10/28/2012
THE PHILOSOPHY FORUM LECTURE SERIES--A Summary on the Thoughts on Identity portion.
The environment of the event was very relaxed and open, so it was easy to enjoy from a rather active questioner’s perspective. If you’re less inclined to join in on Q&A sections, then I think it’s important to note that Tim very much enjoyed the event as an observer.
Sadly I was late, and therefore missed Danney Ursery’s speech on disabling identities. However, some great questions were directed at Ursery, and I was able to follow the discussions without trouble. One such question was about Ursery’s opinion that those with unseen disabilities, like anxiety disorders, are responsible for stepping forward with their struggles.
Matthew Daude Laurents presented a different perspective on many of the accepted norms in our society. He challenged the idea of how mainstream culture has approached gender identities, and then continued on to examine what “desire” is. Daude Laurents finished his speech with an idea to try on for size. Imagine if you will, not thinking of yourself as any specific sexual type, which means forgoing the idea of desiring a fixed resultant. Instead, try and think of yourself as a being that seeks and/or experiences desires free of any preconceived notions.
The last speaker was Ahmed Majeed, and he opened with a clip from the Disney movie Aladdin (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YSxZXZ11yH8). Majeed then spoke of his upbringing briefly. He also mentioned that being called an “Arab” held specific connotations to Middle Easterners, such as being in poverty. Once he explained how he came to live in the states, Majeed turned the reigns over to the audience for questions with the preface of granting permission to forgo political correctness. Needless to say, the questions were just as interesting as the answers.
If this sounds like your cuppa, but didn’t have enough time to prepare, then you can always check out: http://www.austincc.edu/philosophy/
Here’s the information on the next part of the Philosophy Forum Lecture Series:
Eastview Campus, Room 8500
Nov. 15 (Thursday), 7-9 p.m.