“Beware that you do not lose the substance by grasping at the shadow”
Aesop
Substance, and the illusion thereof. Aesop is correct to remind us not to grasp at shadows, but rather pursue the essence of something. But what is essence? In Kant’s philosophy, ‘essence’ refers to some elusive, unattainable, inner content of a thing which is hidden from perception. I, when referring to the ‘essence of something’, will refer to the most important or defining aspect of that something. Yes, it is true, it will take effort and time to become acquainted with something’s essence. The reason for this is because our senses have a great way to deceive us. What we see is not always what is. Descartes had a lengthy argument regarding how our senses may deceive us and I wonder how many of us frequently mistake a proverbial windmill for a giant. Through the course of our lives, we experience many moments where we mistake the essence of something because we grasp at its shadow. We may meet someone and think the world of that person, just to be shaken by that individual’s rotten essence. The opposite is also true, where we despise a person because we judge him/her on his/her “shadow”, only to learn later that he/she has an essence worthy of praise.
The question remains, is there a difference between those in Plato’s cave, who stand in awe at the shadows and images of various objects (reflected by the flames of the fire against the wall), and the philosopher who emerge from the cave having seen the real thing? If you don’t fully understand this allegory, then please acquaint yourself with Plato’s cave here. In any case, when we reflect on the world, it is as if the actual world had completely lost its actuality, its essence as if it has escaped us. Eugène Ionesco thinks that there is only one thing vividly present in this world: the constant tearing of the veil of appearances; the constant destruction of everything in construction. This should be our main effort, every single day, to tear away at that façade, to reveal those appearances dished up by so many forms of entertainment that shows us a humanity that seems more wonderful than it really is. Let us learn to differentiate between that which is an illusion, a shadow, and that which is, in essence, its true reality.
Is life truly one big illusion?
If so then life could be one huge confusion!
Let your giants not become windmills
but rather live a real life with all its delights and thrills.
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