As a transhumanist, I very definitively believe that art, and the realm of imagination where it comes from, are not only existent, but also orders of magnitude more truthful than our own realm. That being said, to call art itself a lie or a non truth seems to go against everything I believe in! It doesn't.
When I really think about it, art IS a lie. The Mona Lisa is a forgery of the thoughts, feelings, emotions, and urges of the young man who rendered the lie in paint. The world from which that man pulled her from will hold the true her until the ends of all time. That man, however, did use a lie to show her to the world. From historical reinactments to science fiction blockbusters, the things shown to us are nothing but lies impersonating the real thing which exists beyond, and yet because of, us.
These lies, however, do something phenomenal. These lies are somehow able to allow us to reach into the imagination world of another and touch the true essence of the thing we used a lie to reach. And this allows us to live lives that are not our own. Therefore, these lies mediate nothing less than technological telepathy and reincarnation.
That being said, the real reason I invited you, dear reader, was to discuss the opinions of a volunitrist category libertarian. He believes that the only justification for violence is the preservation of the self. I have always tried to oppose the use of violence at every turn, but have been shown multiple situations where the use of the swift application of various forms of violence can save lives. Examples are all over the board here.
So often, I have blatantly lied about my feelings to my students by pretending to be hurt by their actions. The reactions to the lies I craft end up being self-reflective if I am empathetic, cunning, and have good timing. This causes a true change in their behavior. By all means, I just lied and potentially made them feel awful, but the result was nothing less than the concept of inception from the movie of the same title.
Another example harkens back to the idea that sometimes one is simply out of their mind and needs a good kick in the head. Not a sword through the chest or even a broken arm, but simply being defeated on a symbolic sense can be enough to convince someone of their wrong. Whether defeating them in a battle of wits or knocking them on their ass, being defeated provides the perfect context from which to reflect on their actions without the anger associated with lasting consequences.
At this point, I wondered why we couldn't replace violence at all levels with the illusion of violence. If we could do as Aikido has done and solve violent situations with nonviolence and reconciliation. If we could follow the possibilities of literature, movies, games, and art as vessels from which to live a true experience that will impregnate the viewer with the idea that all of us are one. If we could transcend death by providing the perfect illusion of it as a replacement. If we could do any of those things, I believe we could move on from suffering by eliminating its harmful effects, yet having a deeply personal knowledge of it in a safe environment-- a beautifully crafted, cathartic lie.
Enter the news story that this libertarian fellow talked on. It was a situation where the NYPD baseball team had their baseball gear stolen right before a big game. The gear was stolen from an NYPD van, but only the gear. No security tech, no weapons, not even the air freshener was taken-- only the gear was taken on the Eve of their big game. The thief even returned it to them, one crank emergency call later.
My libertarian friend is of the belief that the situation was ironic; it was taking the officers off of their seat of power and putting them down on the level they serve. Police showed up at the scene of the robbery and filed a report. The criminals were not found, yet "justice" was served when the gear was found. The police were bummed that they could not participate in the charity games, but no retribution will recall that loss. The police were shocked that it happened to them and literally felt their own institution not accomplishing the job they were tasked to do.
Clearly the thieves are doing harm, but is this harm not a well crafted illusion of harm that is being invoked to teach a lesson? And if that IS true, are these thieves not artists as well, weaving the truth with a tapestry of lies? Where do actions like stealing and baking and painting and living cease to be mere actions and become art?
