August 11, 2008

Synchronicity

Carl Jung coined the term synchronicity to describe a connecting principal among acausal events, or what he called "meaningful coincidence."

One of his favorite quotes that described this idea was from Lewis Caroll's Through the Looking Glass.

'It's very good jam,' said the Queen.
'Well, I don't want any TO-DAY, at any rate.'
'You couldn't have it if you DID want it,' the Queen said. 'The rule is, jam to-morrow and jam yesterday--but never jam to-day.'
'It MUST come sometimes to "jam to-day,"' Alice objected.
'No, it can't,' said the Queen. 'It's jam every OTHER day: to-day isn't any OTHER day, you know.'
'I don't understand you,' said Alice. 'It's dreadfully confusing!'
'That's the effect of living backwards,' the Queen said kindly: 'it always makes one a little giddy at first--'
'Living backwards!' Alice repeated in great astonishment. 'I never heard of such a thing!'
'--but there's one great advantage in it, that one's memory works both ways.'
'I'm sure MINE only works one way,' Alice remarked. 'I can't remember things before they happen.'
'It's a poor sort of memory that only works backwards,' the Queen remarked.

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I've always been fascinated by the word, and it seemed perfect for a website devoted to artwork and writing of the primarily speculative variety.

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My first post, and I can't think of much else to say besides, "Clean cup, clean cup. Move down. "

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Also, I may use this as my art blog. Or writing blog. Or as a nothing-at-all-till-I-can-think-of-what-to-do-with-it-short-of-a-meaningful-coincidence-blog...