mimesis

I am often asked for a basic approach to my philosophy and worldview: Given our immersion in an image-dominated culture which is rapidly moving away from the necessary skills of reading and comprehension, the irony of the loss of literacy will likely lead to something akin to older iconographic importance for mass audiences.  We already see this trend with the popularity of Instagram and memes – another version of pale attempts at icons.

 it is through mimesis, (identification with the mirror image) that one gains a sense of unity, self-containment and mastery over the body. If that was all that there was to it, humanity would be condemned to dwell forever entombed in the hell of mirrors. However, the identification with an Other in the mirror opens out the possibility for symbolic thought.