Rosa said: "I always interpreted the study of "defectology" as a way to get
at the (hate the word, ugh!) "normal". There is something about the
seamlessness of everyday forms of organization that make the processes and
inner workings very difficult to perceive unless there is a breakdown of
some kind or unless you are able to detach yourself from this immersedness
and view your everyday "reality" from the outside so to speak."
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By normal, I suppose I mean "how human needs are met".
The *genetic* is a deeper part of this reflection on the 'normal', because
it also asks the question "Where do human needs come from?" Humans
struggling to meet their simple needs, and in the process developing new,
more complex needs - for better or worse!!
Sure, observation of failure to meet needs, activity which does _not_
satisfy a need, draws our attention to things; even the founding
rationalist Descartes insisted that travel was necessary, to be able to
criticise what appeared to be obvious and certain - but the whole thing is
to, as you say, "view your everyday 'reality' from the outside" - and
that's very difficult, because it's also necessary to be part of it!
Andy
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* Andy Blunden, Teaching Space Consultant,
* and Manager of Videoconferencing Operations
* http://home.mira.net/~andy/
* University of Melbourne 9344 0312 (W) 9380 9435 (H)
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