witnessing resonance, part 2: being transported by others' performance of their preferred identity
when I call myself a witness of resonance, what do I actually mean?
continuing from here
so what is it about the second layer of meaning in witnessing? what does it mean to be transported by someone else’s performance of their preferred identity?
(here I come with my big “anthropology of experience” guns)
when we say and/or do something to express and show who we are, who we are becoming, and who we want to be, — all these utterances, visual representations, stories, visual narratives and actions can be called “performance of preferred identity” or “performance of preferred identity claims”, to be precise
when we are directly involved in a dialogue, both performing our identity claims, we are interlocutors
when we observe somebody else performing their preferred identity claims, but we are not involved in a dialogue, but nevertheless we are experiencing the impact of this performance of preferred identity on our lives, we are witnesses (spectators, listeners, readers etc.)
the relationship between those performing their preferred identity claims, and the witnesses, can be a two-way street, and can be a one-way street
what happens usually is that expressing something important to themselves, the performers of their own preferred identity claims create something that hooks our attention. usually it happens when whatever they say or do gives expression to some of our own unexpressed experience, for example, it may be some past experience, or an association that had been lurking in the background of our mind, a fear, a hope, or a longing
when the experience finds its expression, it is like a dam (maybe just a small one, but still) has been broken, and our flow of experience resumes; movement replaces stagnation; we feel energy and direction; we get more in touch with some previously-unexpressed values
this experience “they found exactly the right something to express my experience” feels like “ring of truth”, a stirring inside. Gaston Bachelard calls it “reverberation”.
Reverberation creates resonance — like a wave of sound goes through our inner experience, eliciting harmonious response from some perceptions and memories. We feel a connection, a linking of memories, perceptions and hopes into a storyline. “This is what it reminds me of”, “it made me think about…”
the energy, the direction and the emerging storyline all unite to transport a person in their inner experience from some point A to some point B. we are transported, transformed, we become able to see the world from a different point of view
the energy, the direction and the new meanings derived from the new storyline may lead to new kinds of intentional action; we become capable of something that we weren't capable of before
somebody expresses their preferred identity claims, we are touched, we engage and respond, and we are transported. this is the one-way street of witnessing
but we can also make an effort to make the result of our transformation visible to those who caused it by sharing their performance of preferred identity claims with us: “look, I saw your dance, watched your vlog, read your interview, listened to your songs, etc., and this is what happened to me as a result, this is what became capable of doing to perform my own preferred identity claims better”
this “confirmation of being transported” makes the witnessing experience a two-way street
it confirms to the performers: “you achieved your goal, you touched my heart, i got engaged with something important to me thanks to you; your actions have meaning; your struggle and overcoming have not gone unnoticed”
when this is seen and acknowledged, it creates a tremendous supportive and even healing effect
…as a self-identified turtle, I am a witness of something precious, of an untold story, of various subversive, clever and inspiring performative acts of two people who I assume consider their identity of loving-and-being-loved by each other to be an essential part of who they are
and I feel reverberation and resonance, and I am transported, and I wish I could make the ways I am transported and transformed, visible
but in a safe way, because the story remains untold by its authors-and-protagonists because it is better this way, at least for now
but I can witness also the resonance it creates in other turtles, and it can also create reverberation, resonance and transformation in me, and I can make it visible, so the other turtles receive the acknowledgement of their preferred identity claims
tbc
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By taking a visual approach that mixes neuroscience, fun facts and useful tips, Reverberation makes the marriage of science and music more accessible than it has ever been before.
Reverberation is the impact a sound makes after the sound has stopped,” explains Peter Gabriel. “Our book exists to explore the impact and the reach of sound and music – on our brains, on our behaviour, and on our lives. Grab hold of any sound and hang on tight, you’ll be amazed how far it reverberates and where you end up. Reverberation has been set up to boldly go where only sound has been and I’m very happy to be a part of it.”
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NACHKLANG by ROLAND LEIGHTON
Down the long white road we walked together
Down between the grey hills and the heather,
Where the tawny-crested
Plover cries.
You seemed all brown and soft, just like a linnet,
Your errant hair had shadowed sunbeams in it,
And there shone all April
In your eyes.
With your golden voice of tears and laughter
Softened into song 'Does aught come after
Life,' you asked 'When life is
Laboured through?
What is God and all for which we're striving?'
'Sweetest sceptic, we were born for living;
Life is Love, and Love is—
You, dear, you.'
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Finished Reverberation, 8/10, once again I’m a huge fan of Takahashi Tsutomu. This story has great art, which is to be expected, kept me engaged the entire time. And most importantly to me, it had some interesting things to say on gender and the idea of revenge. Also I’m always a sucker for tragedy so it was almost perfectly built for me
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