Lost in the Cosmos

339 Words2 Pages
HOW TWO SELVES CONFRONTING EACH OTHER CAN MISCALCULATE, EACH ATTRIBUTING A PUTATIVE AND SPURIOUS REALITY TO THE OTHER AND TRYING TO MATCH IT, WITH THE CONSEQUENCE THAT BOTH SELVES BECOMES NON-SELVES. A filmmaker reported the following experience with his film company, especially the actors, while on a location in a small Midwestern town. The townspeople showered a tremendous excitement about the presence of the film company in their midst. Not only did they make the town and even their homes available to the film crew, allowing their very lives to be disrupted, some town folk even expressed the strongest possible desire to be in the film, of only in the most insignificant roles. A quiet woman, a librarian, said that it would be the greatest event in her life. The actors also enjoyed their stay in the town and the attention they were getting. Even though they, the actors, were not held in the highest regard by the filmmakers – producers, directors, cinematographers, etc – were in fact often referred to by the latter as “pieces of meat,” “talking faces,” “hollow heads” among other uncomplimentary expression – they, the actors, found themselves playing enjoyable roles in the town. What roles? They were playing the roles of the superb human beings the town folk believed them to be. Everyone in the town remarked what nice people they were. So they become nice. They become nicer than saints. One famous actress in particular, noted for her childish and difficult ways, become a very model of friendliness and graciousness, astounding even the film crew and the town folk by her small acts of kindness, such as inquiring after the health of a stagehand’s sick child, remembering the name of the A&P checkout lady. Q1: Which of the two, the actors or the townspeople, are the more real., that is, perceive themselves as more nearly what they are? The townspeople because
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