Deluded
There's been a lot of chatter, raised by the controversy surrounding the Mike Daisey fiasco and, to a lesser extent, Young Jean Lee's Church, regarding Christianity and fundamentalist beliefs. A lot has been made of David Cote's post that has garnered thoughtful responses by Joshua James and Mark Armstrong.
The point I want to pick up on to further clarify is that of 'delusion'. I think it's an important aspect of the debate, because it brings us back to the purpose of theatre, since its origins are so closely linked to pseudo-religious ritualistic storytelling. Where I think David is taking a stab at crazy right-wing Christians, Joshua argues, in the philosophical sense, that we are all deluded. In the Buddhist sense, I totally agree, but in its literal definition, I think a new word needs to be chosen. This is from the American Heritage Dictionary.
Delude(d) – to deceive the mind or judgment of; mislead (from the Latin dēlūdere, to play false, deceive)
Delusion – the act or process of deluding; deception
Usage: Illusion and Delusion are seldom interchangeable, though closely related. Delusion refers to a false belief held without reservation as a result of self-deception, the imposition of another or mental disorder. Illusion is applicable to a false impression, frequently based on fancy or on wishful thinking, or to a false perception (such as an optical illusion) that one eventually recognizes as false.
I like the distinction made between illusion and delusion, which brings me back to ponder, what exactly are we, as theatre artists, trafficking in? Isn't a church service just another piece of theatre? I grew up in a congregation that was conservative, stuffy and boring, but from the mega-churches I see on TV, there are a number of outfits putting on a rockin' good show.
Besides the obvious reasons of obligation and guilt, people go to church to raise their spirits and commune with like-minded individuals. All of Judeo-Christian belief is based on the group. "If you believe what we believe, then you're set. Just follow the rules in this book and you'll be saved from eternal damnation." Basically, it's a non-profit social network with mandatory donations (tithing). Is there anything we can learned about audience cultivation from these folks? If only us heathen artists could figure out their secret.
The point I want to pick up on to further clarify is that of 'delusion'. I think it's an important aspect of the debate, because it brings us back to the purpose of theatre, since its origins are so closely linked to pseudo-religious ritualistic storytelling. Where I think David is taking a stab at crazy right-wing Christians, Joshua argues, in the philosophical sense, that we are all deluded. In the Buddhist sense, I totally agree, but in its literal definition, I think a new word needs to be chosen. This is from the American Heritage Dictionary.
Delude(d) – to deceive the mind or judgment of; mislead (from the Latin dēlūdere, to play false, deceive)
Delusion – the act or process of deluding; deception
Usage: Illusion and Delusion are seldom interchangeable, though closely related. Delusion refers to a false belief held without reservation as a result of self-deception, the imposition of another or mental disorder. Illusion is applicable to a false impression, frequently based on fancy or on wishful thinking, or to a false perception (such as an optical illusion) that one eventually recognizes as false.
I like the distinction made between illusion and delusion, which brings me back to ponder, what exactly are we, as theatre artists, trafficking in? Isn't a church service just another piece of theatre? I grew up in a congregation that was conservative, stuffy and boring, but from the mega-churches I see on TV, there are a number of outfits putting on a rockin' good show.
Besides the obvious reasons of obligation and guilt, people go to church to raise their spirits and commune with like-minded individuals. All of Judeo-Christian belief is based on the group. "If you believe what we believe, then you're set. Just follow the rules in this book and you'll be saved from eternal damnation." Basically, it's a non-profit social network with mandatory donations (tithing). Is there anything we can learned about audience cultivation from these folks? If only us heathen artists could figure out their secret.
posted by THALATTA! Theatre International at 11:59 AM
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