Walter Benjamin "Theses on the Philosophy of History"

  Walter Benjamin Archives. Musée d'Art et d'Histoire du Judaïsme,

 History is an important part of our life because, every existence has an origin. Meanwhile, the contemporary issue is the different versions of the same origin. Although, the versions might seem related, but how do we determined the original version? This was as a result of inaccurate data and lack of record keeping as at the time it happened.

The passage i chose is "To articulate the past historically does not mean to recognize it "the way it really was" (Rankle). It means to seize hold of a memory as it flashes up at a moment of danger. Historical materialism wishes to retain that image of the past which unexpectedly appears to man singled out by history at a moment of danger. The danger affects both the content of the tradition and its receivers. The same threat hangs over both: that of becoming a tool of the ruling classes. In every era the attempt must be made anew to wrest tradition away from a conformism that is about to overpower it."
The passage analyze how the ruling class took advantage of uncompleted historical materials and used it to create different version of history in relation to politics, in order to justify their ruling as being the government of the people. Historical materials are not being used to avert the danger of the present, but are being used to suit the present politics.

The Work of Art in the Age of Mechanical Production

Walter Benjamin, The Work of Art in the Age of Mechanical

The work of art has always been crucial to the development and dissemination of information that relates to the concept and history of a particular artistic work. This is an interesting essay by Walter Benjamin, which explained the transformation in artistic production. The technical reproduction of the artistic work which gave rise to painting, lithography, photography and film production.
The passage I chose is;
"An analysis of art in the age of mechanical reproduction must do justice to these relationships, for they lead us to an all-important insight: for the first time in the world history, mechanical reproduction emancipates the work of art from its parasitical dependence on ritual. To an ever greater degree the work of art reproduced becomes the work of art designed for reproducibility.
The passage indicates how the work of art was transformed from ritual art to exhibition art, through the mechanical reproduction. The work of art now become the design for the reproducibility"
 This passage express the growth of art through the mechanical process, which remained an important aspect of the world history concerning the work of art.

1. Cult value is the original value of art work in the form of magic and rituals status. The artistic production base on ceremonial object being use as a cult. While the exhibition value is the production of artistic work by showing the relevant information about a piece of art work.The creation of art through its original form. Benjamin see the value of art as independent in relation to the politics which he says "art for art sake"

2. Erfahrung is a kind of experience called integrated experience, it is the understanding of the historical origin of the artistic object that  we encounter. Its establishes what we called continuity in experience through relativism. Erlebnisse is an experience that is referred to an isolated experience and are usually seen as being unfriendly in nature

3. POSITIVE;The destruction of aura takes away the mystical aspect of art and allow everyone to approach the art in a more realistic way. It also allow everyone to see the universal equality of things and also allow gives room for the mass production of artistic work for the first time.
NEGATIVE; The total function of the artistic work is being reversed an based another practice called politics.

4. The impact of forms of mass culture like films have really changed human perception, the positive destruction of aura which brought the universal equality of things and by also accepting the reproduction of art work.The reproduction of art has brought about pictures, magazines and a form of brief film.     

On Pain

Ernst Juunger

This is an interesting essay wrote by Ernst Junger, pain is inevitable as to my own perspective and we can only master pain rather than to avoid it. Pain is part of our existence, at one point or the other, human being must experience pain in order to shape his or her life.
The passage i chose is;
" Pain's hidden influence also comes to light in the feeling of embitterment. The soul's pain is of an inferior kind, it is among the sickness causing a rejection of sacrifice. Perhaps nothing is therefore more characteristics of the turn of the century than the predominance of psychology as a science.It bears the most intimate relation to pain, as confirmed by its advance into the field of medical science. A sense of deep mistrust also also has its place here: the feeling of being demoralized by malicious ploys, whether in relation to economic, intellectual, moral, or racial matters"
The passage emphasizes on the pain being cause by pain of the soul, the souls of human beings especially women, are so fragile and can hardly withstand pressure due to some emotional problem, this leads to series of pain, which demonizes the soul spiritually. The aftermath of these pain often lead to psychological pain, and this is where Junger says "A sense of deep mistrust also also has its place here: the feeling of being demoralized by malicious ploys, whether in relation to economic, intellectual, moral, or racial matters".

1,  I agree with Ernst Junger's thesis that pain is the central experience in human life . Individual lives engages in series of activities and we tend to stay in contact with pain through experience as we are growing up. " This observation explains why modern sensitivity relates to pain as a power to be avoided at all cost, because here pain confronts the body not as an outpost but as the main force and essential core of life"

2. Post liberal refer to the period of transformation of liberal education into specialized education.The progress refers to the period, where there was an introduction of technologies into the world which helped to transform human being through forms of specialized training.

3. Photography is the "evil eye" according to Junger, because it is a way of expressing our unusual brutality of seeing. " Ultimately, it is a kind of evil eye, a type of magical possession.

4, The "specialize" education and the "worker type" were within the education system and transformation of human life through technology.  The transformation on the part of worker's type was initially felt as a loss and also eliminates sensitivity, while specialization has a form of limited education and more focused.

5. It does protect a man from pain, to some extent, but not total protection where the individual has no other alternative than to remain loyal. Meanwhile, pain is inevitable