Backstage

Author: Barney / Country: Mainland China
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2006-06-01
Features: The Metaphor of the Back The philosopher Brumbach proposed the metaphor of the "Shipwreck of the Observer." He extended this striking concept along the dimension of time and provided complex interpretations. This unconventional philosopher sought to transcend the purely decorative spiritual appeal contained in ordinary metaphors and attempted to use this metaphor to depict the inconceivable "nameless and formless." Would Kleist not have also clearly distinguished between those who understand definition and those who understand metaphor? In his famous On the Puppet Show, his arguments clearly leaned toward supporting the metaphorical approach. Metaphor is not secondary; it is merely a different worldview that can encompass uncertainty and doubt. Because, metaphor transforms what is lost in practical operation into poetic expression. Brumbach stated: "Metaphor can contain the richness of the original idea, which abstract concepts cannot." Concepts can be used in multiple ways, while metaphor is a single core that can reflect infinite ideas. Metaphor is unique yet can, through drama and painting, reflect ideas, turn them into actions, and bring them to realization, making it a "near-concrete idea." Wittgenstein said: "Good metaphors can enhance our understanding of things." In Brumbach's view, the generation of metaphor begins with "the process of theorizing things out of curiosity in ancient times," and thus participates in the memory of the origin of things. The "absolute metaphor" emphasized by this German philosopher is not only related to the constant "active image" but also to the imagery of rivers; the fluidity of water is like the flow of life, an important image that has existed in human philosophical thought since ancient times. This "absolute metaphor" can, on one hand, disperse the theoretical content strengthened by the concretization of thought, and on the other hand, anchor thought in reality through concretizing actions, thereby preserving its uncertainty. Although this allows thought to take root, metaphor, compared to concepts, remains elusive due to its lack of practicality. Its characteristic does not lie in accuracy but in its unique "inspiration." Therefore, "the person with a back," whether male or female, perfectly aligns with Brumbach's argument for the "absolute metaphor." We can interpret the person with a back from many angles, as using the back of a person as a concrete human posture challenges the conventional front-facing pose; this posture guides the observer to examine the relationship between humans and the world. The places where the person with a back appears are often as complex as the design of the "Shipwreck of the Observer." By overturning the authority of communication through "facial expressions," the metaphor established by the posture of the person with a back demonstrates considerable tolerance in terms of interpretation. Although through the example of the back, we can derive some general principles, the inherent uncertainty of metaphor itself still remains. This forces us to acknowledge Brumbach's words: "Our understanding of things is actually calculated based on loss." Thus, on one hand, we can focus on the perception inspired by metaphor, and on the other hand, we do not eliminate all the poetry of metaphor. Such a metaphor, with its consistent coherence and the complexity of its multiple interpretations, forms the crux of our exploration. Only by employing this necessary dual approach can we balance the rich connotations of a thing itself and its primary focus of consistency. On one hand, we explore differences, and on the other hand, we maintain a consistent benchmark—this is what makes interpreting such metaphors engaging. The person with a back embodies metaphorical waiting, especially (as Brumbach would say) when they evoke "a certain passion accompanied by a situation that prompts people to analyze the essence of things," because "such passion is passed down through generations." They exist due to the questions raised by metaphor, and as the observer tries to clarify these questions, they do not destroy concreteness; the ambiguous state is preserved. Thought is embodied, and this reality exists on the canvas or stage; the premise is to highlight the close relationship between the material of metaphor and the attempts at interpretation. There is one point that must be reminded to the readers: the characteristic of modernity lies in its rejection of metaphor, especially its semantic use. Modernity considers the use of metaphor to explore the relationship between humans and the world as mere abuse, and avant-garde thought strives to eliminate metaphor. Metaphor aims to connect, while modernity aims to disintegrate. Additionally, as Brumbach said, metaphor is merely "a prelude to the establishment of concepts," and for this reason, it is heavily criticized. These repeated accusations lead to the expulsion of metaphor from the world established by organized experience, "because this world pursues objective unambiguity." It is precisely this image of objectivity that nourishes the criticism of metaphor. There is another point that must be clarified: the difference between metaphor and allegory. In fact, for Brumbach, metaphor is the precursor to allegory; metaphor invites interpretation but does not exhaust all possibilities. Therefore, metaphor is the opposite of allegory; even the "absolute metaphor" can only withstand a limited degree of interpretation. The resources formed by metaphor are relatively limited, and once interpreted, the questioning nature it provides diminishes, making it less likely to be used as a medium to concretize thought, turning it into something "ready-made." Surrealists, especially Magritte, were struck by this defect of metaphor; the metaphors they designed lost their value after interpretation. However, Cantor and Bacon, among others, did not abandon the use of metaphor for this reason, because if the "dead class" referred to by the master Krakow is not an "absolute metaphor," what else should it be called? For them, metaphor ensures the "return of uncertainty." They wander between metaphor and allegory, the former being a personal product, while the latter is closer to the anonymity desired by outstanding artists like Brancusi, Debord, and Grotowski. However, metaphor cannot achieve this nearly ascetic annihilation of individuality, because metaphor is more alluring and restrictive; in other words, the generation of metaphor carries the imprint of the author. Nevertheless, in summary, when metaphor and allegory go hand in hand, it is the "principle of weak reason." This leads us to Wittgenstein's famous and reluctant-to-surrender quote: "Of the unsayable, say nothing." In M?ller's words, this becomes: "Of the unsayable, sing." The "singing" he advocates is actually similar to the function of metaphor. Metaphorical thought is a "complex thought," more willing to embrace the confusion of alternation than the isolation of a concept, and carries with it all the accompanying impurity and pollution. The metaphor of the person with a back is established in the gathering place of thoughts, where these ideas resonate together, transcending all signs and boundaries. It differs from others in its ability to combine various associations. Communication, mutual aid, dialogue—all to discard the mocking faces. From this perspective, we can say that the "Shipwreck of the Observer" shaped by the philosopher Brumbach can serve as the theoretical foundation for exploring the "person with a back," i.e., "similarity is the realism of metaphor." This book invites readers to embark on a journey through the realm of similarity centered around the "person with a back." During this journey, the metaphorical posture of "the back" will gradually distance itself from the person who turns their face away. (Translated by Zhou Yifang) P13-17