An exceptional essay Tara, one that creates some meaty questions.
We are constantly called to set aside the mundane to see enchantment or make the choice to find it in the day-to-day as it's happening. And then, as Marvell experienced, there is the work of putting aside even bigger or deeper pieces of ourselves to allow the enchantment in. As he so aptly (eventually) demonstrates it's about allowing ourselves to experience it all, without judging, to see what will unfold.
Inspiring reverence in a negative person may begin by showing them hope. I'm sure there are many ways to attempt to inspire them but, to me, if we don't hold hope in our hearts - even a sliver of it - it's very hard to shift because hope implies a desire for change. In Paradise Lost Satan has no hope. I think those who enchant voters through hatred, greed, and self-justification would most certainly define hope differently than I do.
Thank you, Donna. I do hope the politicians I like will get enchantment figured out, since their opponents are also good at it, and you’re right: they would use the same words, like hope, with different meanings. 😬
Hatred requires a lot of energy, well described in the thought/feeling loop you point out. Indifference is far more damaging. At least with hatred you must pay attention.
Thanks, Dee. That's a good distinction, and you're right. Reading Satan's long monologues, a person gets a sense of just how much work it takes to sustain all that hatred. Now you've set me to thinking about where indifference shows up in literature. I'll have to mull this over. Interesting. 🤔
Just like the opposite of connection is addiction/isolation. Isn’t the opposite of love indifference, not hate? Off topic of what you were talking about in your essay, but related.
To use Milton's characterization of Satan, hate would be the kind of opposite that imitates love, uses its language and gestures (eg, flies *toward* earth, gets close to the people, but not for love) in the absence of its feeling (love, kindness, compassion, etc). Indifference, then, would be the kind of opposite that sits down and refuses to even act, lest the action establish any kind of relation at all. Maybe?
An exceptional essay Tara, one that creates some meaty questions.
We are constantly called to set aside the mundane to see enchantment or make the choice to find it in the day-to-day as it's happening. And then, as Marvell experienced, there is the work of putting aside even bigger or deeper pieces of ourselves to allow the enchantment in. As he so aptly (eventually) demonstrates it's about allowing ourselves to experience it all, without judging, to see what will unfold.
Inspiring reverence in a negative person may begin by showing them hope. I'm sure there are many ways to attempt to inspire them but, to me, if we don't hold hope in our hearts - even a sliver of it - it's very hard to shift because hope implies a desire for change. In Paradise Lost Satan has no hope. I think those who enchant voters through hatred, greed, and self-justification would most certainly define hope differently than I do.
Thank you, Donna. I do hope the politicians I like will get enchantment figured out, since their opponents are also good at it, and you’re right: they would use the same words, like hope, with different meanings. 😬
Hatred requires a lot of energy, well described in the thought/feeling loop you point out. Indifference is far more damaging. At least with hatred you must pay attention.
Thanks for the thought-provoking essay. 🙏
Thanks, Dee. That's a good distinction, and you're right. Reading Satan's long monologues, a person gets a sense of just how much work it takes to sustain all that hatred. Now you've set me to thinking about where indifference shows up in literature. I'll have to mull this over. Interesting. 🤔
Just like the opposite of connection is addiction/isolation. Isn’t the opposite of love indifference, not hate? Off topic of what you were talking about in your essay, but related.
To use Milton's characterization of Satan, hate would be the kind of opposite that imitates love, uses its language and gestures (eg, flies *toward* earth, gets close to the people, but not for love) in the absence of its feeling (love, kindness, compassion, etc). Indifference, then, would be the kind of opposite that sits down and refuses to even act, lest the action establish any kind of relation at all. Maybe?
I like it. Milton’s characterization makes sense in that love and hate are somewhat symbiotic.