Just concluded

Perception versus Being Together:

The Hermeneutics of Political Narrative

A course for Osher Lifelong learning Institute at UVa, Sept – Oct, 2024:

The goal of this course is to show people how to see beyond the Us-vs-Them views we too often have of others. To the extent that our civic space is built on our perceptions of each other, we should investigate the nature of perception. The course reveals the human perceptual mechanism which empowers “inherited myth,” and prevents us from breaking free of Us-Against-Them. It distinguishes another way of seeing the world than perception allows, providing an actual experience of common ground among people whose opinions or positions may be irreconcilable.

We unveil the mechanism of perception, exposing its role in crafting optical illusions and dominating our visual reality, and we explore how this very mechanism extends its reach into the fabric of our interpersonal interactions. Immersed in a battleground of perceptions, we find ourselves entrenched in divisive narratives that grip us relentlessly, rendering us blind to alternatives. To transcend this perceptual stranglehold, we embark on a journey of physical engagement and shared activities, from the humble handshake to more elaborate exercises, forging connections beyond the constraints of perception’s sway.

“Civic relationships … are not chiefly based on rights, economic ties, political access, or a standardized civics curriculum…. If we lived more truthfully and dared to live more lovingly, we would be more vulnerable to one another, and more trusting.  We may not pledge allegiance to the same symbols, but we would have more secrets and public spaces to share, we would remember, feel, urge, touch, and care for one another more often.  The problem with educating those who inherited a myth is their tendency to flee from touching others.  They are situated to find the assumption of interpersonal solidarity unnecessary because they possess the power to keep others abstract and at bay.”¹

1. “Facing the Civic Love Gap:  James Baldwin’s Civic Education for Interpersonal Solidarity,” (John P. Fantuzzo, Educational Theory 68, 4-5, 2018) ↩︎