Originary Scene: Difference between revisions
(Created page with " The '''Originary Scene''' is the series of moments whereby the originary event was instantiated, which is coeval with all significance: Constituent elements of this scene include language, desire, the esthetic, the sacred, etc., which all then correspond with the geometry between various social actors. The pragmatic paradox between participants within this scene, effected the birth of representation from the mimetic triangle, following the emission of the aborted gestu...") |
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[[Category:GA Basics]] | |||
[[Category:Generative Anthropology]] | |||
The '''Originary [[Scene]] (or Originary [[Scene|Event]])''' describes a hypothetical historical event where language emerges in order to [[Deferral|defer]] violence via representation. | |||
== Origin == | |||
On the Originary Scene, intense [[Mimetic Desire|mimetic desire]] overrides the existing hominid pecking order, and the members of a not-yet-human group converge symmetrically on a central object of desire (likely a food object), collectively reaching out in a gesture of appropriation. One of the hominids, out of the [[Originary Terror|originary terror]] of incurring the aggression of the other members of the group, instinctually aborts his gesture of appropriation. | |||
The | The other hominids see this hesitation and are similarly compelled to imitate and deliberately repeat his [[Gesture of Aborted Appropriation|gesture of aborted appropriation]]. The mimetic acceleration towards the central object becomes a mimetic deceleration as the gesture of appropriation (a kind of "grabbing") is converted by the group one by one into a [[Gesture of Aborted Appropriation|gesture of aborted appropriation]] (a kind of "pointing"). This [[Gesture of Aborted Appropriation|gesture of aborted appropriation]], once issued and recognized by the group, becomes the first [[sign]]. | ||
For the first time, the serial animal pecking order has been transcended by the collective designation of the central object via a sign. A new kind of social order is born: a human community, organized around a shared central sign that each is able to refer to. The first sign is [[ostensive]] and it functions as a collective interdiction of the central object, deferring the [[Originary Violence|originary violence]] which otherwise could have ensued. The purpose of that first sign, like all signs after it, is the [[deferral]] of violence through representation. | |||
After the succesful issuance of the sign, the object at the center does ultimately need to be consumed, and this happens in the [[sparagmos]] where the sign would be issued again as a reminder of the communities collective limits and would make the peaceful consumption of the object possible. Following the sparagmos, as the members of the community face each other over the remains of their victim/meal/deity, the sign would be issued once again, this time pointing to the remainders and mementos of the sacred being, marking the first [[ritual]]. | |||
== Characteristics == | |||
Eric Gans articulated the first version of the Originary Scene in his 1981 book ''The Origin of Languag''e where he referred to the scene as the "little bang" of human culture, analogous to the "big bang" of the Universe. | |||
The issuer of the first [[Aborted Gesture of Appropriation|aborted gesture of appropriation]] didn't ''intend'' for it to become a sign, and yet it did. The hominid group didn't ''intend'' to create a community, and yet they created the first human community via the issuance of the sign. The [[center]] both compelled them to issue the sign and the center was created when the sign was issued. This is the [[paradox]] of signification that first emerges on the Originary Scene and is constitutive of the human. | |||
=== References === | |||
Gans, E. L., Katz, A. L. (2019). ''The Origin of Language: A New Edition'' | |||
Katz, A. (2020). ''Anthropomorphics.'' | |||
Latest revision as of 18:31, 9 April 2023
The Originary Scene (or Originary Event) describes a hypothetical historical event where language emerges in order to defer violence via representation.
Origin
On the Originary Scene, intense mimetic desire overrides the existing hominid pecking order, and the members of a not-yet-human group converge symmetrically on a central object of desire (likely a food object), collectively reaching out in a gesture of appropriation. One of the hominids, out of the originary terror of incurring the aggression of the other members of the group, instinctually aborts his gesture of appropriation.
The other hominids see this hesitation and are similarly compelled to imitate and deliberately repeat his gesture of aborted appropriation. The mimetic acceleration towards the central object becomes a mimetic deceleration as the gesture of appropriation (a kind of "grabbing") is converted by the group one by one into a gesture of aborted appropriation (a kind of "pointing"). This gesture of aborted appropriation, once issued and recognized by the group, becomes the first sign.
For the first time, the serial animal pecking order has been transcended by the collective designation of the central object via a sign. A new kind of social order is born: a human community, organized around a shared central sign that each is able to refer to. The first sign is ostensive and it functions as a collective interdiction of the central object, deferring the originary violence which otherwise could have ensued. The purpose of that first sign, like all signs after it, is the deferral of violence through representation.
After the succesful issuance of the sign, the object at the center does ultimately need to be consumed, and this happens in the sparagmos where the sign would be issued again as a reminder of the communities collective limits and would make the peaceful consumption of the object possible. Following the sparagmos, as the members of the community face each other over the remains of their victim/meal/deity, the sign would be issued once again, this time pointing to the remainders and mementos of the sacred being, marking the first ritual.
Characteristics
Eric Gans articulated the first version of the Originary Scene in his 1981 book The Origin of Language where he referred to the scene as the "little bang" of human culture, analogous to the "big bang" of the Universe.
The issuer of the first aborted gesture of appropriation didn't intend for it to become a sign, and yet it did. The hominid group didn't intend to create a community, and yet they created the first human community via the issuance of the sign. The center both compelled them to issue the sign and the center was created when the sign was issued. This is the paradox of signification that first emerges on the Originary Scene and is constitutive of the human.
References
Gans, E. L., Katz, A. L. (2019). The Origin of Language: A New Edition
Katz, A. (2020). Anthropomorphics.
