"I am an invisible man. No, I am not a spook like those who haunted Edgar Allen Poe; nor am I one of your Hollywood-movie ectoplasms. I am a man of substance, flesh and bone, fiber and liquids -- and I might even be said to possess a mind. I am invisible, understand, simply because people refuse to see me. Like the bodiless heads you see sometimes in circus sideshows, it is as though I have been surrounded by mirrors of hard, distorting glass. When they approach me they see only my surroundings, themselves, or figments of their imagination -- indeed, everything and anything except me. "

--- Ralph Ellison.

Fountainhed put forth this quote and asked me my thoughts on it. So I pondered and came up with the idea why not all of sciforums thoughts on it (by all I mean the 3 people who will respond to this before it goes away)

Think it still applies in America? Will it always apply?

Those questions were taken from a PM sent to me by fountainhed

I dont think you can applie this to america the country, in the way that I think I'm intpereting it. That is, america isn't invisible in any means, it's probably known in 95% of the worlds populations heads.

To apply it to individuals living in our society who are unimportant for whatever means makes more sense, but then what is the point in asking? Are you (hed) trying to ask if the society in america has started noticing everyone despite their percieved value, or if the underlings/worthless/uknowables/unimaginable are still being filtered out, because they effect nothing?

You know, I read something interesting recently. It said that the islanders in the New World, upon first encountering the ships from spain, couldnt actually see them? They didn't fit into anything in their experience. Not until the crewman had started rowing ashore did it click that there were other people there. Maybe those ignored into non-existence are just unknowable to the society at whole, and are outside our feilds of perception.

Fafnir,
Just a suggestion: a background check on Ellison is would do you good.

Sarge,
My intentions were not for others besides yourself to offer their opinion. But I suppose I can deal with this.

This is good: You know, I read something interesting recently. It said that the islanders in the New World, upon first encountering the ships from spain, couldnt actually see them? They didn't fit into anything in their experience. Not until the crewman had started rowing ashore did it click that there were other people there. Maybe those ignored into non-existence are just unknowable to the society at whole, and are outside our feilds of perception.

There is maybe more to it though, no?

I understand for many people see through others as if they weren't there even though they are standing right in front of them. I see others but do not talk to them, I see others and do not walk with them, I see others and I do not mingle with them. Just because I don't do those things doesn't mean that I cannot see them, it only means I'm preoccupied with my own thoughts at that time. That being said many people just avoid people because they think they are either better than them or that they are above them in some strange and twisted way.

Sounds to me like this guy is just really boring.
Maybe he should wear brighter colours or something if he wants to get noticed,or maybe say hi to some one he wants attention from.Maybe start singing or dancing.That might get him some attention.
I don't think it has anything to do with america,unless your good at jamming square pegs into round holes.:)
Just my million dollars.
Peace Out:)

There is a song (not in Eng.), however its words explain everything: "We live in the city of brotherly love/ We are remembered as long as we are in someone's way"

hence perception

Dragged from the abysmal.

Sarge: You never told me why you thought this still exists.



There is a song (not in Eng.), however its words explain everything: "We live in the city of brotherly love/ We are remembered as long as we are in someone's way"
:)

"I am an invisible man. No, I am not a spook like those who haunted Edgar Allen Poe; nor am I one of your Hollywood-movie ectoplasms. I am a man of substance, flesh and bone, fiber and liquids -- and I might even be said to possess a mind. I am invisible, understand, simply because people refuse to see me. Like the bodiless heads you see sometimes in circus sideshows, it is as though I have been surrounded by mirrors of hard, distorting glass. When they approach me they see only my surroundings, themselves, or figments of their imagination -- indeed, everything and anything except me. "



He's talking about Jesus. :)