Philosophy for beginners

In a pursuit of being modern, people are trying to change our system of the education. For example, in Finland the kinds won’t anymore write by hand - the ability of using the keyboard will be sufficient. The France decided to focus on contemporary times during the history lessons, so the teachers will sacrifice one two hours to talk about the second war and 5 [sic!] to talk about the Arab–Israeli conflict. Of course, nobody says that the Arabic countries are not important, but concentrating just on middle-east, we don’t learn out our origins, factor which created our motherland and our mentality.

Last year, the French government kick out the philosophy and the Latin language from a school. People were disgusted, so they protested. In the homeland of the modern philosophy (Descartes, Rousseau, Sartre, Voltaire, etc), it seems to be a really bad joke.

The narrator of “Sophie's World” says: “Everybody has a hobby. Some people like collecting the stamps. others travel a lot, some other people like fishing and I just can’t convince the fun of rugby that collecting the stamps is more interesting or more valuable. However, there is something everybody has in common: asking about a world. Who are we? What is most important in our life?. The philosophy tries to answer that question or at least, make the people think about their destination. “

The book of Jostein Gaarder should be recommended to everybody. In this way, even the children could understand the most popular philosophical current and in the same time: the European heritage of all generations.

Agata meets Agatha

Normally we grab a book in order to spend some relaxing time on our own. We are sick of our every-day reality: jobs, taxes, administration issues, money, so we choose to read a good novel. In other cases, people are looking for some answers about a meaning of a world that may be hidden in a novel. It is possible thanks to somebody accomplished, we will find a purpose in our life. Moreover, that some is about emotions. When we are speechless, the poetry reflects what we deeply feel. 

Sometimes reading a book could be perceived as a meeting with old friend. 

The autobiography of Agatha Christie is a such kind of meeting.

One of the most popular author and one of the most introverted person invites us to her small world. We have to take a cup of tea and we could start our journey in a Victorian age. Let’s take a look at the time when everybody who had an honest income wasn’t supposed to work. It was just frowned upon. After we will get familiar with her ideas and numerous travels. We will understand the reasons of creating Hercule Poirot and Jane Marple. Undoubtedly that would give a new perspective of most known crime stories.

And even if we do not agree with Agatha Christie all the time (due to her conservative point of view), she will always be like our favorite aunt - she can be really annoying, but we have a soft spot for her. 

Freedom is realtive

“The Handmaid's Tale” is a reinterpretation of fundamentalism. These days we match that nation with the Muslim countries, ISIS and basically, most attacks in the Western Europe. We perceive the Muslim fundamentalism as a terrifying menace to our peace. Each of us have seen the ruins of Aleppo, Chechen concentration camps for homosexuals or devastated monumental statues of Buddhas of Bamiyan and I’m quite convince that everyone denounces it. The idea of following (in this case) mindlessly a religion, killing people in the name of a God, we are not even sure that exists, is just ridiculous.

And what if we change the point of view? Is it even possible that we could create a brave new world in USA based on a idea of puritanism?

In that dystopia, the whole world has to struggle with a scourge unknown before - infertility. There are fewer and fewer children, so the nations are dying. Obviously, in the time of crisis people approach to something that could console them: alcohol, drugs, great ideas (like communism) or religion. Let’s have a look at the last one. The Christianity - or to be more specific - the christian believers did abominable things in the name of God as well. Crusades, witch hunting, elimination of other religions and their believers (Catharism) are the most popular accusation. Not to mention the small fact that according to a lot of feminists, the christian religion, mainly in the protestant church, was used to stop women from emancipation.

In this case, they use a quote from the Old Testament to justify their acts and at the same time to objectify fertile women and make them “useful to the society”. They lost their ID, names, homes, children, lives in order to make babies. The end justifies the means.

Wonderful series and book.

Are you blind?

Recently, the polish cinematography has been changing in a good way. Normally, a man in the street had to choose between a silly, romantic comedy about some couples, who have obvious difficulties with communication or epic (martyrological) stories about the heroes of Poland. The producers pretended that the other genre do not exist or require a lot of money.

Fortunately, thanks to Smarzowski (unpleasant presentation of the polish mentality), Bagiński (prominent animation of our legends), Maria Sadowska (feminist and outstanding point of view), we could restore our faith in making polish movies. Nowadays, the most directors are discovering a new “genre” - the drama film.

Based on true story, “Carte blanche” by Lisiński is a simple story about a history teacher who, due to the genetic disease, is losing his ability to see. Firstly, his work is the only thing that gives a meaning to his dull life, so he doesn’t think that he could handle the situation without it. Secondly, he is not looking for a compassion, because he does not a victim type. Therefore, he has to keep the secret, although it seems to be almost impossible.

This film is a good source of inspiration about straggle with unpredictable problems. Undoubtedly, I don’t know what I would do or how I would behave if I knew that I would be blind. I can’t imagine a life without paper books and films. Moreover, a life without a possibility to appreciate view from the window. To quote a lyric of a polish band “Sztywny Pal Azji” : “I’m sorry to all blind people, that the world is so beautiful”. Likewise, you are no more independent - you have to depend on somebody. I wish that after watching that film, everybody would find some time to reflect about his wonderful life.

How to talk about death

'Isn't it enough to see that a garden is beautiful without having to believe that there are fairies at the bottom of it too?' Douglas Adams

Everyone will be dead. Someday. Normally, we do not focus on presence of the death in our lives. Everything is mortal: animals, trees, plants, people, etc, and there is no chance we could change it. The awareness of that fact is so overwhelming for a human being and therefore we invented a religion. A promise of a new, splendid life in a better world, where everybody is equal, is so seducing that most society claims to believe in God. 

Of course, everybody has a reason to believe, but basically it is the fact that we cannot cope with our solitude and meaningless in the world. Everyone wishes to be special, live a good life and have a hope to get a second chance. We would like to believe that everything makes sense, the death as well. The absurdity of existence is something unacceptable for us.

Meanwhile, there is no premise who will spend the autumn of his life with the beloved one and who will decease at the age of 20. The friend of Hemingway, and the archetype of character from “The Old Man and the Sea”, used to smoke a lot of cigars. Indeed, he died of lung cancer, but at the age of 103.

Maybe we should talk about the death without grandiloquence because there is nothing grandiloquent about it?

French maid

Sometimes is good to get back to the classic. For example the classic french film which is shown as a typical “nouvelle vague” movie directed by Luis Buñuel.  Moreover, “Diary of a Chambermaid” is a symptom of cultural turn in a film.

Based on a Octave Mirbeau’s book tells a really simple story of a girl working as a chambermaid for a rich, bourgeois family. Lord thinks about all woman but her wife. For a Lady, the conventions are the only thing that matters.  Her father (a lord and a fetishist) loves women, but especially what symbolise a woman for him. And there is our main character who comes to the lovely countryside to unmask their weakness. 

In 1930’ the aristocratic people have power over the others. During other ages as well, but let’s focus on the inter-war period. There were not a social security, an unemployment benefit, some reduction of price for a big families or a paid leave. Most of society had to be really resourceful and accept their position with humidity. The servant could talk with others in the kitchen, in his liberty space, however he was not allowed to claim his personal opinion to employers. The division between the people was visible and socially acceptable. So basically, there were two zones which do not interfere with each other.  

Thanks to the social movement, it has become really popular, to give a voice to people devoid of it. That was a kind a of flagellation due to the remorse of a french society. The secular adaptation of catholic act of confession and penance.

And who will better represent of submissive servant who is not allowed to express opinion then a (sexy) french maid?

How nasty you could be as a film director in Arabia

The fanatisme begins when is no place for a simple discussion. When, because of tradition, you do not ask questions. You just accept the reality as it is and you try to deal with it. Undoubtedly, all young people are not like this. They are really curious, rebel and nothing is obvious for them (besides the love to parents). Sometimes is the lack of knowledge: why the sky is blue? Why can birds fly? etc Sometimes is lack of understanding for the fixed laws: why do we need to go to church? Why women are not let to drive a car in my country?

The muslim religion is based on Quran - religious text believed to be revelation from God.

The word of Allah is holy and the interpretation of text is perceived as fundamental for this religion.  Although every mosque could have different interpretation of the stories or precepts. What is more, most of the controversial rules are based on traditional law. Not on Quran. For example: wearing niqāb was connected with a) living on desert (it let avoid sand in the ears and eyes) and b) being a very noble and rich person in berberian tribe. Or, female genital mutilation is something specific for Egypte (yeah, Copts do it as well). To be understand, THIS IS NOT ISLAM. These are various traditions which were born in different countries. Similarly, reinterpretation of Quran tells us not to smoke (because Muhammad do not let us harm our body) or… diving a bike. By girls.

“Wadjda” of Haifaa Al-Mansour is a story of a 10 years old Saudi girl who dreams about a bike. And it is so rebelious.

May I have your attention please ?

We live in the best of times. There is less and less poverty. Moreover, we are capable of cure basically the majority of illnesses. In Europe or United-States every hard-working citizen can buy a car and a decent house. Generally, the state has changed – It is not an unpredictable monster who wants abuse us and steal our money, but like in the Nordic countries, it could be really helpful and protective. Eve

We have smartphones, internet, social media, in short: a lot of convenience unimaginable for our grandparents. I address it to people who love romanticize the past. In spite of casual dentist visit, you can try going to the blacksmith. That would be unforgettable.

However, we – all human being – need to have some problems. We get bored because of a perfect quiet life and we look for some variety. Obviously, we overthink some banal situations, because there is a drama queen deeply hidden inside all of us. We look for attention and someone who will listen to our fictive problems.

That diagnosis of our society has been presented by Philippe Blasband in a theatre piece called „Les mangeuses de chocolat” (The eaters of chocolate).

My sweet little boy...

What makes a boy a man? Is he supposes to father a son, build a house and plant a tree to become a manly man? Of course not. Nowadays, we can rent a repair crew or the whole company to build a house. Also, more and more people are living in crowded cities, so it is quite impossible to plant a tree if you are not a member of Greenpeace. Finally, having just the daughters is not a shame.

A lot of boys expect that the sexual initiation would make them adult. However, there are still boys, but the boys who have sex. If a girl gets pregnant, basically they run away. When I was working with the teenagers, most of them admit that that special moment made them adult. It was not important if they could give a pleasure to a girl – that was not their objective. “I just wanted to f**k, because I want to be respected by my friends. They are thinking that I am a pathetic little boy”.

The definition of true men has been changing during last decades. Firstly, in 50’ the man had to be: head of a family, hard-working, emotionally inaccessible, patriot. He couldn’t cry. But after a war in Vietnam the situation changed. The 60’ made the boys discover their sensitive nature. They become more respectful to women but also less engage in life (family and political). Men don’t want be oppressive for a partner, so they become passive.

The lack of father results in creation of radical feminist (who basically hates all men) and lost boys who do not understand the notion of manhood.

Robert Bly present the vision of manhood which do not criticize the achievements of feminism, but at the same time in show the way that every boy has to pass to become a man. “Iron John: A Book About Men” would be an unpleasant lecture for every Peter Pan.

It is so easy to juge

People hate other people. That emotion is unstoppable and vivid.

The descendants of immigrants hate the country where they have been born. They don’t like the way they live: lead a life without the perspectives. All their friends do drugs, steal, cheat, don’t study and do not have enough money to go to the university. They don’t know different life.

Why? Maybe this is a fault of French government who didn’t let the Algerians buy houses in the city center. As a result, there were more and more apartments around the city which became a ghetto. There are some places close to Paris where the white people do not enter. On the other hand it is just funny that on the suburbs you can find the aristocracy living in their mansion or poor immigrants. There are some small, bourgeois cities like Maison-Lafitte (well-known in Poland thanks to Giedroyć) or dangerous places like Saint- Denis but rarely you can there find a mediocre place. The division between the richness and the poverty is overwhelming.

So again, why do people in France have problems with immigrants?

“La haine”, a French movie from 1995 explain this phenomenon and you could understand it in an altogether different light.

Are the terrorist the natural born killers?

Yesterday, a Belgian writer Frank Andriat was at our university. Basically, he is a French teacher in a good high school and he started his career, because he just wanted to understand his student’s problems. What a banal story, isn’t it?

Once upon a time, he was watching the news about a hideous attempt in Belgian metro. The journalist described a whole story and he did mention the family name of a terrorist responsible for this terrifying crime. Andriat couldn’t believe in it. That was his old student’s name. After checking some information, he found out that it was a brother of his student. A brother of a wonderful kid and sportsman who is banned to go to the USA for the championship, because of his brother crime.

One of the ways to become a terrorist is being a good, muslin boy without a lot of friends. They will organize a charity association which helps homeless people. They will say: Look, you are useful, merciful and nice boy. You make a world better. Maybe we want to help us brothers in faith in Syria? And step by step, you will be becoming a terrorist.

This is not a “crème de la crème” of French filmography, but if you understand how a normal boy becomes a cold blooded murder, you should see “La Désintégration” of Philippe Faucon and read a teenager book called “Je t'enverrai des fleurs de Damas”.

Bonne lecture.

Refugees have three heads

We don’t know Afghanistan and the Near East, because they don’t teach us about this part of the world. As a result of watching television, we considered this country as a hell. All the people are miserable there because of the poverty, fanaticism and the war. We should emphasis that Afghanistan has suffered from not only the international war with Soviet Union but also from a civil war between lots of tribes.

We are afraid of terrorists, so everybody does, but unfortunately that fear close us up. Europeans don’t want to invite any refugee, even orphans, because we are too scared by the danger of the terrorism. But seriously… why? Is a fear the only reason to not help another people? Maybe, we just should present them as a normal people to encourage the Europeans to support them?

“Rose afghan” is a Frank Andriat’s book about Afghanistan. Belgian writer destines his book to teenagers to get them familiar with a misfortune of Afghans. We see the world by the eyes of teen girl who just wants to live in peace. She doesn’t know the true meaning, because she was born in country where the war lasts from years. She is so lost, sad and desperate that we would like just to help her.

Ps. Frank Andriant will be this week at our university !

Am I pretty ?

One week ago, my cousin was coming back from a trip to Hawaii. As a client of American Airlines she ordered a coffee and was enjoying her pleasant flight. The stewardess’s served her a coffee and after that, se notice something: the average of age of the stuff was 40 years old. It could never happen in the Europe. Every time, she has been taking a flight, a stewardess was nice-looking, smiling, very young girls, but she has never met a mature woman.

Why in the magazines even a woman who is 50 years old, looks like a 30-year-old woman or someone after a plastic surgery? Why could we accept a face without a facial expression (Botox), but we could not accept a TV woman presenter with the gray hair?

Naomi Wolf in “The Beauty Myth” explains the entire problem connected to the cult of beauty and youth in our Occident society. The profound researches prove the sources of inequality and the impact of this on women.

It is vital, especially for a young girl who enters in the adult life that the ideal woman exists only on paper. We should encourage that girls to study, travel and focus on spiritual and emotional development instead of being obsess with her body. The “beauty myth” causes anorexia, bulimia, complexes, lack of self-confidence etc…

BTW : It’s worth going to the CK Zamek in Poznan to see an exhibit called “ZŁe kobiety”.

All that sex

Nowadays, the lack of sexual education takes us back to the Middle Ages. The young people, specially in Poland, acquire the knowledge the field of sexuality due to porno movies or the “fairy-tells” of their friends. It is not possible to talk with parents about it, because the love making is still a taboo. Moreover, most of the society is reluctant even to talk about their bed problems with a partner. According to the researches, a lot of woman are faking orgasm to please her man and because they are too ashamed of it.
Why don't we want to solve this problem and we are pretending that everything is just fine?

Let’s analyze the polish language: How do we call “vagina”?

Cipa – it is very vulgar
Cipka – it is less vulgar, but is still a bad word
Kaczuszka/ muszelka/ pierożek – it is so childish
Wagina – it’s way too medical
Srom – it has a connotation associated with a shame ("sromota, sromota, wstyd!")

As we know, our perception of reality is based on language we used. To sum up, without an adequate vocabulary is hard to start a conversation…
I would like to recommend “Sztuka Kochania – historia Michaliny Wisłockiej” to all people, young in particular. We should break this ridiculous taboo and teach our polish society to talk about love making.

Break the taboo

The division between highbrow and lowbrow (culture) exist in the common view. Let’s revise some examples from the history just to prove our point. Firstly, on the south of France in the Middle Ages, the troubadours created poems for the pleasure of Occitan aristocracy and the juggler performing to amuse some people gathered in the market. Of course, the troubadour couldn’t be a juggler, because the major part of poets comes from the royal court and the jugglers were the penniless fouls.
Secondly, we are capable of noticing this division in music: the jazz music against the classic music! The second one is considering as the better because is more sophisticated and, at some level, touch our souls. The jazz is more accessible and people are listening to this in the lousy bars to have fun. What is more, they are dancing! According to common view, the contemplation is above the dancing. However, to our astonishment, this kind of separation is visible even in the dancing… Waltz against tango.
There is some art intended to be sophisticated, performed to the people from the society and the second one. Moreover, this is a question of a social taboo.
The greater people from XX century like Susan Sontag or Umberto Eco emphasis the absurdity of this artificial separation. Fortunately, I hope that the attribution the Nobel Prize to the Bob Dylan will break this horrible taboo.

Delicious kitsch

Acknowledged as one of the world’s great director, Wes Anderson is generally known to the wide audience due to “Grand Budapest Hotel” and “Moonrise Kingdom”. And everybody likes his movies, because everybody loves the fairy tales. This is a great secret of the Anderson’s popularity: make people believe in magic again. In the first one, the doorman becomes rich by accident and the second one, the very young couple decided to run away from the camp to live happy ever after.

All of these stories are impossible to happen. We are the spectators watching the show. In contrast to the normal movie where there is a still illusion of the reality, here we are aware that we participle in the theater. Nothing is really, not even the special effects or the script.

The image is a compilation of the Disney World and baroque horror vacui. You can find in that film anything you want: colours, unbelievable adventures, picturesque landscapes, etc. But what is a purpose of it? Maybe it is like a really big box with nothing inside it?

His creations are just a reflection of American taste, like Madonna Inn (an unusual motel) or Hearst castle (mansion of newspaper magnate – the inspiration to create a “Citizen Kane”). Most of people watch the movies in order to forgot about their miserable life, they don't spend the time in the research to find a truth or give a meaning to their existence. Generally, we prefer magic, good looking scenography and the happy ending.

But in the case of art, it is really easy to cross the border and become a kitsch artist, who doesn't have much to say.

Persian punk

The citizens of Iran were always pride of their heritage. In comparison to other muslin countries, they weren’t just a bunch of shepherds gathered in some tribes. The name of the city “Persepolis” was known from Atlantic Ocean to the Chine. Everybody spread the stories about the brave Persian people like Cyrus II or Darius I. In fact the art was spectacular, in particular the craftsmanship (everybody has heard about Persian carpets). Most people were believers of Zoroastrianism – one of the first monotheistic religions in the world. Instead of the conquests of Alexander the Great and after- the Muslin, the memory of a great empire survived.

Now, you can imagine that you are a litter girl growing up in the Iran in 80s during the religion revolution. Everything what was important to you have been destroyed by fanatics.  You fell very angry, disappointed, confused, you want to rebel but you don't know how. Your country is becoming some Arabic province where the culture and the liberty is no longer a value.

“Persepolis” is an animated film, but only for adults. Undoubtedly because of this image people, who don’t know the history of Iran, have a possibility to understand the difficult problem of this religious revolution. During watching, you can ask yourself a question: how is it possible?

The movie is based on the memories of Marione Satrapi – well-known graphic novelist living in Paris.