Thinking Of Existentialism
As Tension

I had a thought today on existentialism. The word I think communicates that in the act of existing there is tension.

Existentialism is not a philosophy per se. It is an epistemological methodology. Or, put another way, existentialism is a made-as-you-go set of assumptions regarding how to live. Or put another way, you have to live in order to live.

Historically, its opposite, so to speak, is totalism, aka essentialism, which is a pre-packaged set of epistemological assumptions that imply eventual arrival at a totalist philosophy per se as an outcome, such as Hegel and before him the Sephardi Jew Spinoza produced. Modernly, existentialists most consequential are Soren Kierkegaard and Karl Marx, both students of Hegel.

Actually, the approach to life referenced by the word existentialism appears in Heraclitus, Krishna, Rama, Nicolas of Cusa, Francis of Assisi, Buddha, Jesus, MacArthur, Ramakrishna Paramahamsa, Ramana Maharshi, etc. Paul Tillich is rightly regarded as an existentialist. Reinhold Niebuhr, truth be told, was a dogmatic totalitarian.

Existentialists are not dogmatic. If you sense dogmatism or bigotry in their existentialism, they are essentialists, not existentialists.

Existentialists run close to the line of Nominalism because they are not dogmatic. Nominalism is represented by Abelard and, modernly, the establishment, the interagency, the deep state:

• the world can be only what I say it can be, and anything other than that threatens [fill in the blank] security.

In the historical record, another word for existentialism is phenomenalism or phenomenalist:

• what’s happening actually, rather than what you desire and only will accept as happening.

Every scientist worthy of the accolade is a phenomenalist:

• he or she makes a guess then tests out there in the real world whether the guess describes what is actually going on or not.

Tension is a word I do not recall being associated with existentialists or existentialism as an epistemological posture or as a philosophy per se. I can see it being used so, but to the best of my knowledge it is not.

Conflict is used, and related words, expressing perpetual dynamism. But tension implies some sort of stasis, which would not suit existentialist tastes.

Existentialists are comfortable with the phenomenon of indeterminacy.

If meaning shifting balance of powers with nothing ever being the same twice, then yeah, tension could describe the existentialist approach to life.

Tension, as best I know, is a term of art from shrink-dom, itself perverse existentialist epistemological posture, activity, and outcome. Entertainers, reporters, influencers, use dramatic tension and talk of tension per se for effect in their outputs partly because they frequent shrinks.

Tension could be used in the existentialist context, but I do not recall that it is. Of course, I haven’t been reading that literature for 40+ years now, so what do I know?

And I am thinking of tension not as a balance of power, but as a pulling apart and a banging into — the friction of existence, or conflict.

There are two types of tension: pulling apart and pushing together. An underlying assumption of existentialist outlook is that both always and everywhere occur together as a single process that moves overall events / activity in a direction that is teleological.

Whether the teleology is to chaos or to organization, to anxiety or to relaxation, is what distinguishes existentialists from one another.

Atheists say, chaos. Believers say, organization. Actually, they’re both right, but that just means you get what you ask for (Dharma).

Believers have more fun than atheists. Nihilists are atheists who think, If only I try harder I’ll be happy. Then, when that doesn’t pan out, they say, Oh, F it.

Love — and its partner in life, humility — as a way around the theological conundrum of being in but not of the world does not occur to atheists. Only sensory stimulation, which is more conundrum.

That atheists include themselves — rightly — among the collegium of existentialists is one demonstration that there are no atheists.

Sartre and Gaudí are the same phenomenon in different clothing.

A Day At The Races

It’s a beautiful day for the races here at Buddhi Park in beautiful downtown Adwaitha, USA! Wind and temperature are perfect for racing. The track is dry and fast.

And we have a special race today, a stakes race which is also a match race between two superb horses, Propaganda and Fact.

Here’s the rundown.

Both are three-year-olds. Both have the same sire, but they are out of different dams.

Propaganda has six wins, two places, and one show in twelve races. Fact has seven wins and two places in nine races. Both Fact’s places were argued by his owners, who said he won, but the judges gave those races to the other horses.

The horses have left the paddock now and are in the post parade in front of the grandstand. Bunting and gay apparel are visible everywhere, flapping in the breezes. Who doesn’t love a horse race? The band plays cheerful music from deep Americana.

Propaganda is owned by a consortium of power players from the worlds of finance, entertainment, education, industry and government in The UK, Japan, Africa, Europe, The Middle East, and The USA.

The crowd is on their feet cheering these two splendid contestants. Festoons hang everywhere.

Fact is owned by a small college of saints, sages, and soldiers kept alive, for the work they perform, by kind gratitude from the nations’ citizens.

The horses’ owners and trainers are in the grandstand today, all-eager to see their champions race . . . and win. Today marks the first time these horses go head-to-head in a race.

Horses and jockeys sport their owners’ livery, yellow and blue for Propaganda and his jockey and orange and black for Fact and his jockey.

They’ve made their way into the chute. Soon they will turn to enter the starting gate.

I’m told the amounts wagered on this race are the largest anyone here has ever seen. Bets are placed from all over the globe. Propaganda is the heavy favorite at his current odds of 13/5. Fact is the long shot at his current odds of 7/1.

They’re at the starting gate now. Propaganda gets some help and makes it into stall #1, next to the rail. Fact walks into stall #3. The attendants close the back doors. The starter signals that the horses are ready. AND THERE THEY GO!!

Propaganda takes an early, strong lead on the inside. He favors that position, works best there. Fact is on Propaganda’s flank behind by a head.

Passing the grandstand, it’s Propaganda pulling ahead smartly, the crowd is roaring and jumping. Into the club house turn now and Fact is a length behind Propaganda on the rail, taking dirt from Propaganda’s heels.

Coming out of the turn and into the backstretch, it’s still Propaganda leading Fact, now by two lengths. But Fact has gotten out of Propaganda’s baffles and is making his own. He’s gaining on Propaganda. They’re neck-and-neck now down the backstretch.

Going into the far turn, Fact is on the outside and Propaganda on the inside. running the shorter distance. And they’re still neck-and-neck going around the turn.

Coming out of the turn now, Fact is moving wide and fast. He’s gaining the lead with speed and strength. At the quarter pole Fact is ahead by a length.

Into the homestretch, it’s Fact driving right down the middle of the track. Propaganda is holding onto the rail and flagging. He’s now back four . . . five . . . six . . . lengths behind Fact.

Approaching the eighth mile marker, Fact has opened up a twelve-length lead. He’s surging forward, going for more. His jockey lets him chose the pace and speed. Fact looks unstoppable! His lead is sixteen lengths nearing the wire. And he finishes at eighteen lengths still pulling away, a new track record.

What an amazing achievement for a horse who went off at such long odds! It’s unbelievable, but it happened. Fact has won the stakes and match race against Propaganda! WOW! What a race!

Fact beats Propaganda in this exciting stakes and match race at Buddhi Downs. His owners’ friends in the stands and on the field are congratulating them. Happy people. Everyone congratulating the saints, sages, and soldiers. What a great race here at Buddhi Park in beautiful downtown Adwaitha, USA!

Ramakatha Rasavahini 1

Bhagavatha Vahini

Ramakatha Rasavahini 2