Fictions BeiYin
B: Children believe that father Christmas exist, also Mickey Mouse, Donald Duck and then of course all the other heroes like Batman, Spider-man and all those guys with super power. Children live in a world of fantasy and if this is fed by adding several hours of TV daily, then they might have difficulties to deal with daily reality.
Q: I think there are given images or symbols because children can't yet understand reality. For example they are told that a stork brings the babies. Until they are capable to receive the correct information.
B: I don't think it is necessary to tell children any lie about this. As soon as they ask, the right information should be given. But many parents are still under the pressure of the old influence from the church that this part is something dirty and connected with sin. So many children still have to wait until they are enlightened about not here matters in school. Apart of this I think that children are more aware of reality than grownups who are more programmed.
Q: Why Father Christmas was invented as an image I don't know...
B: This has probably just a commercial background to stimulate the selling of presents, the same as with all the other inventions of fictions.
Q: Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck are really funny and they were entertaining me very much as a child and I thought they really exist and then I was pretty disappointed when I found out that they doesn't.
B: And then someone presented you a plush Donald Duck and then you had something real...
Q: Yes, how do you know? I did love my plushy Donald Duck...
B: And with you many million other children sharing their joy with the money making Disney company.
Don't you think that the creation of 'Barby' has a strong influence on girls when they play with dolls?
Q: For sure, they see them as a kind of 'Leitbild' an example how they want to be when they are grown up.
B: So what about when 'grownup'? They are carrying this image with them, the same as boys the images of their heroes. How do they connect this with their daily reality? They might forget their heroes but they still hold them within unconsciously. With what kind of fictions they are fed as a continuation?
Q: I guess just the daily confrontation with learning, work, relations, etc.
B: The most traditional probably is 'God'. The picture of this fiction has changed during history; now it is not anymore bound to images like Wotan and Zeus, it is getting more abstract, but still mostly personalized, because that's what people still like most, - like children.
But who has invented those fictions? Mickey Mouse and the other were part of the modern film industry with the goal to offer entertainment to make money with it. Father Christmas connected with presents probably also served the business.
Q: When we look at the administration of the fiction 'God' called church, then this seems to be a good business, they have gathered quite a lot of wealth during the last centuries and they are still busy with it, although the competition from oriental fictions is getting stronger during the last thirty years. How is it possible that these fictions are so successful and finding followers?
B: It is pretty clear that humans can't be without their images and they can't let go of them even they might be worn out. These established images are part of peoples self image and are giving life to their concepts (really?) and all those concepts give a frame and so security against the unknown, the void and the limbo.
Q: Yes, but isn't there still something missing? Why people are so restless searching for something more?
B: Because images and concepts are 'fictions', substitutes for reality. They stand between reality and the observer and don't allow a direct contact and so the person only can respond and react through the filter of one's self image and adapted concepts, constantly looking for confirmation, because there is identification with it and so giving the feeling of existence. With other words: People are slaves of their own images, concepts and goals. If one can realize this, then there might be a fist step possible by starting to be self critical and then...
Q: But this is not possible! If people would be self critical then they would loose their identity and slide into chaos!
B: You are right: Even though 'personality' and being identified with images, ideas and concepts are all 'fictions', humanity is not ready to go beyond this, so better let's not continue with this subject...
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