The character is the empirically recognised, persistent, and unchangeable nature of an individual will (Schopenhauer). Consistency (therefore predictability) of behaviour, independent of consequences entailed in that behaviour, defines the character.
In public discourse ordinary character is distinct from extraordinary because latter gives preference to general good over personal good. Though both of these are acceptable with a value difference, what constitutes bad character here is having no consistency of behaviour at all.
One’s action are predicated on one’s character, and one’s image is a consequence of one’s actions. So character is precursor to image. The genesis and effectiveness of image lies in its communicability. More consistent is the behaviour, clearer the image, therefore, more communicable it is. In public life this communicability is most important for your views to be wide spread (acceptability of views, however, will depend on how closely they are aligned with prevalent acceptable norms, or expectations of a group.)
Now the times have changed. The advent of mass media has freed the image from the bounds of character. There is no need to grow an image organically through practiced behaviour, now it is possible to manufacture it. Because, the exposure is not direct anymore, but through a medium, and this medium is manipulatable. So much so that it is possible to manipulate not only the projection but also the receiver, i.e. psycho- biological capacity of humans through psychedelic repeated exposure, preying on limited capacity of humans to analyse and understand beyond what is obvious to their senses.
Having to go back to history and mythology for role models only perpetuate the problem. The role models coming from there are not real-world (in the current times) and a challenge to relate to. Also, over a period to time, in order to serve the purpose of those writing the history or propagating the myth, these role model invariably turns larger than life. These heroes of past are rarely flawed, but in real life -in present- they always are. Flawed hero are also complicated to understand, and always lose in competition with simplistic allure of a perfect hero, who, by the way, is impossible to emulate. Allure of a perfect hero gives more power to manufacturers of image, for it (a perfect hero) can only me manufactured.
A world now so finely structured that it is driven only by ideas and thoughts, and much reduced physicality, is bound to be dimensionless; and strange, too, at first. Like a dream. Like “ The Matrix”. In such a world image supersedes the character, for character can not exist as a mere idea, image does. As the possibility of directly observable action reduces the need for character becomes redundant, replaced by (manufactured) image.
-Pulastya
In public discourse ordinary character is distinct from extraordinary because latter gives preference to general good over personal good. Though both of these are acceptable with a value difference, what constitutes bad character here is having no consistency of behaviour at all.
One’s action are predicated on one’s character, and one’s image is a consequence of one’s actions. So character is precursor to image. The genesis and effectiveness of image lies in its communicability. More consistent is the behaviour, clearer the image, therefore, more communicable it is. In public life this communicability is most important for your views to be wide spread (acceptability of views, however, will depend on how closely they are aligned with prevalent acceptable norms, or expectations of a group.)
Now the times have changed. The advent of mass media has freed the image from the bounds of character. There is no need to grow an image organically through practiced behaviour, now it is possible to manufacture it. Because, the exposure is not direct anymore, but through a medium, and this medium is manipulatable. So much so that it is possible to manipulate not only the projection but also the receiver, i.e. psycho- biological capacity of humans through psychedelic repeated exposure, preying on limited capacity of humans to analyse and understand beyond what is obvious to their senses.
Having to go back to history and mythology for role models only perpetuate the problem. The role models coming from there are not real-world (in the current times) and a challenge to relate to. Also, over a period to time, in order to serve the purpose of those writing the history or propagating the myth, these role model invariably turns larger than life. These heroes of past are rarely flawed, but in real life -in present- they always are. Flawed hero are also complicated to understand, and always lose in competition with simplistic allure of a perfect hero, who, by the way, is impossible to emulate. Allure of a perfect hero gives more power to manufacturers of image, for it (a perfect hero) can only me manufactured.
A world now so finely structured that it is driven only by ideas and thoughts, and much reduced physicality, is bound to be dimensionless; and strange, too, at first. Like a dream. Like “ The Matrix”. In such a world image supersedes the character, for character can not exist as a mere idea, image does. As the possibility of directly observable action reduces the need for character becomes redundant, replaced by (manufactured) image.
-Pulastya
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