Varying Energies

Whereas it’s not always possible or desirable to transcend the perceived boundaries between the world and personal consciousness, it is the case that images can enable us, to some degree, to bridge that gap. Unsurprisingly, we accordingly find ourselves in an age when technology is conspicuous and visual media are widespread; the more sophisticated our world becomes, the more we seem to yearn for parsimony.

On the one hand, there exist multifarious standards and theories about how art influences contemporary ideas about self, society, nature, and Creation. On the other hand, it’s nominally useful to rely on nondualism, or on any other single perspective, to make sense of the goings-on populating our lives or to make sense of related, visual depictions.

These days, we’re well advised to produce inclusive Weltanschauungen, to see that individual freedom is illusionary, to recognize that assistance is no substitute for equity, and to note that paternalism can’t enforce responsibilities. In short, we must continue to value the likenesses that surround us while regarding them with reservations. Pictures are not panaceas; at best, they’re utilities that we can apply to our well-being.