becoming et al

342 Pages·2013·16.85 MB·English

BECOMING ET AL
Thesis submitted for the degree of
Doctor of Philosophy
at the University of Leicester
by
Arko Sen
Management Centre
University of Leicester
2005
UMI Number: U219241
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ABSTRACT
‘BECOMING ET AL’
Thesis submitted for the degree of
Doctor of Philosophy
at the University Of Leicester.
by
Arko Sen
Management Centre
University of Leicester
The thesis repeats a becoming of difference and Otherness. It seeks to
fold, refold and unfold an Otherness of representation. Attention is given
to the core process of becoming. A disrupted pattern is maintained
throughout and, sometimes, this takes the form of a labyrinth produced by
an assemblage of inversions and pseudonymous writings. In this way,
linear and hierarchical ordering and organization is strongly contested. A
textual multiplicity is affirmed, which challenges orthodox organizational
thought and conventional philosophy based on the repetition of the same,
similar and identity.
Experientially, immanence is made material to form an image of thought
with fragments, fluctuating speeds and intensities. These folds produce
four middles of thought. These arrangements of multiplicities and
singularities explicate, implicate and attend to the participation of the
Other. The movement is productive of inclusive Heterotopic spaces that
are, at once, hospitable to the arrivante, nomads and the repetition of
difference. Other theoretical developments are accommodated that
address the Eternal Return, autonomy, chance, multitudes, hospitality and
the folds of the inside and the outside.
The Otherness of Art and Eastern thought are brought forth within the
poesis of the thesis. A paradox addressed, amongst others, concerns
alterity and the manner in which the thesis has and can be presented, and /
or re-presented, to make clear an immanence and socially productive
image of thought, which seeks only a repetition of difference.
Arko Sen
September 2005
THESIS SUBMITTED FOR THE DEGREE OF DOCTORATE OF
PHILOSOPHY AT THE UNIVERSITY OF LEICESTER
BECOMING ET AL
INDEX
‘Beneath the pavement, the beach.’ 1
‘I do not cancel the fact that I am of the opinion that only the will in us is the
right end of the tangle, the true entrance to the labyrinth.’2
CONTENT PAGES
TITLE PAGE
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Mama, disse ele
FOREWORD
SHAPE-SHIFTING AND DISRUPTED PATTERN MATERIAL
ANIMATO 3
A FRENCH OUTING
APOTHEOSIS 1-18.
ENCASEMENT 18-38.
NOCTURNAL SPACES 38-42.
PHORIA 42-44.
DERPROZEZZ 44-45.
HOSPITALITY 45-48.
PARRHESIA 48-50.
FRAGMENTS 50-51.
A FRENCH OUTING 52-53.
APPENDIX 1: CINEMATIC EXPRESSION, GROTESQUE REALISM,
CARNIVALS AND TEXT 55-59.
• WHICH ROAD THEN? 59-60.
• DEAD MEN DYING AND SPEAKING 61.
• AMERICAN BEAUTY 62-63.
• DEAD MEN 63-66.
• GROTESUE REALISM 66-68.
• FRENCH FAMILY DYING 69.
REFERENCES 70-76.
1 This sentiment, which was sprayed by a bystander on the walls of Paris during May 1968, is noted by
Michel Foucault in ‘Be Cruel’ : James Miller (2000) (Ed.) The Passion of Michel Foucault
Massachusetts: Harvard University Press, pp.165-197. Quote found on pp. 166 & 197.
2 Arthur Schopenhauer (2000) Parerga and Paralipomena. Vol. 1. tr. E.F.J. Payne. Clarendon Press:
Oxford, p.68.
3 ‘Animato’ meaning Animated. Taken from ‘Italian Musical Terms’ in Victor Stevenson (1983) (Ed.)
Words: An Illustrated History Of Western Languages London: Book Club Associates, p.95.
AFFRETTANDO 4
BEING AN INTRODUCTION AND BECOMING
ONCE UPON A TIME 77-79.
HETEROTOPIA 79-81.
A SIMPLE ETHICS OF WRITING 81-85.
SPACES OUTSIDE REPRESENTATIONS 85-87.
PLEASE ALLOW ME TO INTRODUCE MYSELF 87-89.
A SINGULAR PRESENTATION OF REPRESENTATION 89-96.
PARTIAL REPRESENTATIONS AT THEIR BEST 96-97.
BwO 97-99.
FOLDINGS 99-100.
DOMAINS OF SENSES 100-102.
SIMULTANEOUSLY PRACTICE AND CONCEPT, SOCIALLY ACTUAL
AND THEORETICALLY VIRTUAL 102-103.
MUSICAL SENSE 104-106.
LEARNING SENSE AND EDUCATION ONE SENSE 106-109.
COPYING THE SAME EXPLOITATION 109-117.
CHANCE WOULD BE A FINE THING 117-119.
A CHANGING ACADEMIC APPRENTICESHIP 119-122.
WARRIOR ACADEMIC 122-128.
WHEN WORDS CANNOT SAY - HURDY GURDY HE SANG 129-132.
WRITING LIMITS 132-133.
INTIMACY 133-136.
WELL I’LL BE BUGGERED 136.
VIV LA REVOLUTION AND DIFFERENCE 136-137.
RECORDING AND REPETITING THE NON-LINEAR 137-141.
APPENDIX 2. NAVIGATIONAL AIDS AND EASTERN
GEOGRAPHY 142.
• NON DUALITY 143.
• DIFFERENTIATION 144.
• VOIDS BETWEEN FRAGMENTS 144-145.
• PROCESSES 145-147.
• EASTERN MOVEMENT 147-148.
• MULTI DIMENSIONAL DIFFERENCE 148-149.
• LINGERING APPENDICES 149.
REFERENCES 150-156.
4 ‘Affrettando’ or Increasing in speed and feeling. Ibid.
ACCELERANDO 5
FOLDINGS AND REFOLDINGS AFTER UNFOLDINGS, FOLD UPON
FOLD.
APORIA, APOPHASIS, ARABESQUE AND ALETHEIA 157-168.
ORDERED FORGETTING 168-185.
TEXT AS GUEST? 185-196.
TERGIVERSATIONS 196-201.
TIME 201-204.
SPIRITUAL POWER 204-206.
APPENDIX 3. TOO PRIVATE A MOMENT
• GONE FOR A BURTON 208-209.
• CONFESSIONAL BECOMING 209-212.
REFERENCES 213-218.
AGITATO 6
BECOMING MATERIAL
219-229.
CHIRALITY 229-232.
SEQUENCING THE LINEAR 232-233.
QUOTATIONS 233-237.
THINGS PAST NOW PRESENT 238-240.
DO WHAT? 240-242.
NO SPACES FOR SERVITUDE 242-245.
WHAT TO MAKE OF YOUR BODY ? 245-247.
UNFOLDING THE MULTIPLICTY OF THOUGHT OR OPENING THE SPACES
FOR PERSIAN THOUGHT 247-248.
(n - 1) 248-255.
STOP FEEDING THE MONSTERS 255.
AUTONOMOUS WORKING 255-257.
OPERAISMO 257-258.
WORKING FOR YOU OR IS IT YOU OR YOU, WHO THEN? 258-262.
SELF-VALORISATION 262-274.
APPENDIX 4: UNCARVED BLOCK, MAAI OH MA AND A BOOK OF FIVE
RINGS
• UNCARVED BLOCK 276-277.
• MAAI OH MA 277-278.
• A BOOK OF FIVE RINGS 278.
REFERENCES 279-284.
5 ‘Accelerando’ or Becoming faster. Ibid.
6 ‘Agitato’ or Agitated. Ibid.
CONTENT PAGES
LIST OF DIAGRAMS 7
DIAGRAMS PLACED BETWEEN THE PAGES AND TEXTS
• CIRCLE OF YING AND YANG 13/14.
• SLIGHTLY ADAPTED DIAGRAM: STRATEGIC RESPONSES TO
THE PROBLEMS OF REFLEXIVITY IN ORGANIZATIONAL
THEORY
15/16.
• FURTHER ADAPTED DIAGRAM: STRATEGIC RESPONSES TO
THE PROBLEMS OF REFLEXIVITY IN ORGANIZATIONAL
THEORY
16/17.
CHANGING REPRESENTATIONAL DIVIDES, INVERSIONS AND THE
MOVING MULTIDIMENSIONALITY OF YING AND YANG 54, 142, 207, 275.
A WORK IN PROGRESS SKETCH WHICH EVENTUALLY LED TO THE
PAINTING ‘DOLLS HOUSE’ BY JOHN STEWART
320.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
285-309.
AFTWORD
ABOVE THE PAVEMENT THE BEACH
310-317.
Mama, disse ele
318.
7 Adapted with the help of David Waldron. Ying and Yang adaptations found on the www.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
We would come to say to ourselves, like Artaud:
‘I, Antoni Artaud, am my son, my father, my other and myself.’ 8
Possibly with the completion of this thesis and many are theses, it becomes
impossible to summon the appropriate adjectives and, therefore, sentences and
paragraphs, to truly express the proper gratitude due to all those who should be
acknowledged. On the one hand, there are other problems like those concerned with a
memory, which fails to remember every relevant incident and event that connected
and contributed to the work. On the other hand, there is something left too late, the
yet-to-be-completed list of all those who have helped, which evaporated with many
other good intentions in the duration of writing a thesis. So for all those who have
truly helped, often from the sidelines, by giving physically, emotionally and
spiritually, there is now a big thank you. Now let us consider thanks to those who
cannot be forgotten. They cannot be forgotten because their contributions were all so
great. Very much like Antoni Artaud, there is a child of two parents, a parent of two
children, a partner, a colleague to some and a friend of others that writes, acts and
thinks now and through the acknowledgements and the thesis.
The genetics and thoughts of Balarka and Helena Sen biologically and consciously
formed, reformed and facilitated the becoming, which now writes. A sister, named
Arya, also made helpful sounds and contrary images to distort what at times might
have been a too determined sibling. Thanks are extended to these people and several
others, about to be mentioned, who made an assemblage known as a family. Two
suns, Svar and Sura, that shone brightly since their births and illuminated the creation
of thought, and still today as sons they shine strongly to remind a parent of the beauty
of life. There is also a very becoming and beautiful woman, Sharon, who as partner,
teacher and many other intensities adds energy to affirm the life of this author. This
was done selflessly through some of the difficult times of writing a thesis.
In a territory - somewhere between Laurel and Hardy, Gilles Deleuze and Felix
Guattari - there is an intellectual space full of rigour, fun and humour which Lilley
and Parker have carved out. Wholehearted thanks must be extended to Simon and
Martin for all their thoughts and deeds, which meant so very much during the duration
that was supervision. Others at the CPPE, at the University of Leicester, are
acknowledged for their intellectual work that helped condition some of the
movements of thought in this thesis.
The hand of friendship for some has a limited span but it has not been so in this case:
thanks go to Paul Grant, John Stewart, John Bergin and Mildred Reynolds who
understood as artists, intellects, friends and thinkers some of the territory of thought
and through their questioning usefully contributed to the movement. Again Sharon,
Svar and Sura get a mention, since they too made strong impressions and expressions
on that landscape. Sam Hicks, Josh Johnson and Janet Lavelle are several other
friends that helped develop the practical application of these thoughts. Dr. Steve
Brown and Dr. Stefano Harney are also thanked for the hospitality to thought
demonstrated during the Viva.
8 Helene Cixous (2005) Stigmata, Escaping Text tr. Eric Prenowitz London: Routledge. p.141.
Mamae, Disse Ele.
(Mama, he said)
Daedalus is also a learned artist. He produces works which, like all works of art,
contain in fact a seed of death. Ultimately, the only people able to move about in art
without risk are those who are in effect strong citizens having some authority within
art. Daedalus is the master of dead-ends and invasions. He is at a turning point, at the
passageway. Author of works which lead to going astray, inventor of the labyrinth;
and also inventor of the antidote, maker of wings which on the other hand give man
superhuman power; and which on the other attribute to him a supplementary genos, a
supplementary genus. Is this man who flies still and only a man? When he is a bit
bird? Thus hybrid.
Through Daedalus, who steers from one extreme to the other, we thus have access to a
passage, to the trans, to the crossing of borders, to the de-limitations of genuses-
genders-genres and species, to construction and to deconstruction, to metamorphosis.
Through Daedalus I mean a Joyce.
With the call of his name, Daedalus leads monsters, mutants, chimeras. His story is an
entanglement of prison and freedom. He constructed the labyrinth under the orders of
Minos, to lock up the Minotaur; this implies also the monster, half bull half man, was
to be preserved. The Minotaur is very much a monster, but after all Icarus and
Daedalus are other monsters, other human anomalies. Daedalus revealed the secret of
the labyrinth’s exit to Ariadne to help her save Theseus, who had been sent to
confront the Minotaur in the labyrinth no one can leave. All it takes is not letting go
of the thread.
This is also a lesson in reading, when you are in the labyrinth of a text, and a text is a
labyrinth, a text which was not a labyrinth would not be a text, a labyrinth has its
coherence, the rooms communicate with one another, and as a rule one cannot escape,
which is a good thing, one must enter the labyrinth of a text with a thread.
But, a friend of lovers, Daedalus was punished and locked up without thread . His line
was cut, it’s the same old story of the telephone. He was thus locked up without a
thread but with his son Icarus, and as always he finds the easiest way to escape what’s
inescapable.
(,italics original)
Helene Cixous
(2005)
“‘Mamae, Disse Ele,’or Joyce’s Second Hand.”
in
Stigmata, Escaping Text
tr. Eric Prenowitz
London: Routledge.
pp.131-169.
Quote pp.138-139.
BECOMING ET AL
FOREWORD
SHAPE-SHIFTING AND DISRUPTED PATTERN MATERIAL
Starting with a principle is affirmed by people of experience to be a very reasonable
procedure;
Soren Kierkegaard.1
Tirelessly, Jarmusch speaks of how he conceives his films “from the inside out, " how
he starts with an actor in mind, how he draws from the collection of random notes that
he is constantly jotting down, and how he lets the story and mood evolve from that[...]
‘But I don't want to give a whole back story...I have one. For me, sometimes it's too
condescending to have to explain'.
Jarmusch in Ludvig Hertzberg. 2
I had gathered at least a hundred and fifty pages of quotes about fog. I must truly have
taken the subject to heart. Here was Abbott’s Flatland, a country of just two
dimensions, inhabited only by planar figures: triangles, squares, polygons. And how do
they recognize each other if they cannot see each other from above and so perceive
only lines? Thanks to fog: “Wherever there is a rich supply of Fog, objects that are at
a distance, say three feet, are appreciably dimmer than those at the distance of two feet
eleven inches; and the result is that by careful and constant experimental observation
of comparative dimness and clearness, we are enabled to infer with great exactness the
configuration of the object observed." Blessed are these triangles who wander in the
midst and can see things - here a hexagon, there a parallelogram. Two dimensional,
but luckier than I.
(textual change original)
Umberto Eco. 3
A’s INTRODUCTION
A singularity known as A had a becoming. It had been anticipated by Franz Kafka as K.
In their very own becomings, Bataille and Kierkegaard had also anticipated this event
along with some others; their singularities were also explicated and denoted by single
letters of the alphabet. They likewise anticipated the arrival of another. Perhaps, the
assemblage of all four letters of the alphabets constituted another, still flowing,
multiplicity.
A now considered very carefully what was to be moved. It was thought. It had to be
moved to this position from, a space somewhere further away, near the bibliography. A
had always felt there was a stoppage to the flow and, because of that, what was now the
most proximal text, with its connected thoughts and leakages, should have been set adrift.
1 Seren Kierkegaard (1949) Either / Or: A Fragment of Life. Vol. 1. tr. David F.Swenson and Lillian
Marvin Swenson. Princeton: Princeton University Press, p.234.
2 Ludvig Hertzberg (2001) (Ed.) Jim Jarmusch Interviews. Mississippi: University of Mississippi
Press: The first part of the quote is from the Introduction p. vii. And the second part of the quote is Jim
Jarmusch’s own words, taken from his interview with Chris Campion and entitled ‘East Meets West’
p.199.
Umberto Eco (2005) The Mysterious Flame of Queen Loana: An Illustrated Novel, tr. Geoffrey
Brock. London: Seeker & Warburg, pp.59-60.