CRITICAL JOURNALING
Research blog
contemplations
early 2025

№1Respectful Ignorance
jan 22 2025

№2Infinite Needs Syncing
jan 31 2025






RESPECTFUL IGNORANCE
In class, students are expected to pay attention and listen carefully to the teacher. Any form of distraction, such as fidgeting, eating, talking to one’s neighbor, being on the phone, or simultaneously sketching under the table, is understood as a sign of disrespect toward the instructing individual and the content discussed. Once young kids grow into adults, the cultural norm of remaining in a ‘proper upright sitting position’ and signaling one’s attentiveness by outwardly only being occupied with passive listening solidifies into a behavioral narrative that ignores the nature of the human brain and facilitates a socially encouraged form of disregard.

Recently, I traveled to Thailand to visit a Buddhist monastery for one week. Having been able to truly relax throughout the retreat, I found myself letting go of my social guards to the extent, that during one of the Dharma talks, I intuitively changed the collectively performed sitting position to lying down casually to feel more comfortable. I was soon approached by a nice sister who asked me to please sit up. I immediately felt shameful about what others could potentially understand as my disrespect towards the practice, the lay people, the monks, and the general tradition.

Personally, I find it extremely challenging to fully listen to someone for longer than one hour, most often impossible if the audience is not interacted with. If I did not feel the pressure of fulfilling social expectations, I would prefer to move my body and stretch to focus better. Such experience is not exceptional, average focus levels start decreasing after 20 minutes and physical activity is positively correlated to higher attentiveness for both neurodivergent and neurotypical individuals.

In closer relationships, unreservedness, candor, and emotional and physical relaxation are socially read as a sign of trust or even love. Instead of concentrating one’s energy on appearing polite, the efforts should lie in truly listening by prioritizing the facilitation of one’s own attentiveness. Instead, the established narrative emphasizes a power dynamic in which the speaker is disconnected from the audience, disregarding the needs of the present moment. At least to some degree, individuals should be granted the freedom and trust to take care of themselves, encouraging a collective practice of active listening and participation. Practically speaking, I hereby challenge myself to overcome my personal ‘respectful ignorance’ by prioritizing my own physical and psychological needs, and thus my listening practice, and by identifying any related internalized feelings of shame when they arise.

How many hours a day do I spend pretending to listen?At what age did I start developing this skill?Can I survive without it?How much can I listen to?Is it sometimes necessary to be able to not listen?What should I listen to?

№1
jan 22






INFINITE NEEDS SYNCING
Obviously, everyone’s ‘everyday’ is very much filled with different experiences based on one’s occupation, family situation, health, responsibilities in all kinds of relationships, safety, and interests. But usually, people of all socioeconomic realities spend a big portion of their lives with rather mundane questions and logistics that in their repetition accumulate to ‘the human everyday’: picking an outfit for the day, taking the train to work, applying for new jobs, repairing a broken gadget, going out again to buy groceries and hit the gym, ordering a birthday gift for one’s kid, and all the other errands that never will cease to exist.

Within this ongoing life experience, one might struggle with identifying and meeting all the needs of one’s mind and body to maintain good mental and physical health for oneself and one’s loved ones. Especially in the digital age, where the individual can simultaneously access more media than the human brain could potentially process in a lifetime, and information exchange is generally accelerated, I find myself constantly overwhelmed by my life experience. Thus, I understand ‘the everyday’ as an endless process of reflecting on such discomforts and trying to readjust one’s behavior accordingly. For example, my daily life as a university student does not facilitate healthy movement and I keep struggling with finding the time and energy to exercise.

Critical artworks should remind us to wake up from our daily routines and reassess our needs of the here and now. For me, I would prefer a piece to actively interrupt my everyday, challenge me out of this comfort zone of repetition and habit, and invite me to be a bit more vulnerable to myself. If the involvement with the piece is fun and enjoyable, even better!

What do I actually spend my lifetime on?What am I distracting myself with?How would I spend an ideal day in a life?Can I try finding joy in everything?

№2
jan 31






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© 2024 Sasha Meyer, updated December 24