The darkened theatre of the conscious night...
Continental intellectuals of the early 20th century had a fascination with movies and movie theatres.
That the darkened theatre, a cavern of empty, silent, unconscious space, was the situation for movie goers to watch the moving light and color upon a screen... well you can imagine the existential intensity of the whole thing. Even though it seemed a little too Platonic... a lived allegory of the cave... to be there in the darkened room, while most were blissfully unaware, what terrific stuff for deep expansive thoughts into the hollow emptiness of it all.
Not all intellectuals find dark emptiness to be, shall we say, a grey meaningless tone for so-called reality. Rather than a black universe of mud, some found an edge of intensity consciously available and of possible sense filling note.
In simple terms, we could say this intellectual turn was one of background awareness. It singled out the individual, threw him or her against the measure of a darkened bottomless sky, and made almost every thought, emotion, wish, ideal seem a petty conceit of utter insignificance when held against that light... or lack of it.
You do not have to buy the philosophy. Just appreciate the metaphor. The darkened theatre of human consciousness is analogous to a visit to the movie theatre. Make your own reflections, then turn inwardly and measure their worth.
Blain Bovee
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