Macdonald, Anonymity, Equality, Humility, Humor
Discussions on Practicable Peace, Real world Freedom, and the Pursuit of Happiness
Charles Macdonald.
Anonymity, Equality, Humility, Humor: on the conditions of felicity in collective living
Monday 24 November, 2008
5-6 pm, 355 MFAC
Refreshments provided
What draws people together?
-personal attachment? Friendship?
Conditions of felicity of human organizations
-term from linguist Austen
-M. defines it slightly differently. It’s what makes people want to repeat experience
Philippines - farting is funny
Equality. People engage each other as equals in various ways
Alcoholics Anonymous
-anarchic. No chief, no ranks, no hierarchy
-no qualification of membership - just decide to be part, decide to leave
-began around 1935
What does anonymity mean?
-external anonymity = person doesn’t say that they’re part of AA
-internal anonymity = identification of self by 1st name, “and I’m an alcoholic”. Is important. Shed your social persona at the door. Last name = outside world.
Anonymity / equality = spiritually enhancing
Equality = healing value. Doctor says don’t drink vs former alcoholic saying don’t drink. Need to identify with the person telling you to do stuff
Anthropology of naming. Full name - you’re a member of ranked society
Japanese tea ceremony
-rite de passage, liminal
-people escape daily rank/hierarchy for a few minutes
HUMOR
-often linked with obscenity; prudish anthropologists don’t report it. In western intellectual tradition, serious = important
-have only really looked at the ‘joking relationship’ eg Radcliffe-Brown. Close and far apart, close and distant
what is fun? why did we laugh when he said ‘fuck’? why do people laugh when girl says “why are you not seducing me?” to forbidden partner?
Fun - it creates happiness, sure. Condition of felicity
There’s such thing as invitologists
Human universal - laugher. Human - used as conflict resolution
Inuit song duel - is funny - your joke makes opponent forget his grievance. The point of the song duel is to restore peace, not punishment
Mirth
-promotes good feelings, anti-bad feelings
-promotes a peaceful society
feasts - Halloween, Maslenica, Roman solstice, etc - reversal, Islands of equality.
farting = ass laughter
we don’t pay attention to each other because we’re closed. Closed non-farting bodies.
grosteque body, opposite of sealed, clean, odorless church body.
Charles Macdonald.
Anonymity, Equality, Humility, Humor: on the conditions of felicity in collective living
Monday 24 November, 2008
5-6 pm, 355 MFAC
Refreshments provided
What draws people together?
-personal attachment? Friendship?
Conditions of felicity of human organizations
-term from linguist Austen
-M. defines it slightly differently. It’s what makes people want to repeat experience
Philippines - farting is funny
Equality. People engage each other as equals in various ways
Alcoholics Anonymous
-anarchic. No chief, no ranks, no hierarchy
-no qualification of membership - just decide to be part, decide to leave
-began around 1935
What does anonymity mean?
-external anonymity = person doesn’t say that they’re part of AA
-internal anonymity = identification of self by 1st name, “and I’m an alcoholic”. Is important. Shed your social persona at the door. Last name = outside world.
Anonymity / equality = spiritually enhancing
Equality = healing value. Doctor says don’t drink vs former alcoholic saying don’t drink. Need to identify with the person telling you to do stuff
Anthropology of naming. Full name - you’re a member of ranked society
Japanese tea ceremony
-rite de passage, liminal
-people escape daily rank/hierarchy for a few minutes
HUMOR
-often linked with obscenity; prudish anthropologists don’t report it. In western intellectual tradition, serious = important
-have only really looked at the ‘joking relationship’ eg Radcliffe-Brown. Close and far apart, close and distant
what is fun? why did we laugh when he said ‘fuck’? why do people laugh when girl says “why are you not seducing me?” to forbidden partner?
Fun - it creates happiness, sure. Condition of felicity
There’s such thing as invitologists
Human universal - laugher. Human - used as conflict resolution
Inuit song duel - is funny - your joke makes opponent forget his grievance. The point of the song duel is to restore peace, not punishment
Mirth
-promotes good feelings, anti-bad feelings
-promotes a peaceful society
feasts - Halloween, Maslenica, Roman solstice, etc - reversal, Islands of equality.
farting = ass laughter
we don’t pay attention to each other because we’re closed. Closed non-farting bodies.
grosteque body, opposite of sealed, clean, odorless church body.