Metanarrative 2.
Not
the first time I have written on this subject. You may have guessed that I
think it is important. What is a “metanarrative”
anyway? It means “the big picture”. Or,
to put it another way; “a world view”, how one sees something, how one sees oneself”
and others and how one reacts or interacts with the world at large.
I
know that you know that what one does, says and or reacts to, all starts in one’s mind. So; thinking is
extremely important. It is the brain that guides us, even when we think it
isn’t. It is like the many times my car drove me to the wrong office after we
had moved to a new address. Of course, I
blame the car. However, the truth is my brain just did what it had done many
mornings before and parked me in the old parking place.
So;
what we think of the world and our place in it will, of course, affect our
actions. My concern is that many do not think that their world view is one that
can be detrimental to others because of that view. Of course, others have
different metanarratives than me. (See my blog. http://adrianhawkes.co.uk/?s=metanarrative+
this
is a good description of an atheist’s world view.
Worldviews
that see the world just as some kind of physical, time space only machine, end
up treating people like machines. That is not very pleasant. Then, of course, there are those who see
people as just another clever animal, resulting in people that treat people
like animals too.
We all
live according to our metanarrative. It is in our psyche and thinking. Our
thinking directs our actions. Think about the thinking of Eric Harris. If you do not know who he is/was, let me tell
you he was the youngster who shot dead 12 students and a teacher at Columbine
High school in Colorado USA. We can see his metanarrative
in one of his notebooks which was discovered after the tragic event He wrote, “There’s no
such thing as True Good or True evil. It’s all relative to the observer. It’s just all nature, chemistry, and math. Deal
with it!” Now tell me: Does our metanarrative matter?
Then there
is that metanarrative that says we are all here just by an accident. Now that
is somewhat pointless, don’t you think? Richard Peters (1919-2011) puts it best. Again,
I add, if you don’t know him, he was a major educationalist in his work place. Peters
was Professor of the Philosophy of Education at the Institute of Education
(founded 1947) University of London. In 1971 he was Dean of the
Institute. Under his guidance the Institute grew fast and considerably
influenced the development of the philosophy of education in England. But -
what was his metanarrative? His metanarrative of course reflected itself in his
metanarrative’s direction for education. He could do no other. With that
foundation of thought he tells us, “Our basic predicament in life is to live
with its ultimate pointlessness. We are monotonously reminded that education
must be for life. Therefore, obviously the most important dimension of
education is that in which we learn to come to terms with the pointlessness of
life.” Great isn’t it. No wonder we have such an increase in suicide.
All “Big Stories” (metanarratives) have consequences – for good or ill –
for individuals, communities and wider society. The current secular big story that is being
pushed in our current culture carries particular risks of harm and conflict for
everyone. It affects how you will be treated and how, by your metanarrative,
you will treat others. Are you just a consumer, a number, a machine, an animal?
Are you nothing but an accident? How does your metanarrative make you think,
and of course act?
Adrian Hawkes
Adrianhawkes.blogspot.co.uk
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