“Conjoint Communicated Experience”: Art as an Instrument of Democracy

In This Short Excerpt, John Dewey expresses the pragmatist conviction—first stated by Jane Addams in Democracy and Social Ethics—that a society must cultivate dispositions of curiosity understanding between its diversely situated members order to sustain robust genuine democracy (MW 9:93). It is our habitual exposure experiences fellow citizens that we can imagine understand each other's diverse situations, struggles, needs. enabling such imagination understanding, create possibility fairly incorporating these perspectives into progressive changes make shared institutions structure interactions, opportunities, lives. also through lived continuously reconstruct conceptual resources for interpreting social world representative ways, rather than selectively imposing assumptions society's powerful members.Non-pragmatist traditions have recognized importance cultivating mutual among as indispensable sustaining democratic society. Miranda Fricker writes hermeneutical injustice, or “a gap . tools interpretation,” which arises result unequal participation “the practices meanings are generated”—for example, professions journalism, politics, academia, law (6). Hermeneutical injustice “impinges unequally on different groups,” forming “structural identity prejudice collective resource” leaves marginalized groups “inadequately conceptualized” “obscured from understanding” (Fricker 6, 155). Charles W. Mills “white ignorance”—a “group-based cognitive handicap” (51), “conceptual apparatus [being] negatively shaped inflected various ways biases ruling group(s)” (Mills 60). E. B. Du Bois refers “second sight” African Americans, involves learning see “through identifying white blindness avoiding pitfalls putting spectacles one's own vision” (8). The power imbalances class, race, gender “determine what remembered (or forgotten), whom, end with conflicting judgments about important past unimportant, happened does matter, not did happen at all” 64–65). undemocratic framework thereby becomes “inscribed textbooks, generated regenerated ceremonies official holidays, concretized statues, parks, monuments” 64). Antonio Gramsci that, although “[e]very class has ‘common sense”’ (Selections Cultural Writings 420), broader narratives tend be skewed toward “those reflect seen vantage point rulers ruled” (Crehan 51). Hegemony both ensemble opinions become factor society,” along access necessary proliferate reproduce worldviews (Gramsci, Prison Notebooks 347). Because human beings do equal means disseminating their experience, less “forced exist within interstices dominant explanations” 51).Much more stake working democratize processes civic communication simply having experience understood citizens. By ensuring modes “conjoint communicated experience,” “secures flexible readjustment institutions” law, health care, education, public policy absorbing experiences, perspectives, needs differently (Dewey, MW 9:105). When one group hermeneutically marginalized, will encounter material disadvantages absence informing institutional arrangements. Fricker's main example this effect women's prior development concept sexual harassment. Carmita Wood, whose case was catalyst concept, forced leave her job an administrative assistant professor Cornell University due his harassment her. Unable find any explanation leaving except “personal reasons,” she refused unemployment benefits. describe communicate no protections arrangements would accommodate it, Wood women who situation vulnerable abuse financial losses. More recently, academic including diversity statements application procedures been shown correlate groupings, White people, men, tenured professors tending positive views diversification (Topaz et al.). If were advantaged, commonsense values likely reduce prevalence initiatives hiring, opposition interests women, disabled applicants, applicants color.Sustaining society, then, requires groups, only interpretations reality, but collectively readjust policies ability control circulation impose partial interpretive crucial dimension regime” 51), while contrast, “[a] makes provision good all terms secures interaction forms associated life so far democratic” 9:105).Philosophers provided recommendations communicative render beliefs, practices, groups. However, typically place heavy exclusive emphasis methods cultivation. suggests cultivation “intellectual virtue” counteract effects inadequate Individuals taught existence mechanisms bring subsequent conversations background ‘theory’ informed injustice” 172). As practice virtue, individuals “receive word others manner counteracts prejudicial impact marginalization already had upon disposal” 168–69). For instead man rejecting woman's claims “less rational” because “intuitive style expression,” instruction him aware interpretation speaker struggling articulate sense if attempt it being made inclusive climate” 169–70). Gramsci, too, focused heavily role intellectuals constructing coherent could disseminated challenge oppressive hegemonies.In rest paper, I argue focus intellectual like philosophical inherent limitations when comes facilitating communication, led theorists overlook specific suitability art aesthetic media task. Employing Dewey's aesthetics, discuss three features arts them method, (1) argumentation, (2) experiential immediacy, (3) consciousness-raising transformation frameworks.A major problem attempting educate instruct people political issues motivated ignorance. Cognitive psychologists, behavioral economists, philosophers distinct form ignorance actively upheld cases where information presented may uncomfortable, interest individual remain ignorant (cf. Williams; Woomer). characterizes experienced realities facing passive obverse knowledge” “an resists, active, dynamic, refuses go quietly” (49). acute instructed implicated wrong they educated. Virtue-instructive approaches therefore prove challenging, since involve educating theory includes privilege reproducing injustice.Art aesthetics able mitigate defensiveness argument judgment; direct presentations communications experience. While philosophy other argumentation utilize “theory, simplicity, structure, abstraction, essence,” works avoid “general general principles” characteristic (Rorty 73, 78). related reasons, moral, political, “saturated conceptions stem praise blame” divides humankind (at least implicitly) “into sheep goats, vicious virtuous, law-abiding criminal, bad,” characterized “indifference blame [their] preoccupation imaginative experience” LW 10:351).It contrast Richard Rorty characterize novel genre democracy” (68). Unlike “not matter replacing Error Truth,” presenting “diversity viewpoints, plurality descriptions same events” (74). substituting treatise, “characters take moral principles lists virtues vices” (78). “Dickens attacked English ferocity never approached. Yet he managed without making himself hated, and, this, very swallowed completely national institution himself” (Orwell qtd. 79). Dickens effective unargumentative, untheoretical portrayal poor. Somewhat counterintuitively, present ferocious criticism triggering defensive reaction, even undergoing enjoyable.Aesthetic avoids, specifically adeptly communicates. describes consisting “having some significant area obscured (155), failure view correctly aspects personal, social, reality influence color (chap. 4). precisely help rectify society.According Dewey, “works complete unhindered occur full gulfs walls limit community (LW 10:110). way achieves radical qualities pieces knowledge, directly expressing immediacy. presentation, inquirers deal [experiential] remove medium symbols stand qualities”; artists, hand, “have subject-matter things 10:80). Art abstractions, information, ideas, “renders available clear heightened unities (Edman 63). reason, takes greatest “for entering sympathetically deepest elements 10:335). Through art, “we install ourselves apprehending nature first strange us bringing pass, re-oriented” 10:337). capacity particularly valuable circumstances another person phenomenon causing harm.The drawing sympathetic fleeting—they extend beyond moment experiencing work itself. Works “enduring those perceive enjoy [them, which] expansion sympathies, imagination, sense” 10:336–37). They “effect broadening deepening rendering local provincial grasp, means, attitudes basic result, “[b]arriers dissolved, limiting prejudices melt away,” arrive adequate humane how sorts 10:337).Another difficulty stepping outside pre-existing frameworks. Psychological research confirmed “rather continually challenging adequacy test disconfirming empirical data, opposite—to interpret data grid concepts seemingly disconfirming, problematic, perceptions filtered out marginalized” 61). Our “spontaneous, natural, ‘instinctive’; platform apprehension further meanings, affecting every phase personal life” 1:229).There many historical distorted incredibly resilient transformation. “[i]n classic period European expansionism, possible speak absurdity ‘empty’ lands actually teeming millions ‘discovering’ countries inhabitants exist, non-white Other located guiding array rules apply” Or, during Rodney King trial 1992, graphic police brutality caught camera jury, predominant surrounding Black men enabled defense ‘dangerous PCP-crazed giant’ situation,” demonstrating meaningful event transparent, psychological process” (Goodwin 606). Any correct failures require listener grapple yet understand, existing transform—processes “in respects against grain” 1:234–35).Art rework reorient routinely people's new way. most ones operate latently unconsciously, there “undergoing re-direction, transitive transformation,” occurs familiar objects, events, appear unexpected, situation, presents itself light wholly familiar” 1:233–35). open “dissolving reforming [of] meaning” 1:235). “revelation meaning old effected presentation new” 1:270). awareness brought particular “as dyes come coal tar products receive special treatment” 10:17). altered—“[m]arble chipped; pigments laid canvas; words put together.” But similar side ‘inner’ materials, images, observations, memories emotions” 10:81).For Jordan Peele's film Get Out challenges widespread Americans recognize possess. Chris, man, victim ruthless killers upstate New York, viewers undergo reversal common (among Whites) threatening presence neighborhoods. climax film, Chris choking girlfriend, Rose. image—a woman—echoes trope violent killer posing threat women. viewer way—as male engaged self-defense manipulative homicidal woman. Viewers’ associations transformed image usual valence. next moment, car arrives scene. backs away Rose hands air, reaches calls help. Now witnesses female perpetrator, impossibility third person—the officer just arrived scene—coming veridical perspective intensely critically aware. Viewers “how looks,” realizing something resources, process, opening path conscious transformation.This “does terminate immediate occasion had” 1:352). opens up “standards appreciation deepened experiences,” world, live” 1:274, 272). tool transforming undemocratically constructed democratically informed, set interpretative build society.* * *Democracy much elected government. body given opportunities citizens, predisposed others. Without fail eliminate discrepancies bases truth claims, policy, certain opportunity influence. seeking underestimate possesses unique overcome obstacles traditional methods. These include non-argumentative heightening meanings. should instrument democracy.