponendosi ai nazisti che avevano fatto scempio dei concetti di libertà, onore, patria. Quei giovani avrebbero voluto raccontare la verità su quella azione politica che stava guadagnando i suoi consensi sull’onda del crimine. Quei giovani vinsero la propria paura per resistere al regime violento e menzognero, anche se furono presto fermati.

A tale vicenda fece riferimento David Sassoli nel suo discorso di insediamento come presidente: «Io sono figlio di un uomo che a venti anni ha combattuto contro altri europei […] Io so che questa è la storia anche di tante vostre famiglie […] non diremmo mai che siamo figli o nipoti di un incidente della Storia. Ma diremmo che la nostra storia è scritta sul dolore, sul sangue dei giovani britannici sterminati sulle spiagge della Normandia, sul desiderio di libertà di Sophie e Hans Scholl, sull’ansia di giustizia degli eroi del Ghetto di Varsavia, sulle primavere represse con i carri armati nei nostri paesi dell’Est, sul desiderio di fraternità che ritroviamo ogni qual volta la coscienza morale impone di non rinunciare alla propria umanità e l’obbedienza non può considerarsi virtù».

Sassoli guardava al passato per trarre insegnamento e coraggio per denunciare i nazionalismi estremi, il sopruso politico, l’ideologia di parte, tutte pericolose derive sempre in agguato nei consessi democratici. Dallo scranno più alto del parlamento europeo ha più volte intimato moderazione a personaggi come Orbán, Kaczyński, Lukašėnka, Erdoğan che, pur dichiarando di essere vicini idealmente all’Unione Europea, stanno evidenziando segnali di pericoloso autoritarismo.

Nella Repubblica leggiamo che a causare la degenerazione di uno stato democratico può essere l’«insaziabilità» (απληστία) di libertà.[1] Paradossalmente, dalla libertà potrebbe nascere la tirannia, «una assoluta e crudele servitù» (δουλεία πλείστη τε και αγριότατη).[2] La prima qualità di un leader è la sua abilità di organizzatore (εκ προστατικής φίζης)[3] che indurrebbe il popolo a rifugiarsi sotto la sua ala protettrice per sfuggire al caos che l’estrema libertà produce. La parola προστάτης usata per indicare questi personaggi carismatici, guide, leader, ha anche il significato di supplicante, difensore, patrono.

L’uomo che viene riconosciuto per le sue doti di leader non è certo un tiranno, ma può diventarlo e Platone descrive l’involuzione da προστάτης a τύραννος, descrivendo i sintomi di questa trasformazione: accusare ingiustamente i cittadini che non la pensano come lui fino ad assassinarli, favorire i suoi adepti proclamando la cancellazione di debiti e divisioni di terre, oppure eccitare alla sedizione contro i più ricchi.

Platone ricorda le cerimonie che si svolgevano presso il tempio di Zeus Lykaios, dove alcuni sacerdoti azzardavano a mangiare la carne delle vittime umane sacrificate e per questo si trasformavano in lupi. Veniva rinnovato alla memoria il gesto del re dell’Arcadia Lykaon che offrì suo figlio in pasto all’ignaro Zeus, per testare l’onniscienza del dio. Il re dell’Arcadia fu scoperto e trasformato in lupo per punizione; in seguito, resosi conto della sua arroganza, innalzò un tempio a Zeus, dedicandogli il nuovo culto.

Lykaon è l’uomo senza un posto nella storia, rappresenta l’età in cui l’umanità non possedeva obbiettivi di vita, né capacità di migliorare la propria esistenza, vivendo uno stato primordiale totalmente libero, dove non esisteva il sentimento della paura poiché non esisteva la percezione del passato e del futuro, sfidando gli dei con un vago sentimento di onnipotenza. Lykaon rappresenta l’inganno finale del tiranno che, offrendosi quale paradigma capace di ogni libertà, invita alla dissacrazione delle regole, offrendo ai suoi seguaci la loro stessa carne. Fuori dalla metafora, abusando della libertà, la stessa libertà viene soffocata.

Il tempo di Lykaon è paragonabile al tempo caotico popolato dai gigantes, antagonisti degli dei, dal grande corpo, istinto senza ragione. Tali esseri furono puniti col diluvio universale, catarsi che restituì loro la consapevolezza della propria dimensione limitata.[4] Già una volta, il diluvio ha rappresentato la cura per una umanità che ha attinto a una libertà senza confini, incestuosa e blasfema, dove ognuno riteneva sé stesso l’ombelico del mondo. Trasgredendo il proprio ruolo l’umano si perde, trasformandosi in una bestia sanguinaria; abusando della libertà smarrisce il senso della storia; offrendo consapevolmente falsi modelli e obbiettivi sbagliati rinnega il bisogno di collettività.

Tradire la libertà per riuscire a scoprirne il significato… di quali sciocchezze è capace l’uomo!

David Sassoli, il giorno prima di lasciarci, aveva spedito un tweet per ricordare una sua collega scomparsa, onorandone la sua forza d’animo e il suo desiderio di giustizia. Il male di cui soffriva non aveva tolto a David il desiderio di indicarci come usare la nostra libertà, additandoci un modello positivo, indicandoci il buon esempio; restituendo a ognuno la responsabilità di diventare un coraggioso costruttore oppure un insaziabile divoratore della libertà.

[1] Platone, Repubblica, 562 b.

[2] Ibidem, 564 a.

[3] Ibidem, 565 d.

[4] Giulia Piccaluga, Lykaon, un tema mitico, Quaderni SMSR, Edizioni dell’Ateneo, Roma, 1968.

Fotografia dal Corriere della Sera on line.

Screen shot from my white-board process drawing, in a video teaching (2018): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PvW-kz6pcck

English lecturer Dr. Bhawani Shankar Adhikari ( Bhawani Adhikari) the one who finished his PhD in the 'portrayal of Punishment and Fear (Fearism) in Vedavyasa's The Garudamaha Puranam and in Dante Alighieri's Inferno'. He is an author of EcoFearism and Exotic Fearology. He is the first scholar who successfully applied Fearism (Philosophy of Fearism) in his research thesis in the world. In his thesis, he jointly mixed up Eastern and Western myths. I congratulate him on his innovative work.

As Senior Editor, IJFS, I'm now taking submissions for the next International Journal of Fear Studies: IJFS seventh call.docx

To see Back Issues since 2018 of the journal: https://prism.ucalgary.ca/handle/1880/110103

NOTE: As of January 11, 2022, PRISM (Univ. of Calgary) library is no longer able to carry my work or house this journal on their digital archives and open access system. The major reason is that my interim tenure as an "affiliate faculty" with U of C is now over and not being renewed. So, IF you know of another digital home for the journal let me know.  r.michaelfisher52@gmail.com

Hello, all Fearlessness Movement ning community members. I also sent a group email to all. 

Currently, 116 FM ning members are signed up.

The FM ning costs $300 US /yr. I and other gifters have funded this project/and ning since I started it in 2015. 

I cannot afford out of my pocket that much money each yr., as I am a senior with little gov't pension.

So, to keep the ning going, please consider a donation this 2022. Thanks to those who have contributed in other years. 

Send, me an email: r.michaelfisher52@gmail.com  (FM ning host)

We can arrange on email, a form for your donation by e-transfer, cheque, etc. 

-Best to you all in the New Year! And, let's contribute to a lively community on the FM ning... 

-Michael

Early 1991, Morocco, N. Africa - R. Michael Fisher in contemplation. 

(photo by Barbara Bickel)

What Kind of Philosopher Am I?

I FOLLOW the trail(s) of words/concepts, like, fear, fearlessness--and, I end up in places to learn about it and have it change me, even if just a little. As cultural critic Sara Ahmed said in an interview, noting she is involved in philosophical inquiry and likes it, but it is questions and words/concepts that are her focus and guide--declaring herself not really a trained philosopher at all, nor motivated by philosophy in an academic disciplinary way:  "I’m interested in the world making nature of words and concepts, philosophy becomes one of the places I go...among others...". [1]

            Making of a Naturalist-Moral Philosopher (1952-  )

Life vs. Death, Good vs. Evil, have long intrigued me; since 1989 I found another way to express this great archetypal Battle of opposites, and situated it as Love vs. Fear. The latter, has been by far the most fruitful investigation. The ethical implications of how we are motivated by deep forces as humans truly is my passionate inquiry—it is what I bring to the field of Education.

Although some have called me so, I have never really labeled myself a “philosopher,” never mind a moral philosopher. Firstly, my thoughts about calling myself a “moral philosopher” (wanna be), is that I had a fundamentalist Christian family system informing from my dad’s side, and I was raised implicitly in a Judeo-Christian (Abrahamic) culture, with insidious religious roots in the Middle-East and its grand sacred myths of divine leaders and newly emergent religious doctrines. My entire K-12 education in public secular schooling, was in fact, not so secular and not free of a controlling religious power regime in Canada. I had to stand and say the Lord’s Prayer (from the Bible) since I was very young until junior high school.

Secondly, I think of my deep dive into the Environmental Movement, and graduating from high school when the first Earth Day was announced and celebrated on this planet. The 1960s-70s consciousness transformation and (r)evolution was in the background of my “growing up.” Yet, one other thought, not so obvious to me is always likely shaping my philosophy. It is WW-II and the rise and fall of the Third Reich (Nazi Germany)—the invasion of fascism in modern times—leading to the Holocaust and a devastating assault on modern assumptions of rationality and human decency. What has civilization to offer, if it could not prevent Nazism? Another Reign of Terror, as in the eras across history that show “progress” and “democracy” come with a heavy price—and, a lot of fear (terror). With my mom being an immigrant (war bride) from Belgium to Canada, and a survivor of Nazi occupation for over three years when she was in her teens, it is not surprising I have a penchant to become a moral philosopher. Yet, we shall see here in this section just what kind of philosopher that is, in my own customized version.

From some autobiographical sketching it is obvious that some of my family influences were significant in my upbringing. I talked of three ‘best’ teachers, my dad, my older brother and Nature. It seems obvious to me that informally I was very much a naturalist philosopher budding, from the earliest days of my child-play and experimenting on the prairie escarpment  of the Bow River valley, in Calgary, AB, Canada, of my most formative 2-8 years of life. I was a “nature boy” and grew to become a “nature lover.” With my love for and defense of the “Natural” world, it is not surprising that the first serious (mostly Western) philosophy I was attracted to in my spare-time, in my early-to-mid 20s, were biological philosophical writers (e.g., René Dubos, Lyall Watson, E. O. Wilson) and environmental/eco-philosophical writers (e.g., Albert Schweitzer, Arnie Naess, Gregory Bateson, Lynn White, Valerius Geist, etc.)—with roots in the American Transcendentalism philosophy stream (e.g. Henry David Thoreau, Ralph Waldo Emerson, etc.)—and, then specifically, E. F. Schumacher’s (practical-economic) Buddhist philosophy. Other Eastern philosophers and spiritual teachers (e.g., Alan Watts, Chöygam Trungpa, Ken Wilber, etc.) all had their early influence as I turned 28 years of age and started my Education career track....

[extract of draft for a chapter in my new book in progress, The Fear Problematique: Role of Philosophy of Education in Speaking Truths to Powers in a Culture of Fear ].

Notes

1. From "Sara Ahmed: Dresher Conversations" (Mar. 20, 2018) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zadqi8Pn0O0