virus: Essence

Brett Lane Robertson (unameit@tctc.com)
Tue, 12 Aug 1997 19:07:00 -0500


Someone suggested that the "Mprc" ('M'eaning, 'p'urpose, 'r'eason, 'c'ause)
of a jester is to keep the king from becoming self-important. I suggest
that this may have been his function, but not the meaning, purpose, reason,
or cause ("function", a result of hindsight which uses historical
revisitation and advanced knowledge to evaluate the mprc of an event in
light of the *effect* it subsequently had).

Does one think that a king would decide one day "I need someone to make fun
of me" (Our "cause" is to *self-destruct*)? Or, would the jester take his
life in his own hands and decide "I'll make fun of the king, it'll keep him
honest." (Our cause is to *sacrifice*)? Both of these paths lead to death
(a cause which is self destructive to--or because of--itself) Or, did the
need arise for both king and jester simultaneously (as symbiotes), therefore
nature groomed two people to fill these positions (a single cause which is
at odds with itself)? Is their a path which leads to kingliness which
diverges from foolishness; and, is there a path which leads to being a fool
which cannot lead to the crown (a double cause which is destructive to self)?

To find the cause we must know: What is the meaning of clowning? For what
purpose did the jester perform this act? What reason did the king have for
continuing this relationship? WHAT IS THE CAUSE OF HUMOR?

The splitting of the masculine and feminine from the original essence turns
around and creates the child who is neither masculine nor feminine. The
conflict between the masculine and feminine produces a compromise which is
both masculine and feminine. The child looks like the compromise but is
not. The feminine can look to the child and see the masculine in a feminine
light...can laugh at both the child king and herself. The masculine can
look to the feminine essence in the child and see it in a masculine light
laughing at both the feminine and himself in the child queen. The jester
mocks himself by having two halves...a double conical hat, a face divided
down the center and painted two colors. The conflict is divided against
itself and recombined into one whole.

This is a version of the oedipal complex: If the father destroys the child,
then the mother accepts the child; if the mother destroys the child, then
the father accepts the child; so, if the father and mother destroy each
other, the child accepts himself. If the child destroys the father, then
the mother accepts the father; if the child destroys the mother, then the
father accepts the mother; so, if the child destroys himself, the mother and
father accept themselves. If the father and mother destroy each other then
the child accepts himself; but, if the child destroys himself then the
mother and father accept themselves; .... So, the father and mother destroy
each other to accept each other; and the child destroys himself to accept
himself.

The process which produces kings and queens who disagree also produces
jesters who agree with themselves in their disagreement to themselves--who
contain this irony (the meaning of clowning). So, the humor of the jester
is in proportion to the disagreement between the king and queen; therefore,
the jester's humor protects him from the king and queen's anger (the purpose
of the jester). This shows that the "reason" the jester exists is that
irony is a defense mechanism. Finally, the "cause" of the jester is to
promote himself by defending himself against his own defenses...to develop!

Meaning plus purpose equals reason: Reason turned in upon itself is cause:
Cause which stems from itself is essence. "Life" is the essence of living.

Brett

Returning,
rBERTS%n
Rabble Sonnet Retort
Dentist, n.:
A Prestidigitator who, putting metal in one's mouth, pulls
coins out of one's pockets.

Ambrose Bierce, "The Devil's Dictionary"