Rousseau likens the theatrical experience to one of slavery. But certainly NOT because it emotional depth or intensity. Indeed, it has an excess of these. Nor is it right to say that the emotions are not real or not authentic. Insofar as we can introspect about these things, we cannot normally tell the difference. If we ever doubt the emotion that we experience with replicants, it is only because it may feel more intense than normal, more human than human. But the theatrical experience is not mutual it is not shared and not because the actor is a robot, or on a screen – – or a liar. But just because they do not share the experience they need to share with you in order for your experience to be one of genuine intimacy. In a sense, the problem is even more pronounced at the political level. A republic is a res publica, a public thing. But it is not a thing that exists physically, though it might have physical symbols. It does not even exist linguistically no set – of words or laws, even foundational ones, constitute a republic. Rather a republic exists when a group of people share a commitment to one another, and share it genuinely. Their level of commitment might vary of course. But as Rousseau was fond of saying, when the general will vanishes, the republic vanishes also. It cannot be preserved by laws or armies, though these might force people to keep up appearances. Nor can a person be in a republic of one. One be deceived by can others and when this is the case, one is not, and cannot be, in a relationship by oneself. It is not enough to have certain values or beliefs or even practices. If these are not shared with others, there is no republic. Rachel and Deckard each initially believe the other to be heartless for – different reasons. Both are right in one sense, wrong in another. They are each
Rousseau likens the theatrical experience to one of slavery. But certainly NOT because it emotional depth or intensity. Indeed, it has an excess of these. Nor is it right to say that the emotions are not real or not authentic. Insofar as we can introspect about these things, we cannot normally tell the difference. If we ever doubt the emotion that we experience with replicants, it is only because it may feel more intense than normal, more human than human. But the theatrical experience is not mutual – it is not shared – and not because the actor is a robot, or on a screen or a liar. But just because they do not share the experience they need to share with you in order for your experience to be one of genuine intimacy. In a sense, the problem is even more pronounced at the political level. A republic is a res publica, a public thing. But it is not a thing that exists physically, though it might have physical symbols. It does not even exist linguistically – no set of words or laws, even foundational ones, constitute a republic. Rather a republic exists when a group of people share a commitment to one another, and share it genuinely. Their level of commitment might vary of course. But as Rousseau was fond of saying, when the general will vanishes, the republic vanishes also. It cannot be preserved by laws or armies, though these might force people to keep up appearances. Nor can a person be in a republic of one. One can be deceived by others and when this is the case, one is not, and cannot be, in a relationship by oneself. It is not enough to have certain values or beliefs or even practices. If these are not shared with others, there is no republic. Rachel and Deckard each initially believe the other to be heartless – for different reasons. Both are right in one sense, wrong in another. They are each
Blade%20Runner.docx