Minima Moralia by Theodor Adorno - 1874 Words

In chapter 2 of the Minima Moralia, Theodor Adorno talks about the disintegrating family unit, the loss of the partitioning between the public and private life. However, there seem to be contradictions, or perhaps entanglements created by virtue of these 2 chapters inhabiting the same text. This essay will attempt to disentangle some of these ideas in a â€Å"ludicrous quid pro quo fashion† (Adorno, 1), whilst drawing some assistance from other areas, such as chapter 3, as well. And in doing so, will unravel Adorno’s ideas that violence is inescapable, that certain antagonistic dialectics are necessary, and that not all conflict is bad conflict, thereby ultimately evoking the idea that there is such a thing as benevolent antagonism and†¦show more content†¦In short, as theoretical buildup increases, inaccuracy increases. This insinuates an underlying belief I share, in addition to Hobbes, that our senses are our most relatively reliable, and inescapable aspects of ourselves. Every aspect of our cognition is either directly or indirectly influenced by our senses, which then help us make sense of the world around us. Of course, reliance on ones senses is a cardinal sin in philosophical reasoning. But the fact remains that every aspect of cognition is derived from the senses, thus making the endeavor of ‘running away’ from our physical perceptions of the world utterly futile. That said, whether or not this essay uncovers any solid, unequivocal any philosophical truth from Adorno’s text is perhaps unknowable, for this is merely an attempt at improving accuracy. With that said, let us dive into Adorno’s metaphor of the family- a metaphor that introduces his larger concern of the dehumanizing capabilities of the productivity machine. Before explicating this metaphor however, we must justify its usage in this argument that purports that there is a difference between benevolent antagonism and dehumanizing antagonism (warring). Adorno says, â€Å"One realizes in horror that when one as previously clashedShow MoreRelatedEssay about Writers and Intellectuals in Exile2499 Words   |  10 Pagescarrying forth and leaving behind and straddling the two different cultures from two different positions. In my paper, I propose to look at the two sides of an exilic existence- the negative that which has the horrors and trauma with reference to Adorno and Said; and the positive, that which provides the intellectuals and writers a critical and reflective insight, and here I would refer to JanMohamed and Salman Rushdie with special reference to Said’s â€Å"contrapuntal† effect. I would then proceed to