Comments on: Your Attention, Please http://malcolmpollack.com/2006/01/15/your-attention-please/ I go many places... Wed, 07 Jan 2009 04:02:03 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.2.1 By: waka waka waka » Blog Archive » Only Human http://malcolmpollack.com/2006/01/15/your-attention-please/#comment-1452 waka waka waka » Blog Archive » Only Human Mon, 22 May 2006 03:55:34 +0000 http://malcolmpollack.com/2006/01/15/your-attention-please/#comment-1452 [...] But what can creep in, even in this purest of enterprises, is the hunger for status. I see this in myself – I participate in some online philosophical forums, and the wish to be the one who makes the most penetrating comment, who brings the insight that others overlooked, is strong indeed. The payoff is the respect of the others in the group, and of course if one really hits it big, and comes up with the new paradigm that will cut some ancient Gordian Knot, one wins the existential jackpot – cultural immortality. (Of course, all of this is just variations on a theme; as I have suggested in a previous post, the currency that we are really dealing in here, as is true always and in everything, is attention.) [...] […] But what can creep in, even in this purest of enterprises, is the hunger for status. I see this in myself – I participate in some online philosophical forums, and the wish to be the one who makes the most penetrating comment, who brings the insight that others overlooked, is strong indeed. The payoff is the respect of the others in the group, and of course if one really hits it big, and comes up with the new paradigm that will cut some ancient Gordian Knot, one wins the existential jackpot – cultural immortality. (Of course, all of this is just variations on a theme; as I have suggested in a previous post, the currency that we are really dealing in here, as is true always and in everything, is attention.) […]

]]> By: Malcolm http://malcolmpollack.com/2006/01/15/your-attention-please/#comment-292 Malcolm Thu, 26 Jan 2006 01:05:33 +0000 http://malcolmpollack.com/2006/01/15/your-attention-please/#comment-292 Hi Salim, "NAMBLA"... that's funny. Well, if they don't like me, I'll take that as a compliment. And right you are, metaphysics is indeed distinct from physics, and I have nothing against intuition. But if we are going to use language at all, whether for physics or metaphysics, we all have to be clear about, and agree on, what the words mean, or we aren't really communicating. And life is so short... M Hi Salim,

“NAMBLA”… that’s funny. Well, if they don’t like me, I’ll take that as a compliment.

And right you are, metaphysics is indeed distinct from physics, and I have nothing against intuition. But if we are going to use language at all, whether for physics or metaphysics, we all have to be clear about, and agree on, what the words mean, or we aren’t really communicating. And life is so short…

M

]]> By: Salim Ismail http://malcolmpollack.com/2006/01/15/your-attention-please/#comment-291 Salim Ismail Wed, 25 Jan 2006 23:50:48 +0000 http://malcolmpollack.com/2006/01/15/your-attention-please/#comment-291 Gee, catch a nerve, did I? I consider metaphysically to be distinct from physically.... (this is a much longer discussion better had over beers)... and it's an intuitive leap not a linear leap (says he desperately trying to sidestep the flaws in his logic). Language is sooo limiting - I can't wave my hands like I normally do... The folks at N.A.M.B.L.A won't like you much (that's the New Age Mushmouth Blog Lovers Association) S. Gee, catch a nerve, did I?

I consider metaphysically to be distinct from physically…. (this is a much longer discussion better had over beers)… and it’s an intuitive leap not a linear leap (says he desperately trying to sidestep the flaws in his logic). Language is sooo limiting - I can’t wave my hands like I normally do…

The folks at N.A.M.B.L.A won’t like you much (that’s the New Age Mushmouth Blog Lovers Association)

S.

]]> By: Malcolm http://malcolmpollack.com/2006/01/15/your-attention-please/#comment-290 Malcolm Wed, 25 Jan 2006 23:31:55 +0000 http://malcolmpollack.com/2006/01/15/your-attention-please/#comment-290 Why thanks, Salim, and thanks for visiting. No, I think I'll stick with "attention". It has a very clear definition, and it is a definition that is well understood in both esoteric and neurological/cognitive circles. "Energy", on the other hand, is a word that has been misappropriated and misused in so many ways, by so many gormless and muddle-headed New Age mushmouths, that it has lost almost all precision. In my opinion almost the only realm in which the word really <i>means</i> anything anymore, in any technical sense, is physics. And I must disagree with your suggestion that when I pay attention I "give energy". Let's say I am looking out the window, lost in a daydream. Suddenly I notice a falling leaf, and it becomes the object of my attention. In what sense has the leaf gained energy? If we wish to introduce this overburdened word to discussions of inner growth and esoteric work we must do so in such a way as not to lose useful discriminative terms. There may well be a <em>relationship </em>between energy, attention, and love, but the referents are not identical. Please forgive me if my reaction seems a bit heated; the vague and confusing usage of this particular word is a bit of a pet peeve of mine. Why thanks, Salim, and thanks for visiting.

No, I think I’ll stick with “attention”. It has a very clear definition, and it is a definition that is well understood in both esoteric and neurological/cognitive circles. “Energy”, on the other hand, is a word that has been misappropriated and misused in so many ways, by so many gormless and muddle-headed New Age mushmouths, that it has lost almost all precision. In my opinion almost the only realm in which the word really means anything anymore, in any technical sense, is physics.

And I must disagree with your suggestion that when I pay attention I “give energy”. Let’s say I am looking out the window, lost in a daydream. Suddenly I notice a falling leaf, and it becomes the object of my attention. In what sense has the leaf gained energy?

If we wish to introduce this overburdened word to discussions of inner growth and esoteric work we must do so in such a way as not to lose useful discriminative terms. There may well be a relationship between energy, attention, and love, but the referents are not identical.

Please forgive me if my reaction seems a bit heated; the vague and confusing usage of this particular word is a bit of a pet peeve of mine.

]]> By: Salim Ismail http://malcolmpollack.com/2006/01/15/your-attention-please/#comment-289 Salim Ismail Wed, 25 Jan 2006 22:53:39 +0000 http://malcolmpollack.com/2006/01/15/your-attention-please/#comment-289 As always, great post. However, let me suggest a slight clarification on your terminology. 'Attention' is a great label, but consider that it's really a mashup (!) of two other concepts: 'presence' and 'energy'. Words like mindful, attention, etc are all about Presence (in the buddhist sense). And if you replace 'giving attention' to 'giving energy', that (imho) sounds better. (btw, metaphysically, I maintain that attention = energy = love.... at some point would be fun to discuss... ) On a totally separate note, you should create a blog (or a category) for all the quotable quotes about musicians you've heard over the years. I'm still chuckling of your recount of Strauss saying "don't even look at the trombones, it only encourages them" : ) As always, great post. However, let me suggest a slight clarification on your terminology. ‘Attention’ is a great label, but consider that it’s really a mashup (!) of two other concepts: ‘presence’ and ‘energy’. Words like mindful, attention, etc are all about Presence (in the buddhist sense). And if you replace ‘giving attention’ to ‘giving energy’, that (imho) sounds better.

(btw, metaphysically, I maintain that attention = energy = love…. at some point would be fun to discuss… )

On a totally separate note, you should create a blog (or a category) for all the quotable quotes about musicians you’ve heard over the years. I’m still chuckling of your recount of Strauss saying “don’t even look at the trombones, it only encourages them” : )

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