Comments on: This Absurd Life http://www.kathrynkoromilas.com/this-absurd-life.html A writer neither here nor there Thu, 20 Nov 2008 14:24:17 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.0.2 by: Nick http://www.kathrynkoromilas.com/this-absurd-life.html#comment-93210 Sun, 19 Oct 2008 14:14:16 +0000 http://www.kathrynkoromilas.com/this-absurd-life.html#comment-93210 Look life is absurd. We have to fill it with whatever nonsense we can dream up. This is what keeps us busy til we die. Best not not too think too hard cos the truth is hard to face. Look life is absurd. We have to fill it with whatever nonsense we can dream up. This is what keeps us busy til we die. Best not not too think too hard cos the truth is hard to face.

]]> by: kathryn http://www.kathrynkoromilas.com/this-absurd-life.html#comment-248 Thu, 08 Jun 2006 08:51:23 +0000 http://www.kathrynkoromilas.com/this-absurd-life.html#comment-248 Hi, Rick! Thanks for stopping by. You are quite right that if the universe does have a message we definitely having trouble receiving it. But that's what makes discussions like these so much fun! ;-) So, yes, we do construct meaning in our lives. Sure, we can't live otherwise, or we can't live as social beings unless there is some sort of meaning, structure, value, or belief in the society in which we participate. As far as the universe goes, I do agree with you when you say that we can't know anything for certain, not in an absolute, timeless sense. Still, I wonder about the agnostic position. It is certainly a valid position when it comes to the awesome question of God and the universe, but how often do we take an agnostic stance in our daily lives when absolute truths are equally hidden from us? Say, for example, in our dealings with other people, in falling in love, getting married, etc. We do all this based on facts available to us at a particular time. Whether our partner will change or reveal a secret that impacts on the way we love them is something we do not know now and yet we proceed. Scientists do this, too. They conclude things based on facts available to them at a given time. When facts change so too do conclusions made. What I'm wondering is - are there are enough facts and figures about us to help us make informed decisions about the state of the universe and our place in it? Certainly, whatever conclusions we make won't be absolute, they can be refuted at any time when new facts and figures come to our knowledge. But shouldn't we at least have a belief or opinion? Or do we really get caught up in dogmatic thinking if we do this? I've recently come across a rather interesting term: "<a target=_blank href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ignostic" rel="nofollow">ignostic</a>." There's an ongoing <a target=_blank href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Talk:Ignosticism" rel="nofollow">discussion about it at the Wikipedia site</a>. The term was coined to suggest that talk of God is meaningless because theism is incoherent. You know, most of these discussions about God/caring universe have to begin with definitions - what do you mean when you use the term 'God', 'universe', 'caring' etc etc. If definitions differ, a coherent discussion cannot take place. It's all rather fascinating! That's good enough for me. ;-) Hi, Rick! Thanks for stopping by.

You are quite right that if the universe does have a message we definitely having trouble receiving it. But that’s what makes discussions like these so much fun! ;-) So, yes, we do construct meaning in our lives. Sure, we can’t live otherwise, or we can’t live as social beings unless there is some sort of meaning, structure, value, or belief in the society in which we participate. As far as the universe goes, I do agree with you when you say that we can’t know anything for certain, not in an absolute, timeless sense. Still, I wonder about the agnostic position. It is certainly a valid position when it comes to the awesome question of God and the universe, but how often do we take an agnostic stance in our daily lives when absolute truths are equally hidden from us? Say, for example, in our dealings with other people, in falling in love, getting married, etc. We do all this based on facts available to us at a particular time. Whether our partner will change or reveal a secret that impacts on the way we love them is something we do not know now and yet we proceed. Scientists do this, too. They conclude things based on facts available to them at a given time. When facts change so too do conclusions made. What I’m wondering is - are there are enough facts and figures about us to help us make informed decisions about the state of the universe and our place in it? Certainly, whatever conclusions we make won’t be absolute, they can be refuted at any time when new facts and figures come to our knowledge. But shouldn’t we at least have a belief or opinion? Or do we really get caught up in dogmatic thinking if we do this?

I’ve recently come across a rather interesting term: “ignostic.” There’s an ongoing discussion about it at the Wikipedia site. The term was coined to suggest that talk of God is meaningless because theism is incoherent. You know, most of these discussions about God/caring universe have to begin with definitions - what do you mean when you use the term ‘God’, ‘universe’, ‘caring’ etc etc. If definitions differ, a coherent discussion cannot take place. It’s all rather fascinating! That’s good enough for me. ;-)

]]> by: rick green http://www.kathrynkoromilas.com/this-absurd-life.html#comment-246 Thu, 08 Jun 2006 04:15:39 +0000 http://www.kathrynkoromilas.com/this-absurd-life.html#comment-246 Hey, nice site. I accept the notion that human life is absurd, but in a slightly different sense than the one you describe. How can we possibly discover any irrefutable meaning in life? Then again, how can we know that such a meaning doesn't in fact exist? We can't know anything for certain, not even that life is meaningless. I guess that's an agnostic point of view. But no one can live without some sense of meaning. We construct the meaning of our lives. (Is that existentialism? I'm not sure.) As I see it, meaning is always provisional, never absolute. In saying the universe is indifferent, one has constructed meaning in absolute terms. How can we really know if the universe is indifferent? Maybe the universe cares very much how our lives turn out, we just have trouble getting the message. Anyway, that's my two cents worth. I think it's really cool that you blog about this sort of thing. Rock on. Hey, nice site. I accept the notion that human life is absurd, but in a slightly different sense than the one you describe. How can we possibly discover any irrefutable meaning in life? Then again, how can we know that such a meaning doesn’t in fact exist? We can’t know anything for certain, not even that life is meaningless. I guess that’s an agnostic point of view. But no one can live without some sense of meaning. We construct the meaning of our lives. (Is that existentialism? I’m not sure.) As I see it, meaning is always provisional, never absolute. In saying the universe is indifferent, one has constructed meaning in absolute terms. How can we really know if the universe is indifferent? Maybe the universe cares very much how our lives turn out, we just have trouble getting the message. Anyway, that’s my two cents worth. I think it’s really cool that you blog about this sort of thing. Rock on.

]]> by: kathryn http://www.kathrynkoromilas.com/this-absurd-life.html#comment-219 Wed, 24 May 2006 11:56:07 +0000 http://www.kathrynkoromilas.com/this-absurd-life.html#comment-219 Tom, you had - then I had some template problems and accidently deleted this post only to repost and to find our initial absurd banter - missing. Sorry! (I thought it too silly to ask you to re-comment.) Tom, you had - then I had some template problems and accidently deleted this post only to repost and to find our initial absurd banter - missing. Sorry! (I thought it too silly to ask you to re-comment.)

]]> by: tom http://www.kathrynkoromilas.com/this-absurd-life.html#comment-218 Wed, 24 May 2006 11:34:54 +0000 http://www.kathrynkoromilas.com/this-absurd-life.html#comment-218 I thought I'd left some comments on this posting? Ha-ha. Not absurd enough, perhaps. I thought I’d left some comments on this posting? Ha-ha. Not absurd enough, perhaps.

]]> by: kathryn http://www.kathrynkoromilas.com/this-absurd-life.html#comment-214 Sat, 20 May 2006 16:13:08 +0000 http://www.kathrynkoromilas.com/this-absurd-life.html#comment-214 I know what you mean about laughter helping us cope. Laughter is probably the only way of making the absurd accessible. Oh, and who does know what they are talking about? I know what you mean about laughter helping us cope. Laughter is probably the only way of making the absurd accessible. Oh, and who does know what they are talking about?

]]> by: Steve Kane http://www.kathrynkoromilas.com/this-absurd-life.html#comment-213 Sat, 20 May 2006 09:47:36 +0000 http://www.kathrynkoromilas.com/this-absurd-life.html#comment-213 I try to laugh at the absurd even if it is uncomfortable. I wouldn't be able to cope if I didn't. Or, at least, I'd cope even worse than I do now. Then again, I laugh at the strangest things sometimes, inappropriate things. I don't think I really know what I am talking about here. I try to laugh at the absurd even if it is uncomfortable. I wouldn’t be able to cope if I didn’t. Or, at least, I’d cope even worse than I do now. Then again, I laugh at the strangest things sometimes, inappropriate things.

I don’t think I really know what I am talking about here.

]]> by: kathryn http://www.kathrynkoromilas.com/this-absurd-life.html#comment-212 Sat, 20 May 2006 06:57:34 +0000 http://www.kathrynkoromilas.com/this-absurd-life.html#comment-212 Oh, yes, I'm a big fan of the theatre of the absurd - Beckett, Ionesco, Pirandello. Haven't seen Kubrick's Killing - shall take a look! But would you really say that the absurd is ha-ha funny? I'm sure it's the best way to respond to the absurd, but I'd still maintain that it's uncomfortable-funny more than anything else. I think ha-ha funny comes from a very different view of the world. Oh, yes, I’m a big fan of the theatre of the absurd - Beckett, Ionesco, Pirandello. Haven’t seen Kubrick’s Killing - shall take a look! But would you really say that the absurd is ha-ha funny? I’m sure it’s the best way to respond to the absurd, but I’d still maintain that it’s uncomfortable-funny more than anything else. I think ha-ha funny comes from a very different view of the world.

]]> by: Steve Kane http://www.kathrynkoromilas.com/this-absurd-life.html#comment-211 Fri, 19 May 2006 20:17:25 +0000 http://www.kathrynkoromilas.com/this-absurd-life.html#comment-211 You should read <a href="http://www.arts.gla.ac.uk/Slavonic/Absurd.htm" rel="nofollow">this brief introduction to "The Theatre Of The Absurd"</a> and then go re-watch the early films of Stanley Kubrick (especially <i>The Killing</i> which is not a film-noir style heist-gone-wrong thriller at all but an absurdist comedy). Or not. Either way, always remember that the absurd is above all else <i>funny</i>. And laugh accordingly. You should read this brief introduction to “The Theatre Of The Absurd” and then go re-watch the early films of Stanley Kubrick (especially The Killing which is not a film-noir style heist-gone-wrong thriller at all but an absurdist comedy).

Or not.

Either way, always remember that the absurd is above all else funny. And laugh accordingly.

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