18.6.08

Moschos Lagouvardos,The Anxiety of Alienation (Transl.F.Karatzou)

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The Αnxiety of Αlienation

The world is nothing but an unknown landscape where my heart can’t find any rest.
Alber Kami

As long as our mother is alive we don’t feel the anxiety of alienation. Man is in agony when he understands that he is superfluous. It isn’t by chance that the Stranger of Kami begins with the phrase “Today mother died”. In this novel, Alber Kami develops the theory of the illogical, that which he himself introduces. Kami considers it absurd that people should reach the point where they don’t believe in high moral and spiritual standards and, as a result, become strangers amongst themselves with the world, even with themselves. The hero of Alber Kami, Mershaw (the stranger), who was sentenced to death, reaches such extreme limits of desperation that he wishes that on the day of his execution they would identify him and the onlookers about to witness his execution to abuse him, so that he can be of some use. Man can’t stand the feeling that he is unwanted. The feeling that we are needed cures our need for recognition which seems to make up one of the most fundamental needs of man equally strong as the need for his survival. Science, through the study of dreams, myths, traditions and mental illness, has made great progress in the broadening of knowledge in the field of human psychological mental life. Saint’s went one step further through continuous internal prayer of the soul, mental prayer, by which they were able to penetrate the abysmal mystery of the human soul. The feeling of being wanted is essential to gain unity with others and the self. In Orthodoxy we don’t believe in individual salvation. We believe in unity with others. That’s the meaning of the mystery of the Holy Communion. No one can save himself. No one can worship God in his own way, by way of his own peculiarity. We can’t become whole beings on our own, something which we are obliged to be for the benefit of our mental health. The specialization and isolation of a person is the most significant cause of alienation. If only the work a teacher does could be continued at high school as well, said a Primary School Principal. I am acquainted with the greatest gift a teacher offers a student the feeling of fulfillment in his presence. There isn’t another teacher in Physics another in Maths, another in Physical Education. This is the greatest form of knowledge.

Education has failed as it has lost its meaning. The world should go back to the family tutor. People should hire a tutor for their child as in ancient times. However people don’t wish to have a complete individual. The public by use of mass media propaganda is striving to corrode the poles of resistance which the Greek family and the primary school still represent. They are already preparing to introduce specialization to this field. Thus, a part of you will be devoted to work, another to family, another to friends, another to yourself. No one wants you to be a whole persona. We don’t see the person but what we want of him: his money, his knowledge, his social status, his political power and whatever else. Everyone feels weary. They aren’t in the mood for anything, not even for humor. At the Hyper-stores we say good morning to no one, nor good-bye upon leaving. Fatigue, lack of individuality loneliness. You wake up in the morning and wonder. Where am I going? Who’s going to be happy to see me and who am I going to be happy to see? No one. The feeling of alienation is bitter.
3-4
The meaning the world has that which we give to it. There is a type of person who sees the world through his senses and savors the beautiful wherever it is. He finds the meaning of life in beauty. He doesn’t care about the useful things. He is carefree. The useful may become useless and real may become false but beauty, when one has founds its source never diminishes in value. Once, someone asked a hermit how is life on the Cold Mountain? There is no road that leads to the Cold Mountain replied the hermit. How can you get here, by imitating me. In that way, many laugh ironically at the one who writes that. The Chinese say that when you talk to the world about Tao and the world doesn’t laugh, that’s not Tao.

That’s the reason that makes me feel sorry for today’s alienation and the modern overwhelmed and internally split individual. Because I know how much it affects my as well as your mental unity and integrity my dear reader.
The Αnxiety of Αlienation

The world is nothing but an unknown landscape where my heart can’t find any rest.
Alber Kami

As long as our mother is alive we don’t feel the anxiety of alienation. Man is in agony when he understands that he is superfluous. It isn’t by chance that the Stranger of Kami begins with the phrase “Today mother died”. In this novel, Alber Kami develops the theory of the illogical, that which he himself introduces. Kami considers it absurd that people should reach the point where they don’t believe in high moral and spiritual standards and, as a result, become strangers amongst themselves with the world, even with themselves. The hero of Alber Kami, Mershaw (the stranger), who was sentenced to death, reaches such extreme limits of desperation that he wishes that on the day of his execution they would identify him and the onlookers about to witness his execution to abuse him, so that he can be of some use. Man can’t stand the feeling that he is unwanted. The feeling that we are needed cures our need for recognition which seems to make up one of the most fundamental needs of man equally strong as the need for his survival. Science, through the study of dreams, myths, traditions and mental illness, has made great progress in the broadening of knowledge in the field of human psychological mental life. Saint’s went one step further through continuous internal prayer of the soul, mental prayer, by which they were able to penetrate the abysmal mystery of the human soul. The feeling of being wanted is essential to gain unity with others and the self. In Orthodoxy we don’t believe in individual salvation. We believe in unity with others. That’s the meaning of the mystery of the Holy Communion. No one can save himself. No one can worship God in his own way, by way of his own peculiarity. We can’t become whole beings on our own, something which we are obliged to be for the benefit of our mental health. The specialization and isolation of a person is the most significant cause of alienation. If only the work a teacher does could be continued at high school as well, said a Primary School Principal. I am acquainted with the greatest gift a teacher offers a student the feeling of fulfillment in his presence. There isn’t another teacher in Physics another in Maths, another in Physical Education. This is the greatest form of knowledge.

Education has failed as it has lost its meaning. The world should go back to the family tutor. People should hire a tutor for their child as in ancient times. However people don’t wish to have a complete individual. The public by use of mass media propaganda is striving to corrode the poles of resistance which the Greek family and the primary school still represent. They are already preparing to introduce specialization to this field. Thus, a part of you will be devoted to work, another to family, another to friends, another to yourself. No one wants you to be a whole persona. We don’t see the person but what we want of him: his money, his knowledge, his social status, his political power and whatever else. Everyone feels weary. They aren’t in the mood for anything, not even for humor. At the Hyper-stores we say good morning to no one, nor good-bye upon leaving. Fatigue, lack of individuality loneliness. You wake up in the morning and wonder. Where am I going? Who’s going to be happy to see me and who am I going to be happy to see? No one. The feeling of alienation is bitter.
3-4
The meaning the world has that which we give to it. There is a type of person who sees the world through his senses and savors the beautiful wherever it is. He finds the meaning of life in beauty. He doesn’t care about the useful things. He is carefree. The useful may become useless and real may become false but beauty, when one has founds its source never diminishes in value. Once, someone asked a hermit how is life on the Cold Mountain? There is no road that leads to the Cold Mountain replied the hermit. How can you get here, by imitating me. In that way, many laugh ironically at the one who writes that. The Chinese say that when you talk to the world about Tao and the world doesn’t laugh, that’s not Tao.

That’s the reason that makes me feel sorry for today’s alienation and the modern overwhelmed and internally split individual. Because I know how much it affects my as well as your mental unity and integrity my dear reader.The Αnxiety of Αlienation

The world is nothing but an unknown landscape where my heart can’t find any rest.
Alber Kami

As long as our mother is alive we don’t feel the anxiety of alienation. Man is in agony when he understands that he is superfluous. It isn’t by chance that the Stranger of Kami begins with the phrase “Today mother died”. In this novel, Alber Kami develops the theory of the illogical, that which he himself introduces. Kami considers it absurd that people should reach the point where they don’t believe in high moral and spiritual standards and, as a result, become strangers amongst themselves with the world, even with themselves. The hero of Alber Kami, Mershaw (the stranger), who was sentenced to death, reaches such extreme limits of desperation that he wishes that on the day of his execution they would identify him and the onlookers about to witness his execution to abuse him, so that he can be of some use. Man can’t stand the feeling that he is unwanted. The feeling that we are needed cures our need for recognition which seems to make up one of the most fundamental needs of man equally strong as the need for his survival. Science, through the study of dreams, myths, traditions and mental illness, has made great progress in the broadening of knowledge in the field of human psychological mental life. Saint’s went one step further through continuous internal prayer of the soul, mental prayer, by which they were able to penetrate the abysmal mystery of the human soul. The feeling of being wanted is essential to gain unity with others and the self. In Orthodoxy we don’t believe in individual salvation. We believe in unity with others. That’s the meaning of the mystery of the Holy Communion. No one can save himself. No one can worship God in his own way, by way of his own peculiarity. We can’t become whole beings on our own, something which we are obliged to be for the benefit of our mental health. The specialization and isolation of a person is the most significant cause of alienation. If only the work a teacher does could be continued at high school as well, said a Primary School Principal. I am acquainted with the greatest gift a teacher offers a student the feeling of fulfillment in his presence. There isn’t another teacher in Physics another in Maths, another in Physical Education. This is the greatest form of knowledge.

Education has failed as it has lost its meaning. The world should go back to the family tutor. People should hire a tutor for their child as in ancient times. However people don’t wish to have a complete individual. The public by use of mass media propaganda is striving to corrode the poles of resistance which the Greek family and the primary school still represent. They are already preparing to introduce specialization to this field. Thus, a part of you will be devoted to work, another to family, another to friends, another to yourself. No one wants you to be a whole persona. We don’t see the person but what we want of him: his money, his knowledge, his social status, his political power and whatever else. Everyone feels weary. They aren’t in the mood for anything, not even for humor. At the Hyper-stores we say good morning to no one, nor good-bye upon leaving. Fatigue, lack of individuality loneliness. You wake up in the morning and wonder. Where am I going? Who’s going to be happy to see me and who am I going to be happy to see? No one. The feeling of alienation is bitter.
3-4
The meaning the world has that which we give to it. There is a type of person who sees the world through his senses and savors the beautiful wherever it is. He finds the meaning of life in beauty. He doesn’t care about the useful things. He is carefree. The useful may become useless and real may become false but beauty, when one has founds its source never diminishes in value. Once, someone asked a hermit how is life on the Cold Mountain? There is no road that leads to the Cold Mountain replied the hermit. How can you get here, by imitating me. In that way, many laugh ironically at the one who writes that. The Chinese say that when you talk to the world about Tao and the world doesn’t laugh, that’s not Tao.

That’s the reason that makes me feel sorry for today’s alienation and the modern overwhelmed and internally split individual. Because I know how much it affects my as well as your mental unity and integrity my dear reader.
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