Worlds and World Traveling: Constructing Identities and Liberating Playfulness

by | Dec 9, 2023 | ethics

Lugones, “worlds”, “world travelling”: Lugones speaks of “worlds” and “world travelling”. For Lugones, there are some worlds we enter willfully and playfully, and doing so can (i) show us how identities are constructible and (ii) be liberating as we get to be playful in with our identities (“who we are”) in those spaces.
Your Task: In ~3 pages, explain Lugones’ key concepts and reconstruct a key implication of the view (as presented in lecture – you won’t find it anywhere else).
1. Have an aim statement.
2. Explain in sufficient detail what “worlds” are and what it means to be a “world traveler”. Give and explain an example of the above – personal experiences are fine as long as it’s demonstrates the Lugones’ view accurately.
a. Is everyone a “world traveler”? Does everyone travel to various “worlds” by their own choosing? What is the moral/political significance of Lugones’ position on this matter?
3. Explain how Lugones gets a special form of self-knowledge (knowledge of herself and her identities) through accepting her status as a “world traveler”?
a. What is this knowledge of “who I am” that Lugones realizes?
b. How does this self-knowledge help her get other-knowledge about her mother.
c. What does she come to understand about her mother?
d. What are the moral consequences for their relationship because of this knowledge?

 

Sample solution

Dante Alighieri played a critical role in the literature world through his poem Divine Comedy that was written in the 14th century. The poem contains Inferno, Purgatorio, and Paradiso. The Inferno is a description of the nine circles of torment that are found on the earth. It depicts the realms of the people that have gone against the spiritual values and who, instead, have chosen bestial appetite, violence, or fraud and malice. The nine circles of hell are limbo, lust, gluttony, greed and wrath. Others are heresy, violence, fraud, and treachery. The purpose of this paper is to examine the Dante’s Inferno in the perspective of its portrayal of God’s image and the justification of hell. 

In this epic poem, God is portrayed as a super being guilty of multiple weaknesses including being egotistic, unjust, and hypocritical. Dante, in this poem, depicts God as being more human than divine by challenging God’s omnipotence. Additionally, the manner in which Dante describes Hell is in full contradiction to the morals of God as written in the Bible. When god arranges Hell to flatter Himself, He commits egotism, a sin that is common among human beings (Cheney, 2016). The weakness is depicted in Limbo and on the Gate of Hell where, for instance, God sends those who do not worship Him to Hell. This implies that failure to worship Him is a sin.


This question has been answered

God is also depicted as lacking justice in His actions thus removing the godly image. The injustice is portrayed by the manner in which the sodomites and opportunists are treated. The opportunists are subjected to banner chasing in their lives after death followed by being stung by insects and maggots. They are known to having done neither good nor bad during their lifetimes and, therefore, justice could have demanded that they be granted a neutral punishment having lived a neutral life. The sodomites are also punished unfairly by God when Brunetto Lattini is condemned to hell despite being a good leader (Babor, T. F., McGovern, T., & Robaina, K. (2017). While he commited sodomy, God chooses to ignore all the other good deeds that Brunetto did.

Finally, God is also portrayed as being hypocritical in His actions, a sin that further diminishes His godliness and makes Him more human. A case in point is when God condemns the sin of egotism and goes ahead to commit it repeatedly. Proverbs 29:23 states that “arrogance will bring your downfall, but if you are humble, you will be respected.” When Slattery condemns Dante’s human state as being weak, doubtful, and limited, he is proving God’s hypocrisy because He is also human (Verdicchio, 2015). The actions of God in Hell as portrayed by Dante are inconsistent with the Biblical literature. Both Dante and God are prone to making mistakes, something common among human beings thus making God more human.

To wrap it up, Dante portrays God is more human since He commits the same sins that humans commit: egotism, hypocrisy, and injustice. Hell is justified as being a destination for victims of the mistakes committed by God. The Hell is presented as being a totally different place as compared to what is written about it in the Bible. As a result, reading through the text gives an image of God who is prone to the very mistakes common to humans thus ripping Him off His lofty status of divine and, instead, making Him a mere human. Whether or not Dante did it intentionally is subject to debate but one thing is clear in the poem: the misconstrued notion of God is revealed to future generations.

 

References

Babor, T. F., McGovern, T., & Robaina, K. (2017). Dante’s inferno: Seven deadly sins in scientific publishing and how to avoid them. Addiction Science: A Guide for the Perplexed, 267.

Cheney, L. D. G. (2016). Illustrations for Dante’s Inferno: A Comparative Study of Sandro Botticelli, Giovanni Stradano, and Federico Zuccaro. Cultural and Religious Studies, 4(8), 487.

Verdicchio, M. (2015). Irony and Desire in Dante’s” Inferno” 27. Italica, 285-297.

Sample Answer

Sample Answer

 

Worlds and World Traveling: Constructing Identities and Liberating Playfulness

Aim Statement

The aim of this essay is to explore the key concepts presented by María Lugones in her discussion of “worlds” and “world traveling.” By examining Lugones’ views, this essay will reconstruct a key implication of her perspective, as presented in the lecture. It will delve into the meaning of worlds and world traveling, provide examples, and discuss the moral and political significance of Lugones’ position. Furthermore, it will explain how embracing the role of a world traveler allows Lugones to gain self-knowledge, which in turn helps her understand her mother and has moral consequences for their relationship.

Understanding “Worlds” and “World Travelers”

According to Lugones, “worlds” refer to the various social spaces or contexts that we inhabit. These worlds are not fixed or predetermined but are constructed through our interactions and engagement with others. Each world has its own set of norms, values, and expectations, shaping how we perceive ourselves and others within that particular context.

A “world traveler” is someone who willingly and playfully enters different worlds. This act of traversing between worlds allows individuals to recognize that identities are not fixed or essential but are instead constructed and performed within specific social spaces. By engaging in world traveling, we have the opportunity to explore different aspects of our identities and challenge societal expectations.

An example of this perspective can be seen in Lugones’ own experience. She recounts how she grew up as a Latina woman in a predominantly white neighborhood. When she entered college, she encountered a new world that celebrated and valued her Latina identity. Through this newfound space, she realized that her identity was not solely defined by the dominant culture but could be shaped by her own choices in entering different worlds.

Not everyone is a world traveler by their own choosing. Some individuals may be confined to specific worlds due to societal structures such as racism, sexism, or economic inequality. The moral and political significance of Lugones’ position lies in her recognition that these limitations on world traveling deny individuals the freedom to explore and construct their identities fully. By acknowledging the importance of world traveling, Lugones advocates for greater inclusivity and freedom for all individuals to navigate between worlds.

Self-Knowledge through World Traveling

Lugones argues that embracing the role of a world traveler enables her to gain a special form of self-knowledge. By actively engaging with different worlds, she realizes that her identity is not fixed but malleable, shaped by her interactions and choices within each context. This self-knowledge allows her to understand “who I am” in a nuanced and multifaceted manner.

Through this self-knowledge, Lugones is also able to gain other-knowledge about her mother. By recognizing herself as a world traveler who can construct her own identity, she comes to understand that her mother’s identity is not solely defined by societal expectations imposed upon her. Lugones realizes that her mother has also navigated different worlds throughout her life, making choices that have shaped her identity beyond what society may perceive.

This understanding has moral consequences for their relationship. Lugones recognizes that her mother’s choices were not simply based on personal preference but were influenced by societal forces that limited her options. This knowledge fosters empathy and compassion, allowing Lugones to appreciate the complexities of her mother’s experiences and the moral agency she exercised within her own world traveling. It strengthens their bond and promotes a deeper understanding between them.

In conclusion, Lugones’ concept of worlds and world traveling provides insights into the construction of identities and the liberating potential of embracing different social contexts. By recognizing our role as world travelers, we can gain a nuanced understanding of ourselves and others. Lugones’ perspective highlights the moral and political significance of allowing individuals the freedom to navigate between worlds, promoting inclusivity and empowering individuals to construct their identities authentically.

 

 

This question has been answered.

Get Answer