Walter Benjamin’s "Theses on the Philosophy of History"

Shameka Clark

LEH 300

Walter Benjamin’s "Theses on the Philosophy of History"

 ( I will be discussion the Fourth Thesis)

 

 

“The fourth thesis suggests some of the the things which may be lost: courage, humor, cunning, and fortitude i.e. the qualities displayed by the oppressed classes in their struggle against oppression. These qualities develop under conditions of adversity and is important not to lose sight of how they important they are or forget the people who have shown them.”

-          What I believe Walter Benjamin is saying in this thesis is when one goes through hard times in life; one may lost their character traits that makes them human in their times of struggles. But if one can over comes the many hardships of life and remember not lose sight of who they are and the importance of the people in their life; and manage their character traits (courage, humor, cunning, and fortitude). Than one will remain human and regain hope against oppression.

 

 

1)      How do history and nihilism relate? How do people use history as a way to overcome nihilism?

 

-History and nihilism relates because both have deal with pain, tension, disloyalty, destroying others in order to move up in society and to show growth over the years. People use history to overcome nihilism, because history has showed us that with the will to want change from pain and destroying; we as a people can gain power and fight over oppression and overcome many struggles.

 

Benjamin

Shameka Clark

LEH 300

 

 

            “Even if one has a general knowledge of the way people walk, one knows nothing of a person's posture during the fractional second of a stride. The act of reaching for a lighter or a spoon is a familiar routine, yet we hardly know what really goes on between hand and metal, not to mention how this fluctuates with our moods. Here the camera intervenes with the resources of its lowerings and liftings, its interruptions and isolations, its extensions and accelerations, its enlargements and reductions. The camera introduces us to unconscious optics as does psychoanalysis to unconscious impulses (p. 237).”

 

-What I believe this quote is saying is that when a picture or a movie is taking place, the camera only shows what is happing. The camera does not show or explained how these actions are happening or how the person feels during these actions.

 

Please also complete the following questions:

1.      Why does Benjamin argue for the similar effects of Dadaism and Chaplin films?

Benjamin argues for similar effects because pain is an emotion everyone has or will experience in their life and it give them the ability to relate to his work.

2.      Explain some of the positive and negative effects of the destruction of the "aura" in art.

The negative effects are, it gives the artists less freedom to express their self and the positive effects is it more acceptable in society.  

3.      How would you judge or evaluate the impact of mass culture in contemporary life today?

Mass culture in contemporary life today I believe is more worry  about what others think compare to the times of Benjamin were people were will to risk their life just so their voice would be heard.

Ernst Jünger and "pain"

Shameka Clark

LEH 300

 

            The passage I will be discussing today is the following:

-“Pain’s disregard for our system of values greatly increases its hold on life...Our children’s tales close with passages about heroes who, after having overcome many dangers, live out their lives in peace and happiness. We hear such assurances with pleasure, for it is comforting for us to learn about a place removed from pain. Yet, in truth, life is without any such satisfying end... (p.4).”

--What I believe this quote is saying that society shows us through media and lectures that in life there is always a happy ending; even to those who had hardship. But in real life; this is not the truth. For some there will not be a happy ending; just pain. I choose this passage because to me it’s the truth. Many people will never get the change to live without pain; to live with happiness and peace. There are many people who don’t know what it feels like to live without the dangers of others or their environment.

 

***Please also answer the following questions.

 

 

1. Is pain the most important experience in life?  I’m not sure if it the most important, but I do believe it’s the most strongest of experiences we have in life and the one when can learn from the best.

2. What does "post-liberal" mean? I believe "post-liberal" means that we as humans are entering another phase in our lives and that is leaving “liberalism”.

3. How does obedience to the state protect the person from pain? Obedience to the state can protect a person from pain by helping them fit the norm of that place or time. With fitting the norm one fits in and this stop others from picking or looking at them. When this happens it makes people feel that they are all the same and should be treated the same. This is a form of protect because the person is less likely to harm them.

Germany's Parties and Hitler final speech

Shameka Clark

LEH 300

 

            The three parties that I will be discussing today are: Communist Party, Nazi Party and the Social-democratic Party. All three of these parties have some similarities and differences. Let’s take a look of some the similarities first. The similarities will all three parties are they want the German people to have a better livelihood/jobs. The Nazi and Communist party want to get rid of other races in Germany and overthrow the Republic. The Nazi and the Communist party want to get rid of private property.

            The differences between the three parties are as followed. The Social-democratic Party supports the German Republic. People who have any disagreement are allowed to speak their minds; unlike the Communist and Nazi party. The Social-democratic Party wants to lower taxes and provide the German people with unemployment compensation for up to six months.

 

Hitler’s Final Speech

“The army that we are building grows from day to day, from hour to hour. Right at this moment I have the proud hope that once the hour strikes these wild troops will merge into battalions, battalions into regiments, regiments into divisions. I have hopes that the old cockade will be lifted from the dirt, that the old colors will be unfurled to flutter again, that expiation will come before the tribunal of God. Then from our bones and from our graves will speak the voice of the only tribunal which has the right to sit in justice over us.”

-          What I believe Hitler is saying in this quote is the idea that the stronger his beliefs become the more vast the fight becomes. The more people that become inspired by these beliefs the more likely all will rise up and form as one to carry out the objectives of what Hitler was trying to portray. The very idea that one group can rise up and take the place for which Hitler seen for his people gave that inspiration and he didn’t get specific because others might have separate opinions , but when u combine the idea of all standing together as one like the beginning of the quote has unity is the message that is being displayed.

Max Weber "Politics as a Vocation"

Shameka Clark

LEH 300

Max Weber “Politics as a Vocation”.

 

            Max Weber “Politics as a Vocation”, was the speech that many feel defind Weber as one of Germany’s great sociologist. The part of the speech “Politics as a Vocation” is will be discussing is as followed:

            “This is the decisive psychological quality of the politician: his ability to let realities work upon him with inner concentration and calmness. Hence his distance to things and men. ‘Lack of distance’ per se is one of the deadly sins of every politician. It is one of those qualities the breeding of which will condemn the progeny of our intellectuals to political incapacity. For the problem is simply how can warm passion and a cool sense of proportion be forged together in one and the same soul? Politics is made with the head, not with other parts of the body or soul. And yet devotion to politics, if it is not to be frivolous intellectual play but rather genuinely human conduct, can be born and nourished from passion alone.” (p. 115)

- To me the meaning of this quote is be an politician takes more than having people stand behind you and money; but to have distinct skills. These distinct skills is having the ability to be warm and compassion and having a connection with the people of the nation. This is something that not every politician has, nor can be taught; but what a leader is born with. Being able to combine this skills is what makes one a leader, a politician. I chose this quote because I believe why Mr. Obama was granted another four years in term. He has the distinct skills that prove he is a leader and politician.

 

 

Below is a list of “Weimar Political Parties” I will be summarizing them and explaining the groups the parties represented and if they were successful in their goal as a party.

-          Catholic Center Party (Zentrum, or, Z): The interest of this party was to protect the Germany’s Catholics. The Germany’s Catholics had a population of about 34%; making this party very successful.

 

-          Communist Party (KPD): This party was founded in the end of December 1918; in the midst of revolutionary chaos. (KPD) look for members of an more radical workers and a radical intellectuals, (KPD) fundamentally opposed to the existence of the Weimar Republic and had low employment rates; which made this party unsuccessful.

 

-          German Democratic Party (DDP): This party was largely made up of Protestant membership; which was drawn from the middle class. Most often from professional groups where made up of, liberal academics lawyers, and doctors. DDP supported the Weimar Republic and resistant to militarism and anti-Semitism. In the final days of this party DDP became partly successful.

 

-          German Nationalist People’s Party (DNVP): This party was generally white collar Protestant’s. It was militaristic and very resistant to republican government. This party was successful with the white collar workers.

 

 

-          German People’s Party (DVP): This party represented owners of small and middle-sized businesses and white collar workers, but wasn’t successful with the government.

-          National Socialist German Workers Party (NSDAP-Nazi): This party was founded in 1919, as the German Workers party. It began its move toward prominence when Hitler took over. The support for this party came from the lower middle class workers. The money that was raise for this party was being used to fund the Nazi Party. This party was successful.

-          Social Democratic Party (SPD): This party got its support from blue-collar trade union skilled workers and was not as successful as planned.                                   

Luxemburg

Shameka Clark

LEH 300

 

            The quote I will be discussing from Luxemburg is:         

“One thing is certain. The world war is a turning point. It is foolish and mad to imagine that we need only survive the war, like a rabbit waiting out the storm under a bush, in order to fall happily back into the old routine once it is over. The world war has altered the conditions of our struggle and, most of all, it has changed us. Not that the basic law of capitalist development, the life-and-death war between capital and labor, will experience any amelioration. But now, in the midst of the war, the masks are falling and the old familiar visages smirk at us. The tempo of development has received a mighty jolt from the eruption of the volcano of imperialism. The violence of the conflicts in the bosom of society, the enormousness of the tasks that tower up before the socialist proletariat – these make everything that has transpired in the history of the workers’ movement seem a pleasant idyll”.

 

-          In the beginning of this quote Luxemburg’s talks about how more has to be done for the society, other than just the war. More work has to be done other than the ideas brought forth (Germans) to war. Luxemburg‘s discussing how many people had different feelings about going into the war, seems to ask do you still believe in those same ideas after the war. The war was supposed to change things for the better especially for the working class; but it didn’t, so are the working classes going to just fall back into the same routines? Something must be done to survive the concepts of war because the problems that exist before the war stills exist after the war and in this instance the Germans losing the war had a doubling effect on these concepts because the proletariat class would have change imposed. Some of the concept could have been how are we going to come together as a people and move forward; to survive the down fall of losing the war. Also Luxemburg’s seems to warn the people that the other side that won may try to promote a social change. So we as a people have to stay strong and stand together through the struggles that may arise during this time. Luxemburg wants the proletariat people to understand that the lessons shown from previous conflicts have to be acknowledged so real change could occur and possibly a different course of action realized by the people.

 

M

Shameka Clark

LEH 300

 

            In the article “Now I Lay Me Down To Sleep: A Brief History of Child Murder in Cinema”, Chris Eggertser the author discusses serial movies. In each movies he discusses there is a common thread between them. That thread is child murder in cinema. Eggertser presents an argument for why the films have success or lack’s success. What I believe Eggertser is trying to say in his article is films such as “M” and “The Believers” is much more than a scary film such as “A Nightmare on Elm Street” because they used the child murders as a viewpoint to show a broader view of the society. In the film “M” this was done by showing the different parts of the society such as the children, weeping mother, police, beggars, criminals, the poor, and the streets (community)where the story took place. Where as a film like “A Nightmare on Elm Street” is about killing, blood and guts. Films such as “The Lovely Bones” and “The Believers” are similar to “M” because it a base on a real concept of life and is about showing how the murders of the child/ren affected the people in the society. Films such as “A Nightmare on Elm Street” is the opposite, it uses the child murder as a base for the story, but don’t follow up on it. But instead use that base as a means to kill in a scary way with lots of blood involve.

Lyrics in Germany

Shameka Clark

LEH 300

 

            The two songs I will be discussing about today is “The Lavender Song” music by Mischa Spoliansky and lyrics by Kurt Schwabach and “Night Ghost” music by Rudolf Nelson and lyrics by Friedrich Hollaender. The part of song “The Lavender Song” is :
We're not afraid to be queer and different
if that means hell -- well, hell we'll take the chance.

In German: Wir haben keine Angst zu queer und unterschiedliche
wenn das bedeutet, hell - gut, die Hölle nehmen wir die Chance.

-          To me this part of the song is very strong because of the words used. What I think Spoliansky and Schwabach are saying is that they are not afraid to be gay and different because that is who they are. If being gay means trouble or hell, they are willing to take that chance and deal with the matter with God. I choose these lyrics because I strongly agree that very human should have right to date to whom they feel without being judge by others and yes it is okay to be gay and or different.

In “Night Ghost” there was a line that caught my attention was “Don’t be so scared, It's only me waking you. And after you have been uncovered, you will get tucked in again.

In German : Seien Sie nicht so viel Angst, es ist nur mir wachen Sie.
Und nachdem Sie wurden freigelegt,
Sie werden wieder versteckt bekommen.

I choose these lyrics because it reminded me when I was a child and I thought I heard a ghost. So I would call mother and she would come and talk to me and tuck me back into bed. So these lyrics brought back childhood memories for me; which is why it caught my attention.

 

Paragraph 175: I believe that this is related to the lecture it discusses how people were not able to express their sexual pleasures, so they were not able to be true to themselves. If one did show that they like the same sex they were put in jail or punished.

Siddhartha

Siddhartha

Shameka Clark

Leh 300

Prof. B. Murdaco

 

The passage I choose is as follow:

-Listen well, my dear, listen well! The sinner, which I am and which you are, is a sinner, but in times to come he will be Brahma again, he will reach the Nirvana, will be Buddha—and now see: these 'times to come' are a deception, are only a parable! The sinner is not on his way to become a Buddha, he is not in the process of developing, though our capacity for thinking does not know how else to picture these things. No, within the sinner is now and today already the future Buddha, his future is already all there, you have to worship in him, in you, in everyone the Buddha which is coming into being, the possible, the hidden Buddha. The world, my friend Govinda, is not imperfect, or on a slow path towards perfection: no, it is perfect in every moment, all sin already carries the divine forgiveness in itself, all small children already have the old person in themselves, all infants already have death, all dying people the eternal life. It is not possible for any person to see how far another one has already progressed on his path; in the robber and dice-gambler, the Buddha is waiting; in the Brahman, the robber is waiting. In deep meditation, there is the possibility to put time out of existence, to see all life which was, is, and will be as if it was simultaneous, and there everything is good, everything is perfect, everything is Brahman. Therefore, I see whatever exists as good, death is to me like life, sin like holiness, wisdom like foolishness, everything has to be as it is, everything only requires my consent, only my willingness, my loving agreement, to be good for me, to do nothing but work for my benefit, to be unable to ever harm me. I have experienced on my body and on my soul that I needed sin very much, I needed lust, the desire for possessions, vanity, and needed the most shameful despair, in order to learn how to give up all resistance, in order to learn how to love the world, in order to stop comparing it to some world I wished, I imagined, some kind of perfection I had made up, but to leave it as it is and to love it and to enjoy being a part of it.—These, oh Govinda, are some of the thoughts which have come into my mind.

- What I believe this passage is saying that no person can stop and look at themselves and see what changes or progress one has made without experiencing life. For one to truly experience life they must not only follow one path, but many paths to reach a center within their self. When one then reaches this center they can see all paths and learn from the steps they took in these paths to better understand who they are as a human/ person. So for Siddhartha (and others in life) he had to take the path where he sinned to complete his journey to his center to truly reflect on himself. I chose this passage because I related to it. This passage spoke volumes; because as I get older I’m learning to look back at the path I took and continue to learn from them.

 

Siddhartha questions

1. Why does Siddhartha leave his father?

- Siddhartha left his father because he needed to find a meaning to his live, and he felt the best way to do this was by having different experiences from the ones he grew up having; which as meant leaving his home and family.

2. If Siddhartha never lived with Kamala and the people in the city would he have reached Enlightenment faster?

- No, I believe the reason he reached enlightenment at the speed that he did because, living in the city with Kamala he was able to travel many paths in a shorter time frame that many don’t experience. Also not only did he have his experience to learn from, but also those of the people in the city, which he observed daily.

3. What is the significance of the river?

- I believe the significance of the river was that the river flow represented the fullness of existence because it is everywhere at once but from different paths. So like the river Siddhartha was able to experience fullness of existence by taking different path and see at that can be seen.

4. Why does Siddhartha feel the priests cannot see the true beauty of the world?

- Siddhartha feels this way because, the priests are only experience the world from one path, so in a way they are only seeing have half of the world and not its full/true beauty.

5. Why does Siddhartha decide not to follow Buddha?

- I believe Siddhartha decided not to follow Buddha because he didn’t need to follow someone else in their path to discover new experiences because when he sinned he was able to take his own path to discover his truth.  

 

The German Society

Shameka Clark

LEH 300

Prof. B Murdaco

German Society

 

            Today I will be discussing the German society. Germany has a population rate of 81,305,856 as of July 2012; according to CIA- The World Factbook. The Major cities in which German’s population live in are, Hamburg, Cologne, Berlin (Capital) and Munich. With a large population, Germany has a few ethnic groups in their society. The German society is made up of mostly about eight ethnic groups. Those ethnic groups are Turkish, Italian, Russian, Greek, Polish, Spanish, Serbo- Croatian and German. German is the leading ethnic group at a high rate of 91.5%. Even with a mix of ethnic groups, the main language that is spoken in Germany is German. Due to the many ethnic groups in German, there are about four different religions the Germans have to choose from. The religions that are mostly follow by the German’s are Roman Catholic (by 34% of Germans), Muslim (by 3.7 % of Germans), Protestant (by 34 % of Germans) and other faith (by 28.3% of Germans). As you can see Protestant and Roman Catholic are the two faiths that are follow the most and by the same amount of Germans. As time pass and more people born and or move to Germany, there will be many more changes to the German society, and with changes new facts and data will be available.

                                                     

Quote by Nietzsche

Shameka Clark

LEH 300

Prof. B. Murdaco

 

        ----“ Christianity was from the beginning, essentially and fundamentally, life’s nausea and disgust with life, merely concealed behind, masked by, dressed up as, faith in “another” or “better” life”. – Nietzsche’s The Birth of Tragedy, p.23, Walter Kaufmann trasl.

The interpretation I made from this quote is the idea that Christianity was presented to be determined one way as faith for the believers, but in essence the roots of its practice revealed the same issues faced in society without religion. The deception involved with Christianity was unknown to those who didn’t follow.

      To me this quote stills apply today because many people who follow Christianity believe that the practice of their religion is the only way of living. Meanwhile the negativity revealed by the recent behavior of those who follow and teach the religion has shown they are or can be just as bad. The fact that you have fundamental ideas based on a following doesn’t mean you will be exempt from the issue’s that plague our society. Faith can sometimes be used to cover up or masked many issues.