Hero Worship

Abstract: Our civilization is under the spell of an illusion of heroism causing a collective hubris and fixation on principles, to the detriment of the personal values of the heart. As portrayed in myth, the hero must be allowed to die.

Keywords: sun-hero, suicide bomber, terrorism, Icarus, hubris, individuation, Carl Jung.


Introduction

Western civilization suffers from an obsession with the hero archetype, causing a collective hubris. It is depicted in the myths of Icarus and Bellerophon, and in the fairytale of the death of the sun-hero. An Icarian heroism permeates our whole culture. It implies an obsession with daylight consciousness and its values, which causes the irrational burgeoning life of the unconscious to be burnt off. The scourging sun melts away the wings of Icarus so that he comes crashing down, and a lightning from Zeus makes Bellerophon suffer the same fate. Faster and faster, higher and higher, expansion at all cost, and a relentless search after career, money, and status. Hardly anybody can listen to the faint voice of the unconscious, anymore, but become obsessed with the Icarian premises of career, political correctness, and scientific rigour.

[ ... ]

They have in mind to kill the chaotic forces of the unconscious, and aim to remove any sign of the spontaneous from religious or daily life. The politically correct elite in Western countries have much in common with this programme. They are fixated on principles of consciousness: any signs of burgeoning life originating in the heart and the unconscious soil, must be rooted out from society. For instance, one of the foremost hubristic moral principles is that mankind must be maximated on this earth, and the world's poor must be sustained at all costs, without regard to environmental costs.

~ more... ~

Dr. Norman Doidge: 'The Brain That Changes Itself'

Psychiatrist and psychoanalyst, Dr. Norman Doidge talks about an astonishing new science called neuroplasticity, which is overthrowing the centuries-old notion that the human brain is immutable. His new book, "The Brain That Changes Itself: Stories Of Personal Triumph From The Frontiers Of Brain Science" will permanently alter the way we look at our brains, human nature, and human potential.

Neal Cassady: The Denver Years

About this project:

A documentary based on the autobiographical accounts of Neal Cassady, his troubled youth in Denver and the crucial role that he played in the germination of American beat culture.
Neal Cassady was a charismatic, larger then life character. His charm, manic energy, sexual swagger, and free flowing verbosity made him the authentic ‘hero’ of the beat generation. He was introduced to the world as Dean Moriarty in Jack Kerouac’s classic, On The Road. For the controversial literary figures, Allen Ginsberg, Ken Kesey, Tom Wolfe and Hunter S. Thompson he was more then a friend he was their muse and inspiration.

By being just himself, Neal Cassady created a foundation for the beat generation and set the wheels in motion for the counter culture revolutions that would open up the floodgates for decades of free thinkers to follow.

The First Third is a collection of Cassady’s autobiographical musings. Within these works, we glimpse into the creation of Neal Cassady, the man and the myth, and his tumultuous and humble beginnings as a vagrant’s child on the streets of Denver at a time when the city still echoed America’s Wild West. We journey back to see what shaped the most infamous 20th century muse, and examine the love affair between Denver, a culture in transition, and the some of the most influential writers of our time.

Project Status

Currently in post production, Neal Cassady: The Denver Years has been in production since August 2006. The producer/director Heather Dalton has secured an agreement with the Cassady Estate, for photographic and archival rights as well as literary rights for Neal Cassady’s The First Third and Carolyn Cassady’s biography Off the Road.  

Interviews with prominent and historical figures include Carolyn Cassady, Lawrence Ferlinghetti, David Amram, John Allen Cassady, Jami Cassady Ratto, Cathy Cassady Sylvia, Jerry Cimino, Tom Noel, Ed White and Al Hinkle.  ~ more... ~

John Allen Cassady, son of Neal & Carolyn Cassady (named for Jack Kerouac & Allen Ginsberg) talks a little at the grand opening of the Beat Museum. Michael McClure had just finished w/ a few poems. A wonderful evening.

http://johnallencassady.com/

'Banksy-enhanced' poster ripped down in Los Angeles

A graffiti-enhanced poster attributed to secretive British artist Banksy was ripped down on Wednesday in Hollywood, amid sightings of other pieces in a reported pre-Oscars publicity campaign in Los Angeles.

Banksy is nominated for best documentary for Exit Through the Gift Shop at the Oscars, due to be announced on February 27 at the climax of Tinseltown's annual awards season.

And the elusive artist, whose identity is not publicly known, is suspected of being behind a number of Banksy-style graffiti pieces that have cropped up over the past few days.

~ more... ~

Great photos here.

~ See also: Urban Outfitters Responds to Cries They're Taking Banksy Down ~

Cinema in the End Time

Great video from 'Cinemaseekers', according to whom:

"This episode confronts the viewer with the question: "Is mankind living in the End-Time?" Fusing cinema with a spiritual quest, it presents the New Revolutionary Knowledge, which illuminates the nature of the time we are living in. This is the 2nd part of an episode in [the] ongoing series "Cinemaseekers: A Spiritual Journey Through Cinema".

The series' creator Maria Wagner is a bilingual (Russian-American) filmmaker, who also co-directed a feature film "Return To Light: A Spiritual Odyssey" that has been hailed by the great Russian filmmaker Alexander Sokurov as a "Light-bearing work", belonging to "such films as doubtlessly have to be made". She jointly runs a website CINEMASEEKERS.COM, which after more than 10 years on the Internet, has become a much used resource for film students, professors and art-film buffs."

View video here.