- A consumer does not equal a human…
- A body does not equal a human…
- A statistic does not equal a human…
…because the surface, the objective, the material is not enough.
We are not offering self-help as the genre has been previously constructed, as humanity’s focus cannot continue to be one of selfish inner investigation. Instead it is one that promotes outrospection; one that values connections, communities, empathy, engagement, and holism.
We need to embrace connections both within and outwith ourselves; we may be individuals but we live embedded within many networks. The bonds which ensure these networks endure are made of the indefinable, the intangible, the invisible.
The way in which we express these bonds are through metaphor, symbol & archetype. This is the way we communicate our cultural narrative and our own personal (hi)stories.
Our capacity to understand and communicate metaphor is what sets us apart. It is our ability to use this tool to comprehend what would otherwise be incomprehensible.
Sure, we can talk about love, but it is only when we use metaphor that we move towards a deeper connection with another human being. This is why art, literature, film are so important.
We can focus on the surface of a text, which will exist mostly in the plot, or we can move deeper into the text by exploring narrative. The beauty of this is that all our readings will be unique – they exist within their own separate chronotopes. Not only will my reading differ from yours, but my reading this month will differ from my reading next month.
We need to value this subjective position rather that sublimate it, undermined by the objective. Too often are certain opinions reified by their mistaken categorisation as objective. When faced with objective facts we all interact with them subjectively in order to create a narrative that explains them.
The narratives we tell ourselves about ourselves are the bedrock of our identity – personally, culturally, politically, nationally. By investigating these narratives we become humanauts: intrepid explorers into the strange and often contradictory landscape of humanity.
We argue that the position we should adopt is the view from Sirius. That star, most frequently imbued with metaphorical importance for what it has meant and what it continues to mean to be human, is the perfect vantage point from which to view the invisible. It provides an elevated perspective which denies any attempt at reductivist thought, broadening the scope to one intrinsically holistic.
It’s a view that honours the individual and the subjective whilst simultaneously demanding that the bigger picture be recognised.
With The View From Sirius, we are aiming to shift humanity’s focus from consumption to creativity.
Rather than sheep sent out to pastures on a diet of tabloid sensationalism and ‘reality’ telelvision, we must become De Certeau’s poachers. Nomads which evade authority’s attempts to pin us down, manipulate us and sedate us. In order to shake off this stupor which has descended across the western world we need to act.
Cultural apathy is impeding our progress as connected, creative beings.
It’s time to wake up, step up, open up.
It’s time to embrace metahumanism.