Applied Dialectics

One of the most confusing and obtuse bodies of literature I have ever come across has to be that of the dialectical tradition. Lezcek Kowlakowski, a premier scholar of Marxist thought traces the origins of dialectical thinking back to the realm of mythology, particularly attempts to address the issue of the contingency of human existence.  Christian mystics, particularly the Platonists, inherited these sets of concerns and the rhetorical strategies used to address them, eventually inheriting dialectics to us in the more familiar (but just as confusing) Hegelian and Marxian variants that dominate contemporary dialectical thought. 

So, what is dialectics, or dialectical thinking?  I’m not sure.  It has to do with logical operations, but more and more I am becoming convinced that it is better applied as an existentialist exercise, akin to Taoism, or Zen Buddhism. 

One theme that Hegel stressed about dialectics is that of the unity of opposites.  By this he meant to suggest that an essence, a concept, a process, had in it, its very own “negation”: it’s opposite. Thus love, contains in it hate, light dark and so forth, resulting in the oft cited formulation of dialectics as thesis, antithesis, and synthesis.  Another prominent aspect surrounding dialectical argumentation is that of part-whole relations (in a way, an extension of the principal of the unity of opposites).   Things are embedded.

But enough.  Now, to turn to application and reflection:

During the past several years, I have to say that one of the greatest sources of sorrow I have felt (and I know this is true for Kate too) has been to say goodbye to Belle and Lulu (of course Em and Jay, and the rest of our families and friends too.  But there is something about saying goodbye to toddlers that is more difficult).  Toodle MaDoodle.  It hurts, and it drags us down.  It’s like a slowly receding tide, or an hour glass that has been cut in half.  Last January, after spending 4-5 delightful days with Emily, Jay and the girls (and the dogs), we said goodbye to them all, as Em went to work, and Jay took Toodle and Toodle to school.  Kate and I tidied up a bit, in a way drawing out the inevitable.  It was gray outside, raining.  Things are embedded.  We knew our sadness and our silence rocked us into the car. The saving grace for me that morning was stumbling across as morning radio show that was playing dubstep, soul and R&B.  It was really grooving.  I jotted down a few names of bands that caught my ear on a fast food napkin, only to never read them again. 

Now, we are just drifting back to abnormality after probably the nicest week of our lives.  It is grey today too.  Last Friday, the transport to pick up Sue, John, Em, Jay and Toodle and Toodle from the beach showed up around 1pm.  Things were sucking already.  Belle cried, followed by Lucia.  I think I caught a glimpse of Emily crying too, and I know I saw Gigi crying.  Kate and I cried too.  We had more friends come visit us, which was great.  I sought refuge in the strong surf, burning sorrow with adrenaline as I caught rides on waves, and got pummeled a whole lot. 

The next morning, walking up to our room, by the open hallway that overlooked the pool, where the girls yelled out my name so many times, the tide receded once again.  Later, through writing about writing, though, something clicked.  The unity of opposites.  Things are embedded.  I took a dialectical back door through my grief and reunited with the feelings of joy and marvel I had just experienced hours ago.  It’s in me still.  So is the grief.  They are both embodied and there is no way I can get rid of them, should I even want to.  The unifying thread is the happiness that leads to the fall.  I don’t want to be Siddhartha and lose desire.  No.  I want to be corporeal and human and feel R&B and blues.  The last time I looked down on the pool where Toodle yelled “Toodle”, I smiled with my entire body. 

Toodle, I’ll continue to hand feed you chicharrones for as long as it makes you smile.  And Toodle, I’ll play guitar with you and hunt for insects and make up funny names for as long as it makes you smile.