The sick child

The sick child

I refer to one of my favorite artists Edvard Munch and his painting is called the “The Sick Child”. It evokes so many emotions; at least 2 senses are triggered. It highlights what makes life so pathological namely suffering. Life is almost like a hoax; the greatest folly for that which in a moment ceases to exist, vanishes as completely as a dream. It is repetitive for everyone and shares the same highlight reels namely boredom, suffering and finally ends in death. This is depicted in literature like the Bible where we see the crucifixion of Jesus Christ. Socrates, a mentor of Plato also suffered the same fate when it was believed he was corrupting the people of Athens with his Philosophy, it wasn’t the case but his people still killed him. Suffering is inescapable and lasting happiness an impossibility. I love the picture because it depicts just that. 

I want to feel; even if it is unbearable suffering. I want the feeling of happiness even though it’s with a cap and so premature, it’s good it makes me experience being. I want the feeling of love despite the fact that it is programmed the same as hate in my mind. When humans fall in love, they get butterflies in their stomachs; how magical is that? I want to make love to my girlfriend. I want to caress her boobs and thighs and tell her she has beautiful eyes. It makes me feel good. It makes her feel good. Different realms are involved in that process. However, In Plato’s world that’s frowned upon. It is irrelevant, not on the exponential chart, it simply doesn’t matter.

I feel Plato seducing me, kind of like that girl who is not really into that guy and yet is giving him an audience because her feelings are engaged in the process and it’s only a matter of time until she gives in. Seduction is a slow process and Plato is working a number on me. I don’t agree with a lot of his points however I love hearing and reading about them. I don’t want to write-off his ideals but he totally disregards the world of Space and Time; he doesn’t believe in this world of senses. I do not concur with that. I believe in getting your Soul in order, no doubt but to pollute the objective world like this? I don’t know, I think he was so divorced from life and the apparent world.

 

His points however are an extension of Socrates and he was brilliant, better than Jesus Christ. His dialogues truly propelled the human spirit to flourish. He challenged the human mind and spirit to think, to have original ideas and thoughts. Plus his dialogues were always in sentence form encouraging you to participate and really explore your subject. The subject of “soul” and “spirit” is always a tricky one.

 

I think the “spirit” or “soul” resides in the pineal gland, I mean it is the organ responsible for creativity and let’s not forget dreams. Dreams are remarkable, often don’t make sense but beautiful. Located in your very own “Inner Theatre”. There is a animation movie that sort of explores one of Plato’s ideals. The name of the movie is called “Astro Boy”. It’s about a brilliant scientist who created an exact replica of his son because his son passed on. Of course, the son was a robot but looked and had all the senses of a real life boy. Amazingly he had the consciousness of Toby (the son) that passed on.

The brilliant scientist created an artificial “soul” or “spirit” that powered the robot and just like that the robot was his son. It was like the death never occurred, the robot (Toby) was still brilliant and liked the same things he did before his death. The ability to harness the human spirit and soul, I thought that was awesome! It is on that basis that I think Plato could be on to something especially considering the 4th Industrial Revolution and the Information Age. Facebook and other social networks are already harnessing human energy, with a few modifications and a couple of additions to the system, the soul and spirit is next.

Going back to the subject of Toby and his brilliant Scientist father. Despite Toby’s death, his father still wanted to bring Toby back to the material world. He couldn’t resuscitate him because his soul was no longer in his body anymore. That says something. So how can Plato not “care” about the material world when on paper it’s the only thing we have? Life is too valuable and precious and Plato devalues it, I don’t like that. I believe in improving and developing your mind though, I believe the soul or spirit is independent of the body, I believe in other realms and reincarnation based on your previous life, I believe in nature and life and that we all share just one soul, the soul of the Universe, I think that’s what Carl Jung meant by “Collective Unconsciousness”.