Tuesday, October 10, 2006
It is interesting that in many disciplines and fields of study, the notion of the liminal state will be brought up. It is discussed in anthropology, religion, philosophy (not to say that these subjects are independent of one another) and now it has been brought into the domain of this course. In religious anthropology, many various tribes tend to separate those individuals who have departed the realm of the child and are entering adulthood from the rest of society. They are in a liminal state, neither a kid nor a grown-up. Until they have proven themselves worthy of entrance into adulthood through mutilation, isolation, or other ritual initiation acts, they will be deemed as a liminal, teetering on the brinks of non-identity. As mentioned in class, themes in "The Terminal" also play on this state of nonbeing. With Tom Hanks being stranded in the airport not as an American nor a Krakovian (?), airport officials find him difficult to categorize and are unsure of what label to give him. Liminal states are unavoidable in this society, but only until we decide that labels are unnecessary and that people are able to just "be" and exist. In high school (and sadly, even university), stereotypes abound. What happens to those who are not easily labeled as a geek, jock, or a goth? They are not constrained by such labels and thus, are able to create their own identity. It is this mentality that individuals should strive for. Sure, there is a sense of affiliation in belonging to a certain cliche, but only to a certain point is it healthy. Other aspects of life are absorbed and make up one's identity just as much as the "stereotypical" traits do.
Regarding the topic of brain damage and vegetative states - I am reminded of Linda Hogle's novel "Recovering the Nation's Body: Cultural Memory, Medicine, and the Politics of Redemption" - particularly the case study of brain-dead Marian Ploch (The Erlangen Experiment). In the novel, it is indicated that "her physicians decided to continue to artificially support her body in the attempt to preserve the life of the fetus". Medical technology plays a role - life support has never been utilized for such a prolonged duration. Questions are also raised. Should a cadaver be fed? Etcetera. "Effort was directed toward keeping a safe environment for the fetus rather than treating the woman either as a patient or as a person who had just died." She was "legally but not officially dead." A message was used to convince people that "irreversible damage to certain brain functions meant death of the whole person, including the body". If this is the case, does this mean that the opposite (the existence of higher brain functions - what we discussed last class) indicates a sign of life? Something to consider.
B
Regarding the topic of brain damage and vegetative states - I am reminded of Linda Hogle's novel "Recovering the Nation's Body: Cultural Memory, Medicine, and the Politics of Redemption" - particularly the case study of brain-dead Marian Ploch (The Erlangen Experiment). In the novel, it is indicated that "her physicians decided to continue to artificially support her body in the attempt to preserve the life of the fetus". Medical technology plays a role - life support has never been utilized for such a prolonged duration. Questions are also raised. Should a cadaver be fed? Etcetera. "Effort was directed toward keeping a safe environment for the fetus rather than treating the woman either as a patient or as a person who had just died." She was "legally but not officially dead." A message was used to convince people that "irreversible damage to certain brain functions meant death of the whole person, including the body". If this is the case, does this mean that the opposite (the existence of higher brain functions - what we discussed last class) indicates a sign of life? Something to consider.
B
# posted by Bonnie @ York : 9:27 PM
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That we are defined by labels which in a sense limit us from possibly affiliating with whom ever or what ever we choose is unfortunately the inherent nature of the socio-politcal process of catagorization. In "The Cyborg Manifesto" it talks about the freedom of affinity, the freedom to interact with whom ever, to join whatever, converse with, plot with whoever, etc., as opposed to the pigion holed effect, sloting ourselves into neat and confined catagories of gender, race or creed and allowing only like catagories to associate with like catagories. A space between in which I guess we would evolve into fuller more tolerant beings - as you say "able to 'be' and exist without the encumberances of defining, confining labels.
hey michael,
the cyborg manifesto definitely does gives us that freedom of being affiliated with whatever we please. but i wonder if the consequences of that are still that of being "liminal" - neither this nor that. i guess our society is more accepting now, so it is not always viewed in a negative light.
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the cyborg manifesto definitely does gives us that freedom of being affiliated with whatever we please. but i wonder if the consequences of that are still that of being "liminal" - neither this nor that. i guess our society is more accepting now, so it is not always viewed in a negative light.
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