Walter Benjamin “Theses on Philosophy of History"

“Historicism gives the ‘eternal’ image of the past; historical materialism supplies a unique experience with the past. The historical materialist leaves it to others to be drained by the whore called ‘Once upon a time’ in historicism’s bordello. He remains in control of his powers, man enough to blast open the continuum of history” (Benjamin, 262).

In Walter Benjamin “Theses on Philosophy of History,” he focuses on the historicism and historical materialism with regards to past and present. It conveys the experience of time in metaphysical way. His main concern is progress. The idea that thing were getting better. But many problems still exist that humanity is still making progress to solve the problems of human lives.

 In the sixteenth thesis Benjamin argues that the past in not really past because time never changes. Historicism, he is referring to continuing or forever. Research show that historicism is a mode of thinking that assign a central and basic significance to a specific context, such as historical period geographical place and local culture.  Historical materialism is a methodological approach to the study of society, economic and history. It is interesting, because Benjamin is right about historicism an eternal now.  The past never change.  He is concerned with time and how it is perceived; according to the passage time is “after all a construct that have been invented to help make sense of reality.” He speaks of the eternal now, here he is talking about a time that does not end; that is forever. He means that past event gives impression although remote and detach from our present life does have impact on us. he studies history, he combines historical materialism.  This name Karl Marx uses when he interpret an unceasing struggle between economic classes that go through various stages of productions.  The materialism suggests that historical analysis should be directed toward the material aspect of economic society.

Walter Benjamin: “The Work of Art in the Age of Mechanical Reproduction."

                “These technical developments in the reproduction of art lead to a “quantitative shift between its two poles” and cause a “qualitative transformation of its nature." What he means by that is that artistic production could be analyzed as having a "cult value" and "exhibition value"–the two poles. The cult value refers to its status in magic and rituals; exhibition value refers to the content or the "information" contained within the piece, literally by showing or exhibiting it. Although both values are always present one is always stronger than the other and until modern times, the cult value of art (which supports social order by making it seem mystical) tended to dominate, but reproduction of art in ever greater numbers has caused this to shit so much, that the defining quality of art now tends to emphasize exhibition value over cult value. This is the framework by which Benjamin analyzes art, and he is suspicious of any attempt to recreate "cult value" under the modern conditions of production. One form in which this takes is fascism; the other is the American entertainment system–Hollywood by this time had already been established.  Emil Jannings, I already mentioned, star of The Blue Angel and later celebrity of the Nazi regime won the first Academy Award for Best Actor in 1928.”

                In “The Work of Art in the Age of Mechanical Reproduction” (1934) Walter Benjamin noted how new technologies of cultural production such as photograph, film and radio have change the view on art and media of older culture. He shows that technological reproduction has a standard that transmits work of art to change the impact on the public. He discusses how the reproduction of art and film affect traditional forms.

                One can see the points he brought up during his discussion about stage and screen. H discusses the idea that work of art can be view on two different levels. This he calls cult value and exhibition value. He analyze that a reproduction of art has change the quantity and quality between both cult value and exhibition value. According to the passage, Benjamin shows that it is meaningless to ask for an original photo because reproduction makes it difficult to use these images, he points out that exhibition value communicate a lot of strong information. He shows that mass media gives a more realistic view of the world; people will be better able to communicate with other. He is also concern with the loss of tradition in life.

                Benjamin article is interesting; he uses the development of the work of art to explain his thought about humanity, social, economical and traditional changes. For Benjamin, the creation of mass art, especially in film help expose political issues, commercial capitalist and relate to social order. Through film people of different society can visualize a relationship.

               

 Questions

(1)    The difference between cult value and exhibition value is that one dominates the other. Benjamin reveals that mechanical reproduction has change the dominance of cult value. The exhibition value is dominating cult value in quality. Cult value is the value of an artistic production within the service of cult. People creates ceremonial object for cult and ritual purposes. It deals with magical and ritual status. While exhibition value is the value of an object exhibited or presented publicly. It refers to the contents of information contained within the piece, literally by showing it. Benjamin relates this value to politic in that political forces use art to express and stress their ideas more naturally and realistically. Just as technology reproduction change the domain of cult value, it is able to change political views in regard to despotism. It acts as a tool of social and political consciousness. The creation of mass art mainly through film would bring images of the current world to the masses and would help raise political awareness and scrutinize the world. It helps to destroy the historic dominant of class in society and allow people to see the universal equality.

(2)    The difference between Erfahrung (integrated experience) and Erlebnisse (isolated experience) is the opposite each other. The shows that integrated experience was a fuller and more develop “mode” than isolated experience. Integration occurs by understanding the historical origins of object of contact.  It establishes continuity or connation between experiences. While isolated experience suggest that objects are encountered in isolation and usually hostile. It sees no connection between one experiences or another. This relates to art in that the experience of art changes when it is reproduced. The historical context is loss.

(3)    Some positive effects of the destruction of the “aura” in art are that the standard art, photograph and film improved allowing for motion and sound creating new experience; this Benjamin shows that to destroy the mystical art is positive development because it allows one to approach art in a more realistic way. It brings change and exposes hidden details of familiar object.  It also allows people to see “the universal equality of things; negative effects of the destruction of the aura in art includes loss of uniqueness and quality. It diminishes the integrated experience.

(4)    To evaluate the impact of the forms of mass culture like film in contemporary life, one can see the effect it has brought changes. It encourage individuals to adjusts and change to new conditions of mass society. Film have change human perception. It is an important part of creating political consciousness public. It expresses social and political ideas. It gives expressions economic and social depiction of human suffering to groups and individuals who would not be able to express themselves.  

On Pain

On Pain

                 Ernest Junger a German writer in his essay “On Pain” which was written in 1934 after Hitler take power in 1993 shows that pain is the main experience in human life and behavior. Individual as society all deal with pain. He points that being submissive to totalitarian tends to be the best way to avoid pain. His essay analyzes “worker type” and specialized liberal education system. He as discuss the impact of technology in human life as he relate to the aspect of the Nazi regime. He uses metaphor to describe the negative perception of situation in Hitler Germany.

“The profussion of violent imagery, and the fast pace and constant danger of modern life forces people to become more tolerant of pain and death: The human will disciplines and outfits this flesh with such painstaking care that it now seems more indifferent to injury. Today, we again are able to bear the sight of death with greater indifference, since we no longer feel at home in our body as we did before. It no longer accords with our style to stop a flying show or a car race simply because of a deadly accident. Such accidents lie not outside but inside the zone of a new kind of security”(p. 43).  

In this passage he is referring to advancing technology and how people are reacting. He discusses that through photography one could see the violent imagery and how regular hazard force people become accustom to pain.  This is interesting because people who suffer constant pain after a while the body get use to the pain and it become as if a normal part of life. Junger argues that to overcome pain is through detachment. Most of us do not seek suffering, but it comes to us as inevitable out of the way in which we find happiness. The kind of detachment that brings freedom all desire and attachment is to be desire less. It is securely base on the knowledge that all thing of the world are momentary  and passing and that clinging to them will eventual be a source of pain.

                                             

Questions

(1)          Ernest Junger’s thesis that pain is the central experience of life can be judge as the truth. Nothing in this life time is achieved without pain. Pain helps to realizes that there is a problem. Mixed emotions and behavior are often counterproductive of with coping with problems.

(2)          Post-liberal refers to the nihilistic view of Nietzsche,that there is no freedom; it relates to ti the idea of progress in terms of material well-being  an the reduce that to a series of empirical indices, such as income level, education life and life expectancy.

(3)          Photography refers to as “Evil Eye” because photographs reflect the truth an expose the harm just as it has occurs. It is a weapon that can expose precise and objective depictions. For Junger seeing is an act of assault. Photo graph is an expression of peculiarly way of seeing; it demonstrates qualities, impressive displays that attract attentions. Politicians today use television to reveal their purpose or to point out their opponent.

(4)          The relationship between specialized education and the “worker type” is that the both require training, obedience and discipline.  There is also limitation to both areas of human life. Like “worker type”, specialized education experienced assault on liberal education; in which people liberty was in question. As they have been denied the right of free inquiry

(5)          Submission to totalitarian authorities protects individuals from pain; a totalitarian is a system maintain by threat and force; instruction and rule are given to mold in to the shape desired by the authority.  Submission to impose duty may spare one from aggressive action of save life.     Self preservation by adapt and be