Research blog
contemplations
early 2025
contemplations
early 2025
jan 22 2025
jan 31 2025
RESPECTFUL IGNORANCE
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
jan 22
INFINITE NEEDS SYNCING
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!
№2
jan 31
jan 31
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