Blindness Cave

[mitternacht]

I only just finished reading up to pg. 186.
So as to experience the novel as a whole, I didn't skip the pages that were flagged for their content. Now, upon finishing, I truly do wish that I did.

I'm very seldom sickened by human behavior. The music I listen to, the films I watch and the videogames that I play are heavily riddled with implications of sex, violence and otherwise cruel and shocking lack of morals. I've found that I've adapted and grown into the insensitive, immoral and ignorant niche we're all ashamed to admit exists. Through reading this book, however, I grow more and more frustrated with the lack of organization and humanity in the asylum. To be able to do nothing but sit back and read as these people degrade from ordinary citizens to indecent animals quite literally hits me hard in the stomach and makes me sick. I don't like to believe that people would segregate and isolate others so desperately in need of assistance. I'd like to think that in this day and age, those assigned to watch over the asylum would be much more remorseful and would not treat the blind the way they do. I was so upset, in fact; I spent a good 20 minutes talking this over with my significant other. I was quickly assured (though ‘assured’ may not be a fitting term in this instance) that yes, people really are that unethical. I was shortly thereafter provided with more examples from history than I'd ever care to accept. I've devoted much thought to how I'd react if I were ever placed in such an environment, and I really do believe that I'd be driven to better the situation as greatly as I could, no matter how futile the effort may be. However, after the Rogue's demands for women, I do believe that I'd give up and in all likelihood lose my mind completely. Just by simply reading it, I felt like I did. That was the point in which the dark theme of the novel really hit home. The cliché “men are pigs”, as much as I don’t believe it to really be true, rang repeatedly in my head and I wanted to vomit. Not only was I heavily reminded of negative experiences in my own life, I was flooded with immense sorrow and remorse for all characters that would ever have to experience such indecency, fictional or otherwise. So much in fact, I found myself driven to go and take a very long, scalding shower; not unlike the abused women at the end of the chapter.

Through writing this response and reflecting on the words I’ve read in the novel, I’ve come to the realization of what I personally I am ‘blind’ to. I cannot say that I find the realization of it particularly enlightening, but rather I am quite depressed by it. C'est la vie.

As someone who rarely takes the time to stop and reflect on things anymore, Gibson-Dodd, you did very well in selecting this book. I've never come across fiction so poignant in my life. I can honestly say that I've never felt so passionately about a piece of literature. I find nothing lighthearted or even remotely "white" about this book. It is incredibly well-written and though I do not mind reading this book overall, I am thus far not particularly enjoying this rather heavy emotional stimulation.
Don’t take this as negative feedback, because it is in fact quite the opposite.

Is it not the purpose of this class to provoke?

[Kalevra]

Ah. Pure bliss.

As sadistic as this may read, I take great pleasure in reading that someone else is enjoying this novel as much as I did. This novel took me on a rollercoaster of emotions, and I loved every word of it.

I think the darkness of humanity is something we all blind ourselves to. In acknowledging the darkness in others, we must then recognize how capable we ourselves are of committing these vile acts against our fellow man (or woman). That is a trait which is almost solely human; We are one of the only species who torture and kill one another for what may be called 'sport'. (The only other species that come to mind are apes; which brings up the question, are we evolving, or devolving?) But I digress, in recognizing your blindness, realizing what you fail to allow yourself to see, you come that much closer to truly seeing. Which, to me, was the whole point of this course.

[gibsondodds]

This is really profound. I am, however, against despair. I will not give in to the temptation to cynicism. We are getting better and we are seeing ourselves more and more, both individually and as a civilization. There will always be the "pigs" but there is hope for them too, especially if their imagination can be educated, informed, open to distortion, and I think the media has done a marvellous job of that, even if it has done a great deal of damage as well. It is not enjoyable to read; it is painful and poignant and all too relevant but it puts me more at ease than a comedy which always aims to be enjoyable regardless of how irrelevant or irreverent it is.

[Astroman]

That's very true, sir. Isn't it kind of funny that much of the humor that is accepted today (family guy, etc) is often just as irreverent as some parts of Blindness? Yet we aren't shocked or disgusted by it; we love it and even look forward to it.

[Pantalaimon]

The vile state in which this novel takes place makes me and probably most of you cringe when reading and thinking about the elements of darkness of humanity in this book and in our world. Being exposed to the inhuman and unjustified circumstances opens our eyes as blindly as it can be not to. The meaning of life is stripped from them. The search for hope is desirably questioned. The horrors to an extent that are presented in the novel are real in our world, today. The traumatizing scene of the women being raped for food, to live, a method of survival is a sad and true sight that is represented in our world, somewhere out there. The images Jose Saramago paints for us, eye-shattering take upon society where everyone is degraded to animals where the only means to live is to be carnavor and live in their own filth. Its a tragic sight.

[Kalevra]

[ROME SDS]

It only takes one person to change the world. The idea of chaos theory and the butterfly effect come into play here, the idea that a butterfly flapping it wings here, could prevent, delay or even cause a hurricane in Taiwan. It only takes the smallest thing to change everything. One person going out and making a difference could ultimately create a world of hope and prosperity, or decimate the land we all know. Agreed, who is willing to take that first step forward and try is a question you could ask, the question you should ask, however, isn't who, but when?

[Kalevra]

I think that's rather hopeful of you. It's a good thought, and it is true, sometimes it takes only one person to make a difference, and one person's efforts are valuable; but looking on the scale of change I'm talking about, fighting against the indoctrination of religion and society, forcing people to see (not necessarily drop their religious beliefs and not that my way of thinking is right) and accept the world around them, we may need a bit more than a simple butterfly.

[ROME SDS]

Perhaps this is just one of those caves that you yourself have to leave?


Is it not possible that perhaps you find yourself in one of these very caves that are oh so easy to hate? Do you not find it curious though how comforting they really can be?

[Kalevra]

I've battled a lot to escape the cave I was in, and yes, I do find myself in yet another. I don't think anyone really sees everything. No matter how open a person may be, we're always blind to something, even Mr. Gibson Dodd. (HERACY!! BURN THE WITCH! HOW DARE KALEVRA SAY THESE THINGS! )

I wouldn't say I hate the cave, necessarily. I do hold a bit of dirision for my cave, that goes without saying. I'm a person who hungers for knowledge, I crave further enlightenment so I can make use of it. I don't think there's anything wrong with that, other than it keeps me from enjoying my ignorance, and it does indeed fill up much of my time with literature.

[Pantalaimon]

We are blind but seeing.

[ROME SDS]

That simple yet oh so complex idea is exactly how I ended my thought paper

[lost in translation]

I loved mitternacht's first post. I felt exactly the same while reading this novel. I especailly liked what you wrote about our insensitive, immoral and ignorant niche. You really got me thinking, and i like it.
In reading this novel, I've come to realize how incredibly intolerant I am of other people. I feel completely aware that everyone has different morals and values but I didn't know I was being so naive. For example, I have accumulated zero respect for strippers, prostitutes, and people who make a living with jobs with this promiscuous nature in my life. My mom makes these baskets for prostitutes every christmas, and since I was little I've hated it. I never wanted to be this coldhearted, but even the whole, "I have children and it's the only way for me to feed and clothe them" doesnt fly with me. All I can think when I hear that is a)why were you having sex if you couldn't afford to feed a child, b)if you must have sex, and you happened to get pregnant, why didn't you give your child up for adoption, and c) why can't you find a regular job? I say this in the most regretful way possible because I am beginning to see that some women are okay with selling their bodies, and I really am unaware of morals other than my own. The girl with the dark glasses has fought her way into my heart, and is hands down my favourite character. After reading this, I want to make baskets for prostitutes every christmas, and I didn't know people could could change like that, nor did I know that I could for that matter. It bothers me how it is so often said that people can't really ever change deep down, because I truly beleive we can all change, and we do all change, whether we want to or not. I'm scared of change, but I think it is almost always for the better.
I hope no one reads this and hates me for saying such offensive and closed minded statements, but I felt it should be said, in hopes that it would perhaps make someone else have the same realization.

[Kalevra]

Lost, I don't think you should worry about people hating you because you said something slightly offensive. I think that's a huge part of English, stating our opinions no matter how controversial they may be. Then we get into a discussion, see an issue from other view points, and expand or change our opinions.

Then again, I'm a person who likes to throw controversy down peoples throats so maybe I'm a little biased...

[Pantalaimon]

I side with you lost about the whole prostitute thing but really is The Girl with Dark Glasses a prostitute??? She picks and chooses who she sleeps with. She does not sleep with everyone. Yes, she gets paid but does she need the money to live off of. That answer is no. The author presents us that she could be considered a prostitute. I don't think she is.

[Hannah Montana]

The question of prostitution is an ethical dilemma that has plagued society for centuries. But who was it that labelled it as wrong? If the woman doesn't have values against it, who's to say she is wrong in her actions? She really isn't hurting anyone. But somehow it is legal to make weapons of mass destruction. Where is our real problem?

[gibsondodds]

Wow, this is a really profound discussion; I am particularly moved by what Lost in Translation said about recognizing how characters can change. That's huge.

As far as what Kalevra said about my being in a cave: you better believe it I am! To deny my cave would be to seal it shut. As long as I am learning I am alive and as long as I'm alive, I'm not suffocating, but one has to work at it or learn at it. The deadliest gases are the ones that you can't smell....