Teleologic is engaged in the art of allegory. We have long used visual elements for allegorical purposes. We now seek to enrich our work with allegorical sounds.
An effective allegory communicates meaning, but does so implicitly. Our educational architectures are usually quite explicit. But even the most explicit expression may benefit from the texture and depth of allegorical suggestion. (More is available on allegory at the Dictionary of the History of Ideas.)
For the 2007 Christmas season I propose that we create a digital message focused on the first phrase in the Gospel of John: "In the beginning was the Word."
Further, I propose that we work on it together using this blog. This will provide a full documentation of our purposes and processes. This will either serve as the means by which the message is distributed... or will be linked to the message.
An effective allegory communicates meaning, but does so implicitly. Our educational architectures are usually quite explicit. But even the most explicit expression may benefit from the texture and depth of allegorical suggestion. (More is available on allegory at the Dictionary of the History of Ideas.)
For the 2007 Christmas season I propose that we create a digital message focused on the first phrase in the Gospel of John: "In the beginning was the Word."
Further, I propose that we work on it together using this blog. This will provide a full documentation of our purposes and processes. This will either serve as the means by which the message is distributed... or will be linked to the message.
Above is a visualization of the so-called "big bang" that many believe was the origin of our universe. Courtesy of PhysicsWeb.
8 comments:
I think it is interesting to note that in the past, the Teleologic Holiday Messages have usually included--or have been accompanied by--a quote or saying by a Christian scholar (for example, Reinhold Niebuhr and Thomas Merton), but have not been overtly religious or Christian. They have also generally avoided the mention of Christmas, in favor of "Happy Holidays" or something similar. The choice to use "In the beginning was the Word" as a basis for the 2007 message seems to be a departure from this practice, although perhaps not, as it is somewhat veiled in the Latin form. When it comes to holiday greetings, to me, the difference between "Happy Holidays" and "Merry Christmas" is very slim, and I tend to think that the talking heads on TV make a big fuss over nothing on both sides of the aisle, but as evidenced by the outcry last year when Wal-Mart officially asked employees to wish customers "Happy Holidays", and the apparent newsworthiness of their return to "Merry Christmas" this year, it is important to at least some portion of the American public. I'm curious if the literal meaning of "Arche Logos" will be present in the final production, or if only the allegory will remain. Or, if Arche Logos will be but one layer of allegory.
We've used clearly identified biblical passages in the past. But we've aimed for a presentation mode that was based in scholarship and brought forth a unique (and thus somewhat unpredictable) interpretation -- to communicate with a sense of "intrigue." Perhaps it would be helpful to look back at Holiday Greetings we'd done before. Here are links:
Holdiay 2000: (Prophecy)
www.teleologic.net/holiday2000
used Isaiah 11:1-9 and prophecy:
(See esp. the explanations and Isaiah exegesis included at the end of the "long" opening flash piece: www.teleologic.net/holiday2000/3_IsaiahVerses.htm
and 3_Isaiah.htm and 2_GoodworksLinks.htm
Holiday 2002:
The "In the beginning" text from John (with a few related passages) was used in our 2002 holiday greeting: www.teleologic.net/holiday_2002.html
Holiday 2003: (Wisdom) http://www.teleologic.net/wisdom/
used Proverbs 3:13-15
Holiday 2005
www.teleologic.net/holiday2005 (Rosa Parks/Niebuhr quote)
Holiday 2001 and 2004 did not reference any Biblical passages--
www.teleologic.net/holiday2001
www.teleologic.net/holiday_2004.html
Hope this is helpful.
-KS
Thanks for the links Kari...they were helpful as I had not seen a couple of the previous messages until now. It is apparent from looking at those messages, that we typically choose a biblical passage and expand it into a more educational focus. I can certainly see how this previous year's greeting differed in that it did not promote a deeper thinking or understanding.
I am anxious to see how we will further develop Arche Logos and how the meaning will be used as Tom has mentioned.
Also, though I know this is not the focus of the discussion, I wanted to add to Tom's comment on the greeting for the season...whether it be "Happy Holidays" or "Merry Christmas." I know, for myself, as a strong Christian, there is a very distinct difference between which phrase you use. There are many other members of my church who will not even consider using the phrase "Happy Holidays" due to the overwhelming influence society has had on religious standards. To say "Merry Christmas" implies that you understand the focus of the season relies on Christ. Otherwise, to say "Happy Holidays" simply implies that you are taking the more general and 'politically correct' term for the holidays.
I know to most of the population it does not matter...as it really is a simple 'play on words'...but to a strong believer...it is a huge concern. One of my church members even noted that in the entry to State Farm this year, they included a different Christmas display for every nationality available...Jews, Indian, etc. To a Christian, who has come to know God to be true...it's rather disappointing to see everyone pushing focus towards every other direction.
Thanks for the links, Kari. For some reason, I don't think I've ever seen the holiday messages prior to 2004 (or I've just forgotten them), so my perception of the various themes was somewhat distorted.
Sometimes it's difficult to have a discussion about religion or politics, but since I played a part in coming up with the concept of this years holiday message, I do want to address it...I'll start off by saying that I completely understand and respect the statement, "it's rather disappointing to see everyone pushing focus towards every other direction." I'm Catholic myself, so it is not a foreign sentiment.
My overall idea for this year's message was clearly a departure from previous messages, although I hadn't realized exactly how much of a departure I'd taken until reviewing the messages that came before 2004. However, I had not intended the message to be devoid of a deeper meaning, though perhaps the meaning did not fully rise to the surface. Somewhat unfortunately (I guess), my intended message was one that runs quite counter to the notion that a major American corporation including a diverse display of religions is a disappointing thing. In a world where so much violence occurs because of the refusal to acknowledge and accept the beliefs of those who belong to differing religions, it seems to me that a peaceful acceptance and celebration of various religions is a good thing, regardless of one's own beliefs. I didn't want to explicitly show other religions, or anything like that, but the secular nature of the message was certainly intentional. Peace and tranquility in a world of mayhem...that was the message I was trying to get at. Perhaps it's not one with a great deal of resonance...
I had totally forgotten about our 2002 use of John:1. I had also forgotten about our 2001 use of "Tis a Gift to be Simple," which was my original intention for the 2006 message. Further confirmation of becoming elderly.
We are far enough from a deadline let's not commit to or reject any possibility. But let's look hard at what we are trying to do and how best to do it.
The issue of religious foundations raised above strike me as appropriate and important to consider. Whatever else we find in the Christmas story surely we find an abundance of allegory.
We are educators. What educational potential does a holiday or a Christmas message uniquely provide?
We are educators interested in the power of allegory. What aspect of allegory is best suited for a holiday or Christmas message?
We educators interested in exploring the power and potential of allegorical sound. Is there an aspect of the holiday season that is especially suitable for allegorical sound?
I don’t think that we can conclude that a message of “peace and tranquility” does not have a broad resonance (God help us if it doesn’t!) -- especially given the types of clients, associates and friends Teleologic would be sending greetings to. So I think the “peace and tranquility” intent with this year’s message was appropriate for the audience.
However, as mentioned above, we didn’t offer an explicitly educational interpretation or a particularly new angle on the message. We didn’t (overtly, at least) cause people to ask or explore questions. A colleague’s recent comment about “gaming” is applicable here: “A good game is a series of interesting questions.” So too is an effective holiday message – something that intrigues, that prompts people to ask questions of deeper meaning.
I think this connects to the relevance of even sending out a December holiday greeting. [RE: “What educational potential does a holiday or a Christmas message uniquely provide?”] Regardless of one’s religious beliefs and practices, there is a seasonal, society-wide, multicultural confluence of holidays celebrating “beginnings,” “new life” and, yes, “Peace,” as well as an intentional society-wide focus on practices of kindness such as gifting and charitable acts. Whether one traces this to the Christian roots of our own faiths or to the ancient cycles of winter solstice, there is a culturally appropriate timing to our sending such greetings in December. Recognizing the confluence of associated ethical practices is, to me, where meaning meets action. Thus, as educators, the season is well suited to lessons. And thus to allegory...
Allegory is most typically associated with parables, stories with a moral message... I think the question of how to convey allegory with sound is a very interesting one – “an intriguing question” in and of itself. Others?
To think of this in a different way: when sound is paired with imagery, it is very difficult for sound *not* to convey some sort of deeper meaning / allegory. This is, by and large, the primary function of sound in a multimedia piece--to provide the audience with a framework for interpretation. This function of sound has even been shown in controlled empirical studies with simple tones and rhythms paired with basic geometric shapes like spinning triangles and bouncing squares. However, it's most evident in something like a dramatic film.
Sound alone on the other hand, is a different matter. From a theoretical perspective, it's been said that sound by itself is capable of communicating a mood, but not an emotion, which, by definition (in this context) requires an object. The difference is slight, but to clarify it, it is possible for a symphony to communicate a mood of sadness, but it's not generally possible for a symphony it to communicate sadness over the death of a pet dog (without words, anyway).
So, how to convey allegory with sound? The simplest answer is to pair it with imagery or with words (either written or in song). In this context, the sound creates a subjective allegory for the objects that are presented whether we want it to or not. The question then becomes, "what is the allegory that we want to present?" And then, "in what way can this allegory be communicated through sound?"
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