It has been said by many a sophisticate that an individual can ‘escape’ reality by employing various forms of anaesthesia. My definition of anaesthesia for the purpose of this thread would include prescription, non prescription and ‘illegal’ drugs, alcohol, faith based belief systems, romantic love, non procreative sex, entertainment, material consumption and any other form of ‘human’ distraction which might lead to partial or total unconsciousness. In fact overindulgence in any one or more of said distractions might even exacerbate the ‘equalising’ effects of reality by stopping the heart from beating, the blood from flowing and thus deny the brain of oxygen - ‘Hello reality; and goodbye.’
How might, for instance, a drunk lying in the middle of a road be shielded from reality, aside from having ever so slightly numbied the pain of any oncoming collision?
It seems to me that it is logically impossible to escape reality, although, I accept it is entirely possible to be deluded about it; albeit, again, temporarily.
Reality is our perception of it. If we blind that perception, we blind reality - from our perspective. Yes of course death is the only way to truly escape reality. But we can somewhat escape it, partially free ourselves, through distraction, as you point out. This is normal, and necesary. Humans cannot deal with reality as reality, it is too painful and arbitrary, too pointless and without meaning or value. Our psyche needs value and meaning, and thus, it needs ignorance and denial. Rationalizing and repression are our “reality blinders”, and they keep us alive. Those who drink or do drugs or whatever are practicing the same method - we all do these things. The more self-honest a soul is, the more is senses its own internal contradiction and self-delusion, and will therefore compensate by dulling the emotional and cognitive faculties in order to escape this realization. Once again, this is necessary if we are to continue living. Of course if we dont care about being alive, if we care more about living without contradiction, then these behaviors are no loner justified.
You both are selectively defining reality. First of all,
…to call these anesthetics is a selective judgment. They need not be anesthetics, although sometimes they may be used that way. What you call ‘human distractions’ are as real and as productive as any other aspect of your ‘reality’.
You talk about life’s ‘distractions’ as the things humans do to turn away from some ‘core’ reality. How real is an artificial partition? How can you see everything, then pick out part of it and say This is what’s real! ?
Reality as reality: that’s an interesting phrase, Last Man. I suppose it means you think there is one correct way of apprehending, of interpreting, reality.
And you give the correct interpretation, here: it is too painful and arbitrary, too pointless and without meaning or value.
If this is the correct interpretation of reality, then I suppose anything one might value, see meaningful, or take pleasure in is a delusion. By your definition.
Affirming reality as reality is simply experience and self-realization without contradiction, without repression or rationalization or denial. But this is almost impossible for humans. So naturally we need various opiate devices in order to cope with the psychological harm and dissonance caused by our false consciousness. This is normal. Religion is a particularly crude form of this. Thus only the crude human may make use of religion to these ends.
Philosophy is the only potentially genuine means of comprehending reality, that is, of attaining true self understanding, self-awareness. But needless to say, most people will never attain this even when they play at philosophy - most use philosophy as religion, nothing more.
If death isn’t reality; what is? Have you found some magical way to escape death and, therefore, reality?
I used to live in the middle apartment of a three storey block. I would regularly find, not so long after hearing a limp body tumbling down wooden stairs, my alcoholic neighbour collapsed outside my door. He certainly wasn’t ‘killing himself softly’. Was he blinding himself to reality? In fact he was hastening his death rather than continuing it. So, again, I say it is logically impossible to escape reality. Perhaps I should add: whilst it is possible to fool yourself some of the time or even fool yourself most of the time; you can’t fool yourself all of the time. (Here you could substitute the words ‘blind’ or ‘anaesthetise’ or ‘delude’ - it still works).
Reality catches up with us no matter how fast we run, hide or try to dodge it.