Tension between Dualism and Holism
The tension between dualism and holism
A significant chunk of my psychological and spiritual development deals with resolving and subsequently integrating the tension between my need for personal affirmation and my need to rebel. The need for personal affirmation came as quite a surprise to me for I have spent a significant portion of my life rebelling against the accepted social order and norms. Yet, I viscerally experience the need for acceptance in all areas of academia, the approval of my work and ideas. This tension is ongoing, illuminating the one area of my being in constant and unresolved turmoil.
A similar case can be made for the tension between dualism and holism. I find myself resonating to dualism: the separation between meaningful and meaningless “experiences” that compose individual realities. Yet, a sole focus on dualism marginalizes the environment causing its degradation by human beings believing that it has little or no connection to them. A lack of holistic thought promotes marginalization and degradation of physical health, producing extremes ranging from obesity to anorexia.
From a spiritual sense, both are compelling. Gnosticism emphasizes dualism; as previously discussed, both The Matrix and American Beauty — to me — emphasize the separation or demarcation of the meaningful from the meaningless. Especially poignant was Lester Bernum’s journey in American Beauty from a meaningless existence as an Ad Salesman to a human being with his eyes opening for the first time, “It’s the weirdest thing. I feel like I’ve been in a coma for years…and I’m just now waking up.” In the Matrix, the separation was between the “realities,” the world of the real and the world contrived by the machines. To enter the world of the real, you must first breakup your normal neurotransmissions by taking the “red pill.” The separation of meaningfulness from meaninglessness in both these movies appeals to me. Yet, the need to connect with a “meaningful” reality suggests holism. Lester Bernum jogging and lifting weights, eschewing material consumerism, rejecting an absurd job role, pursuing things that make sense to him as well as Neo, Morpheous and Trinity among others craving and connecting to the world of the real emphasizes the need for holism to pursue meaningfulness once it is identified.
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Comments
Resolving tensions is not easy; identifying what is real and then pursuing that reality resolves the tension be eliminating the polarities. For example, understanding that death actually is an ally acting to clarify what is real eliminates the polarities of not acknowledging death (common among healthy people) and not dealing with death (common among terminal people). The latest posting – 7/09/2008 – may shed more light on this topic. Thanks for your comment!
there is definitely tension b/t realities of the world and the way we translate them into our lives. Recently, I have felt that I have witnessed people who have all tried in very different ways to attach some sort of meaning to the things they are facing in life. From an outsider’s perspective, they all come up short. And I, too, struggle with it. There is such an intense need in me to attach meaning. For the past couple of weeks, I have tried with every ounce in my being to live in a meaningless world…a chaotic world…a place where things DO happen for no reason. And it’s not easy. My being rejects it…yet, it is truly there (much like the stomach may refuse sour milk–not to be gross or anything) And living in that tension…well, let me know when you figure out how to do it!!