Vulnerability in History

[Mole]

'Vulnus' is 'wound' in Latin.

And in Ancient Rome, without antibiotics, and often without hygiene, wounds were fatal.

We rightly feared to be wounded. And right down to the present day we fear vulnerability.

But today we don't fear physical vulnerability, we fear emotional vulnerability.

And yet we know that creativity and even empathy is based on emotional vulnerability.

And creativity and empathy are becoming the content of the electronic media especially the internet.

And we fear emotional vulnerability because emotional vulnerability is routinely attacked.

But we know that vulnerability is the basis of creativity, and there are signs that vulnerability is being nurtured for the first time in history.

 

[Siúil a Rúin]

I there is some truth to what you say. You also put ideas together in a very unique way. It's always interesting when people think differently.

 

[Mole]

I there is some truth to what you say. You also put ideas together in a very unique way. It's always interesting when people think differently.

Yes, until very recently society was based on power. It is only since the Enlightenment and liberal democracy that society is based on the limitation of power.

Nonetheless we still seek power over others.

And in seeking power over others we naturally look for their emotionally vulnerability, and when we find it, we attack.

In the rawest form we see this in the children's playground, but this cultural habit of attacking vulnerability to gain power is seen right thoughout society.

But the benefits of creativity are great in our electronic society, and so we are starting to nurture vulnerability to gain the social benefits of creativity.

 

[Society]

there are signs that vulnerability is being nurtured for the first time in history.

hmm.. on first impression i tend to agree, but i am wondering if this isn't to some extent a male-centric perspective - if you examine gender roles it seems women were encouraged to be vulnerable excessively to a point of being a defining trait of feminity ( this message has being brought to you by... ) while men where discouraged from doing so completely, so is the allowance for vulnerability that we experience actually embracing it in society at large or simply a natural side affect for the fallout of traditional gender roles?

 

[Mole]

hmm.. on first impression i tend to agree, but i am wondering if this isn't to some extent a male-centric perspective - if you examine gender roles it seems women were encouraged to be vulnerable excessively to a point of being a defining trait of feminity ( this message has being brought to you by... ) while men where discouraged from doing so completely, so is the allowance for vulnerability that we experience actually embracing it in society at large or simply a natural side affect for the fallout of traditional gender roles?

Obviously, women are attacked because they are vulnerable. Economically vulnerable. Physically vulnerable. Institutionally vulnerable.

Men maintain their power by attacking the vulnerability of women.

But the secret of creativity is vulnerability.

And we need creativity for our electronic economy.

And so we will start to nurture vulnerability because it pays.

However, before we reap the full dividents of vulnerability and creativity, we need to let go of our fear of vulnerability and nurture and celebrate vulnerability.

And we are making steps in that direction. We have abolished slavery, liberal democracy limits power, feminism is protecting women, and the Irish and Australian governments are starting to protect children from abuse.

We are on an upward trajectory. However we face great social opposition. But we keep calm and carry on.

 

[WALMART]

I fear physical vulnerability. The days of large-scale conflict are yet to be behind us.

My mind'll hold up just fine.

 

[Mole]

My mind'll hold up just fine.

Men, of course, tend to deny their emotional vulnerability.

And men have good reason to deny their emotional vulnerbility because they are likely to be attacked when they are vulnerable, just like women.

It takes moral courage to nurture vulnerability, including one's own vulnerability.

And the social and personal rewards are great for nurturing emotional vulnerability.

And the nurturing of vulnerability is the beginning of maturity.

 

[Society]

However, before we reap the full dividents of vulnerability and creativity, we need to let go of our fear of vulnerability and nurture and celebrate vulnerability.

i'm not sure if this is going to maintain a linear trajectory for very much longer - creativity is tied with vulnerability because it requires active risk taking - the risk of being wrong, but the economical structure requires to support it demands an allowance for bad investments - you need to be able to back up the resources for a lot of things that don't pay off in order to score a high chance of getting something that does - in other words we need the ability to allow people to default on debt at a minimum cost - this requires the very same debt-based economy which many akin to be a form of modern slavery.striking the right balance between those extremes seem to be an increasingly less common aspiration as more people get hurt by that system and rage against it in black & white terms. basically, to have a vulnerable culture we need to have a vulnerable economy to support it, and people seem to be fighting against that.

 

[Mole]

i'm not sure if this is going to maintain a linear trajectory for very much longer - creativity is tied with vulnerability because it requires active risk taking - the risk of being wrong, but the economical structure requires to support it demands an allowance for bad investments - you need to be able to back up the resources for a lot of things that don't pay off in order to score a high chance of getting something that does - in other words we need the ability to allow people to default on debt at a minimum cost - this requires the very same debt-based economy which many akin to be a form of modern slavery.striking the right balance between those extremes seem to be an increasingly less common aspiration as more people get hurt by that system and rage against it in black & white terms. basically, to have a vulnerable culture we need to have a vulnerable economy to support it, and people seem to be fighting against that.

No, I am talking about personal emotional vulnerability and how it is the basis of personal creativity.

I am not talking about economic risk taking.

 

[Society]

No, I am talking about personal emotional vulnerability and how it is the basis of personal creativity.

I am not talking about economic risk taking.

oh, i was too - but the two are critically related - you can't fully account for the cult of creativity without the economy of risk taking any more then you could have understood the cult of hard work & stability without understanding the industrial revolution, or the cult of property without understanding medieval times.

 

[Siúil a Rúin]

hmm.. on first impression i tend to agree, but i am wondering if this isn't to some extent a male-centric perspective - if you examine gender roles it seems women were encouraged to be vulnerable excessively to a point of being a defining trait of feminity ( this message has being brought to you by... ) while men where discouraged from doing so completely, so is the allowance for vulnerability that we experience actually embracing it in society at large or simply a natural side affect for the fallout of traditional gender roles?

This was an interesting response, and seems plausible. Perhaps this has been covered, but vulnerability or the absence of it would seem to be a defining feature of any culture that has power imbalances. To have a suppressed group internalize their vulnerability as identity would be a more extreme form of it.

No, I am talking about personal emotional vulnerability and how it is the basis of personal creativity.

I am not talking about economic risk taking.

That is also quite interesting because you can find both extremes of power in the arts. I think of orchestral conductors who behave like monsters, and then the coffee shop singer who empties their soul into song. I think you have hit on a concept that is complex and layered and could be examined from many angles.