Friday 31 March 2023

Pistis ponders a decision with enduring consequences (weekending April 1st 2023)


‽istis ponders a decision with enduring consequences (weekending April 1st 2023)

This weekending ‽istis has pondered many things and lots of stuff (including how helpful words like ‘things’ and ‘stuff’ are):

‽ Theories about the  origins of April Fools’ Day: beginning not with the BBC’s ‘Spaghetti Tree’[i] (1957) but perhaps with the Roman March equinox festival 'Hilaria', later perhaps becoming a renewal festival for Spring; later still in 16th century France the beginning of the New Year was originally observed on April 1st before the introduction of the Gregorian calendar[iii]; and then there's the question asked in the wonderfully-entitled publication ‘British Apollo or Curious Amusements for the Ingenious’ in 1708: “Whence proceeds the custom of making April Fools?”[ii]. So may the ingenious indeed be amused curiously again this year... 

‽ Gender and genders: learning about cultures that recognise more than two genders[iv]

·        ‘On nearly every continent, and for all of recorded history, thriving cultures have recognized, revered, and integrated more than two genders.’[v]

·        Hijras in India, considered a third gender, criminalised in 1871 and with continuing opposition in the present despite Bangladesh, India and Nepal having recognised the rights of non-binary people by 2014

·        Fa’afafine and fa’afatama people of Samoa, regarded as a third and fourth gender

·        Calalai, calabai and bissu people of Indonesia, with the latter seemingly not least relating to people with a spiritual role as much as or alngside a gender role – bridging the worldly and the divine (people who are liminal?)

·        Sworn Virgins of the Balkans – an apparent response to patriarchal codes and laws from the 15th to the 20th centuries which stripped women of many rights, tolerated it seems following a vow of celibacy (sexual expression abandoned for basic rights?)

·        Muxe community of Mexico, with a public celebration each November in Juchitan, Oaxaca known as the Vigil of the Authentic Intrepid Searchers of Danger!

·        Two-spirit people of indigenous, first nation North Americans, a modern term but representing it seems ways of life dating back centuries, a person identifying as having both a masculine and feminine spirit. Also valued now for preserving the history of culture that was subject to violent cultural genocide

‽ Maieutic processes, Plato and Socratic questions[vi] - with what ‽istis thinks is a fine example of contemporary relevance of the latter to be found at  http://changingminds.org/techniques/questioning/socratic_questions.htm: examples of questions to potentially:

·        clarify concepts

·        probe assumptions

·        explore rationale, reason and evidence

·        question viewpoints and perspectives

·        consider implications and consequences

·        even question the question

Weighty matters all perhaps, but this week there has been another major preoccupation: tattoos...

‽istis has learned about what are considered the most and least painful places on the body to have a tattoo[vii]; the professions that may be most or least likely to prefer tattooed employees[viii]; identity and cultural considerations, appreciations or appropriations; and many other aspects which you could explore for yourself should you so wish.

But some key questions remain for a bit more pondering and wondering in relation to tattooing, and perhaps so many other ‘things’ and ‘stuff’: should ‽istis go ahead? how might a decision be made? if yes, where? (though the what is sure and can only really be one ‘thing’ as far as ‽istis is concerned:‽), what might be the consequences beyond the likelihood of identity forever being rather more easily recognised and confirmed?  

So, perhaps, possibly, maybe watch this space (ouch!, not that space), more ink may be used in reporting further on the matter‽

© ‽istis                                                                                                                    

NB: further reflections and comments linked to this week’s theme and past blog entries to be found on Twitter: replies, retweets (which don’t necessarily indicate approval, sometimes the very opposite!) and ‘likes’: @Pistis_wonders. ‘Follows’ and respectful comment and dialogue welcome...  


[iii] Ibid


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