When I think about what is strange it can be hard for me to define what that is. I have read so many books, watched many tv shows, animes, movies, and played so many video games. I’ve gone through so many stories that I find myself suspending disbelief whenever I get into a new one so that I can know what is and isn’t unusual for the inhabitants in that world. But what is strange for them is not strange for other worlds I have read and things that surprise them and seem odd to them I find myself at most going “Huh” and finding it interesting but not really “strange”.
This is partially in response to Janet’s post on the course website where she said that anything can be strange, because if anything can be strange then so could nothing.
What exactly is the definition of strangeness?
What exactly is the definition of normal?
Huh.
What is the definition of strangeness? Often when we contemplate a thing, we think of its exact opposite — the thing existing on the far side of the spectrum — in order to truly understand the nature of the other. So when we consider strangeness, we look at the things we consider normal. But some of the most strangeness things we can behold, are the most natural, most normal occurrences in day to day life.
Castillon, Neels “A Bird Ballet” Vimeo. https://vimeo.com/58291553
Some of the most natural occurrences, the things we consider normal, are other people’s very definition of strange — just as one’s person’s garbage, is another’s gold, and one’s gold is another’s garbage.
The funny thing about perception, is that its human. The funny thing about definitions, is that they’re human. The funny thing about everything that exists, is that they exist is through human senses, through human experience. We give life to everything because if we ourselves weren’t in existence, we wouldn’t be to talk about concepts, notions, and ideas. And if a thing isn’t talked about, does it exist? It might exist, but it wouldn’t exist according to humans, if we ourselves didn’t exist.
Life seems to be a feedback loop. Humans experience life, life is seen through the eyes of the individual experiencing it, and therefore defined by us. Life can be turned upside down so easily, it can be totally altered by changing perspectives, changing ideas, changing concepts regarding the nature of existence. New theories pop up all the time, easily changing our perception of life. Yet life’s characteristics consistently impact our thinking.
Ashwin singh [Youtube user],”WE ACCEPT THE REALITY OF THE WORLD WITH WHICH WE ARE PRESENTED” 01:00, posted 16 Mar, 2013. <https://www.youtbe.com/watch?v=-bLyjGH4ZAE>
to be continued.