Soran appeared once again before the Interviewer. He groaned softly before saying. “I seriously don’t have time to be whisked away every day to answer your questions. One world’s problems are enough for anyone to deal with.”
The Interviewer shuffled a few pages but remained deadpan, the pitch of his voice unmoved by Soran’s objections.. “I’m sure you will be interested in today’s topic. We are talking about ideas that shape mainstream culture and divergence from those ideals.”
Soran’s face grew thoughtful, his eyes narrowing. “Okay, tell me about your mainstream culture, and I’ll tell you about mine.”
The Interviewer picked a sheet and set it out on top before steepling his fingers. “First off, to create a framework for our exploration, I will explain to you a theory of ideas from this world.
A man named Rene Descartes laid out the concept that thinking is the most real substance or existence within the world. He most famously wrote, ‘I think therefore I am.’ Existence equals the ability to think.
Therefore, the idea is the most basic mode of thinking. This is understood as the way our thinking exists in. For an idea to become more, it must be processed through doubts and judgments, other forms or modes of thinking that move the idea into something more understandable something more real.
One of the important parts of his theory which is highly different from the way this world thinks about ideas, is he thought that one could have innate or prior knowledge. Basically, there are ideas you were born with. To him, the idea or mode of thought that God exists was an innate idea. One can compare prior knowledge to the instinct of a newly born horse to stand up and start walking. This world believes that all information is completely socially constructed, nothing is innate.
However, now back to the main point of how ideas in relation to culture. A view of your friend is not your friend, just a glimpse of who he is. This is the way we will approach mainstream ideas, creating a paradigm to judge mainstream ideas, ideas as glimpses of what is going on, yet also foundation. This information was drawn from Stanford’s Encyclopaedia of philosophy.
We have become scientific thinkers with experience as the only thing to be trusted or at least an expert’s experience. In a nutshell, the intellectuals elevate the government as the solver of world problems. At least, the media portrays it as so while ironically also complains the government isn’t running the world the right way. The Media knows what the right way and it is dominated by left thinkers often. Much of the time, these powers, the elite are far removed from the daily experience of the person.
In theory we are democratic, and the people decide who should lead them. This is ironic because the system preaches that the Elite know better how to run society. Here the clash comes with the media thinking they know what is best, the government not doing its best, and the people not receiving what they want as the government and media collide. Above all this our pragmatic way of thinking exists with no true end course save the progress of Humanity. What is progress? That's a good question.
Our society likes to think of itself as post-truth and a pragmatic society.”
Soran interrupted swiftly. “How can you know what is best, pragmatic, if you are beyond truth.”
The Interviewer smiled cold.“ Good question. Ideally, things should only be done for the betterment of humanity. However, since there is no definition of what is ultimately good, this draws a problem. . The driving forces behind these thoughts are sceptical philosophies that mainly focus on existence, existentialism, stating all there is is now denying an ultimate purpose. We as humans were not made for a purpose. The only purpose we can have is the one we make for ourselves.
Of course, there are other dominant mainstream ideas, but this is the basis of much of the mainstream intellectual thought.”
When Soran realized the Man had finished talking, he nodded and rubbed his chin as he began slowly picking up speed. “Very different worlds we live in. In my world, the mainstream belief is upheld by religion specifically in the religion of the four deities. Each deity was drawn from one of the four acceptable cultures in the federation signifying a main aspect the Federation.
Significantly different from your world, science is a rising power in my world. Now Science is struggling with this state organized religion to gain independence. Another common mainstream idea that plays heavily into the way society works is vampires are utterly evil, a scourge of the dark gods naturally throwing people further into the mouths of the State and Religion, the two dragons that can protect them as far as they know. Stereotypes of vampires are easily reinforced by the twin headed dragons.”
“Much like this world’s current struggle with the rise of nationalism and the fear of the Other, those who are not your group.”
Seconds ticked by as the Interviewer stared impassively at Soran who fidgeted. “I’ve never had to think about this, but I would say they have a few similarities. Unfortunately, most vampires are extremely dangerous to us. I’m not so sure about immigrants.”
The Interviewer smile tightly. “So, if ideas are unprocessed thoughts, and mainstream ideas are essentially this in a roundabout way, why are you divergent from the norm and how do you remain separate from the mainstream?”
Soran sighed for a moment. “I am divergent because not only to I worship a different God from the empire, choosing not to take these manmade, humanist gods. On the flip side, I also am heavily in favour of science and improvement. Perhaps one might call me a thinker, some would call me a fool. Yet, you also ask me why I diverge from the mainstream and stay like that. Any idea presented to me; I rigorously test it as objectively as possible. Of course, I cannot rid myself of the presuppositions I have for everyone has them.
However, to remain truly a good divergent and never get swept into something because people believe it, requires vigilantly testing everything.” Soran’s eyes shone with the flecked silver as his voice had risen with passion as he spoke.
The interviewer remained dead pan in response. "So, being separate from the mainstream, in either way, left or right, requires vigorous thinking?”
“Yes, I do not unreasonable questioning if anything exists or trying to constantly explain away what others believe. My purpose is to attempt to understand as much as possible while admitting the weakness I have.”
“Thank you for your time once again, Soran; till the next time.”
Citations
Smith, Kurt, "Descartes’ Theory of Ideas", The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy (Winter 2018 Edition), Edward N. Zalta (ed.), URL = <https://plato.stanford.edu/archives/win2018/entries/descartes-ideas/>.
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