Yi-Fu Tuan on fear

[Jayhawker Soule]

More than once I've noted Yi-Fu Tuan's suggestion that ...

All human beings are religious if religion is broadly defined as the impulse for coherence and meaning.​

... and I still find the quote to be intriguing and helpful.

Similarly intriguing is the following:

In a sense, every human construction, whether mental or material, is a component in a landscape of fear because it exists in constant chaos. Thus children's fairy tales as well as adult's legends, cosmological myths, and indeed philosophical systems are shelters built by the mind in which human beings can rest, at least temporarily, from the siege of inchoate experience and of doubt.
― Yi-Fu Tuan, Landscapes of Fear​

These two quotes seem to resonate with one another and, among other things, help explain our penchant for dogmatism and xenophobia.

Thoughts?

 

[dybmh]

All human beings are religious if religion is broadly defined as the impulse for coherence and meaning.

Strikes me as the opposite of wu-wei as described in Doasim....

By this definition is a Doaist who practices wu-wei inhuman? ( Ignoring the obvious RF jokes about @Wu Wei , who is a bear ) It makes me wonder about Yi-Fu Tuan's opinion of Daosim and wu wei.

In other words, not all people that I meet desire coherence and meaning. Some people desire spontaneity, mystery, and are not troubled by unanswered questions. ( I'm not one of these lucky people... maybe I'll get there someday )

 

[LuisDantas]

More than once I've noted Yi-Fu Tuan's suggestion that ...

All human beings are religious if religion is broadly defined as the impulse for coherence and meaning.​

... and I still find the quote to be intriguing and helpful.

Similarly intriguing is the following:

In a sense, every human construction, whether mental or material, is a component in a landscape of fear because it exists in constant chaos. Thus children's fairy tales as well as adult's legends, cosmological myths, and indeed philosophical systems are shelters built by the mind in which human beings can rest, at least temporarily, from the siege of inchoate experience and of doubt.
― Yi-Fu Tuan, Landscapes of Fear​

These two quotes seem to resonate with one another and, among other things, help explain our penchant for dogmatism and xenophobia.

Thoughts?

I am not seeing the connection to dogmatism and xenophobia, but otherwise, sure.

 

[LuisDantas]

Strikes me as the opposite of wu-wei as described in Doasim....

By this definition is a Doaist who practices wu-wei inhuman? ( Ignoring the obvious RF jokes about @Wu Wei , who is a bear ) It makes me wonder about Yi-Fu Tuan's opinion of Daosim and wu wei.

In other words, not all people that I meet desire coherence and meaning. Some people desire spontaneity, mystery, and are not troubled by unanswered questions. ( I'm not one of these lucky people... maybe I'll get there someday )

Daoism is no stranger to living through paradoxes in order to resolve them, not entirely unlike Zen.

Mountains as Mountains, Waters as Waters – DAILY ZEN

Acceptance of the chaotic aspects of reality is a solid, sensible first step in attaining coherence and meaning.

 

[Revoltingest]

"If religion is broadly defined as..."
No, I prefer to not have religion include all of human thought & behavior.
Limiting what words mean to what is commonly understood is useful.

So...how's that for the most uninteresting response so far?

 

[LuisDantas]

"If religion is broadly defined as..."
No, I prefer to not have religion include all of human thought & behavior.
Limiting what words mean to what is commonly understood is useful.

So...how's that for the most uninteresting response so far?

It is actually interesting, in that it lampshades how vaguely religion is defined and even how ambiguous adherence to it can often be - by design even.

One thing to consider is that religious diffusion provides, among other things, language. The existence and usage of certain concepts has a cultural impact and invites people to use them regardless of actual belief in their correspondence to facts.

Another is the matter of cultural identity. Word has it that there were times in Ireland when the Jewish People sometimes had to voice whether they considered themselves "Catholic Jews" or "Protestant Jews". I understand that not everyone is confortable with that, but the plain fact is that there is a degree of cultural identity shaping by way of overall belief trends - and it does not have to correspond particularly well with actual belief.

 

[dybmh]

Daoism is no stranger to living through paradoxes in order to resolve them, not entirely unlike Zen.

Mountains as Mountains, Waters as Waters – DAILY ZEN

Acceptance of the chaotic aspects of reality is a solid, sensible first step in attaining coherence and meaning.

I don't know anything about Yi-Fu Tua, is he friendly towards Daosim?

Some people aren't.

 

[Revoltingest]

It is actually interesting, in that it lampshades how vaguely religion is defined and even how ambiguous adherence to it can often be - by design even.

One thing to consider is that religious diffusion provides, among other things, language. The existence and usage of certain concepts has a cultural impact and invites people to use them regardless of actual belief in their correspondence to facts.

I've noticed in some people that their religion is fully integrated with
everything they think & do. Nothing is separate....so for them, "religion"
is akin to "reality". This heathen lacks that perspective, ie, religion is just
that narrower set of beliefs & practices regarding the supernatural.

 

[BSM1]

The fear lessened for me when I stopped looking for rhyme or reason in life.

 

[dybmh]

"If religion is broadly defined as..."
No, I prefer to not have religion include all of human thought & behavior.
Limiting what words mean to what is commonly understood is useful.

So...how's that for the most uninteresting response so far?

I don't know maybe it's something super simple. Yi-Fu Tua has not met a Revoltingest before. He's just a little ignorant of all you have to offer.

 

[BSM1]

I don't know maybe it's something super simple. Yi-Fu Tua has not met a Revoltingest before. He's just a little ignorant of all you have to offer.

They would lose their Zen cards in the process...

 

[LuisDantas]

I don't know anything about Yi-Fu Tua, is he friendly towards Daosim?

Assuming that you mean Daoism / Taoism, I don't know.

Being Chinese, he probably has some measure of awareness of it, though. I have no idea of how much.

Yi-Fu Tuan - Wikipedia

Some people aren't.

Really? It takes considerable effort to achieve such a feat.

 

[Revoltingest]

I don't know maybe it's something super simple. Yi-Fu Tua has not met a Revoltingest before. He's just a little ignorant of all you have to offer.

I have nothing to offer but Simpsons videos & Wolfgang Pauli quotes.

 

[dybmh]

The fear lessened for me when I stopped looking for rhyme or reason in life.

Totally opposite for me... strange but true

 

[dybmh]

I have nothing to offer but Simpsons videos & Wolfgang Pauli quotes.

Objection... I have seen you dance. and you have a lovely singing voice.

@Wirey & I perform....

 

[ChristineM]

More than once I've noted Yi-Fu Tuan's suggestion that ...

All human beings are religious if religion is broadly defined as the impulse for coherence and meaning.​

... and I still find the quote to be intriguing and helpful.

Similarly intriguing is the following:

In a sense, every human construction, whether mental or material, is a component in a landscape of fear because it exists in constant chaos. Thus children's fairy tales as well as adult's legends, cosmological myths, and indeed philosophical systems are shelters built by the mind in which human beings can rest, at least temporarily, from the siege of inchoate experience and of doubt.
― Yi-Fu Tuan, Landscapes of Fear​

These two quotes seem to resonate with one another and, among other things, help explain our penchant for dogmatism and xenophobia.

Thoughts?

Redefining words does nothing but breed confusion. And xenophobia? Not me, i am dogmatic about that

 

[Jayhawker Soule]

I am not seeing the connection to dogmatism and xenophobia, but otherwise, sure.

I see both as silos in response to uncertainty..

 

[LuisDantas]

Redefining words does nothing but breed confusion.

Quite true, but when it comes to "religion", that ship has sailed for a long time already.

There are many competing meanings, and some are very much at odds with each other. It is only fair to present a specific, well delimited understanding for consideration as part of an argument.

 

[LuisDantas]

I see both as silos in response to uncertainty..

Well, yes. But that is as far as it goes.

Religion as I understand it to be, in a valid and healthy form, has among other roles that of providing a constructive alternative to the evils that are dogmatism and xenophobia.

 

[LuisDantas]

I've noticed in some people that their religion is fully integrated with
everything they think & do. Nothing is separate....so for them, "religion"
is akin to "reality". This heathen lacks that perspective, ie, religion is just
that narrower set of beliefs & practices regarding the supernatural.

Quite fair. I will put that in the folder for "hints that ignosticism is a Good Thing, Worth Raising Awareness Of".