If I wanted to write about what didn't make sense to me I could talk about how the Greek mythology is fantastic and totally strange, but there was something even more puzzling to me in Euripides' Bakkhai. I find Pentheus' obsession with order to be even more irrational than a baby being stitched to the thigh of the father and being carried to full term after the mother was struck by a lightning bolt (even though that is pretty crazy). The actions of Pentheus show that he simply cannot let the women carry out their rituals in the wilderness. Before he decides to play peeping tom, Pentheus is organizing a military effort to contain the followers of Dionysus, a blunder he pays for with his life. Simply stated, it is irrational to try to control the irrational. In this case the irrational could be interpreted as: Pentheus' need for order and control, the mad women in the wilderness, or at times unchecked lustful temptations.
I think a very valid point is made though the telling of this story. If we don't allow any sort of irrationallity in our lives, it could fester and manifest itself in other ways. Like Pentheus' orderly kingdom we can drain our live of the irrational. In this vacuum there is a certain draw. I argue that there always need to be something irrational in our lives. I don't think we should allow ourselves to do what ever we want, but if don't allow any space in our lives for something irrational, we might have adverse consequences of seeking it out in a moment of weakness.
I've noticed that in my life I have a total and irrational need for a "relaxation day." I have a day every week where I basically do nothing. I know this is irrational. But I also know I work harder during the
week because of my "relaxation day." My thought process is this, "I've already binged out all of my laziness this week and now I have to work." I know this is just made up in my head, but if I were a completely rational being I think I would go crazy. As evidenced by Euripides, complete self-indulgence can be just as harmful and complete self-denial.
We can definitely learn how to balance our lives from observing the imbalance in others'. I think it is nice that you have rationally decided to have an irrational day once a week. I can see how in some cases this could be related to rationally justifying bad (irrational) things, but I think in terms of managing a schedule, it is good!
ReplyDeleteHa ha, my wife would argue that a "relaxation day" is completely rational. lol Come to think of it, a lot of what we call irrational I argue is in fact rational. I believe there really are reasons why we feel the way we feel or choose what we choose. Whether its picking out what cereal you want for breakfast or pictures on your blog deep down inside I think we really have reasons to these mysteries. I think it takes some inward reflection to understand these irrational feelings, but i think the answers can be found. I would be interested to hear why you chose the first two pictures that you did.
ReplyDeleteI appreciated the way in which you demonstrated the importance of balance. As I considered the play script and the blogs posted my mind was continually brought to the idea that, in the word "irrational" can also be found the word "rational." This is obvious, I know, nonetheless I think it sheds light on the fact that all those who act irrationally (everyone) also has rational inside of us.
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