11

The Ritual SelfThe Ritual Self

Reaching for the Sacred with Reaching for the Sacred with No Help from GodNo Help from God

Eugene BardachEugene BardachGoldman School of Public PolicyGoldman School of Public Policy

UC BerkeleyUC Berkeley

22

Who Might Care?Who Might Care?

Not the religiously faithfulNot the religiously faithful Not agnostics (God of the Gaps, etc.)Not agnostics (God of the Gaps, etc.) Not atheists…Not atheists…

– ……who don’t care about “the sacred” who don’t care about “the sacred” – ……who are also secularistswho are also secularists– ……who find rituals in general distastefulwho find rituals in general distasteful– ……who take “rationality” lightly (ironists, etc.)who take “rationality” lightly (ironists, etc.)

So who’s left? So who’s left?

33

Overview of the ArgumentOverview of the Argument

““Sacredness” a humanistic ideaSacredness” a humanistic idea Acknowledge the Ritual SelfAcknowledge the Ritual Self The community of Ritual Selves: The Ritual The community of Ritual Selves: The Ritual

Theater CompanyTheater Company– The participants, including “God”The participants, including “God”– Ritual “scripts”Ritual “scripts”– ““Enacting” versus “acting”Enacting” versus “acting”

Concluding questionsConcluding questions

44

““Sacredness” a Humanistic IdeaSacredness” a Humanistic Idea

Humility, awe, (mystical unity?)Humility, awe, (mystical unity?) ““Meaning,” “elevation” (Haidt)Meaning,” “elevation” (Haidt) Moral depthMoral depth

– Moral behavior (?)Moral behavior (?)

Related humanistic goalsRelated humanistic goals– Community Community – Connection to historyConnection to history

55

The Ritual SelfThe Ritual Self

The Ritual Self has license to speak and act The Ritual Self has license to speak and act in ways disapproved by the Empiricist Self in ways disapproved by the Empiricist Self

Ritual Self

Empiricist Self

B SelfC Self

A Self

Whole Self

(Humanist)

D Self

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A Community of Ritual SelvesA Community of Ritual Selves

What kind of community?What kind of community?– Creates a sacred environment (“space”)Creates a sacred environment (“space”)– Ritual poetry, music, metaphor flourishRitual poetry, music, metaphor flourish

Example: “God grant us peace” Example: “God grant us peace” – About peace, and us, and hopefulnessAbout peace, and us, and hopefulness– ““God” is partially shared metaphor(s)God” is partially shared metaphor(s)

The “Contemporary Ritual Theater The “Contemporary Ritual Theater Company”Company”

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Participants in the Contemporary Participants in the Contemporary Ritual Theater CompanyRitual Theater Company

C

A

B

E

D F

G

“God”

HistoricalFigures

ProfessionalLeaders

Ritual Selves A-G

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Scripts in the Ritual TheaterScripts in the Ritual Theater

Connecting to history and traditionConnecting to history and tradition– Tradition reassures, embraces usTradition reassures, embraces us– History enlarges usHistory enlarges us– History explains and constrains usHistory explains and constrains us

“ “So, you think you’re so smart?”So, you think you’re so smart?”

– History resonates through usHistory resonates through us

But “tradition” evolves tooBut “tradition” evolves too– E.g., dignity of women, homosexualsE.g., dignity of women, homosexuals

99

““Enacting” in the Ritual TheaterEnacting” in the Ritual Theater

““Enacting” versus “acting”Enacting” versus “acting”– The actor’s self both humbled and enlargedThe actor’s self both humbled and enlarged– A danger: play-actingA danger: play-acting

Enacting sacredness creates the Enacting sacredness creates the environment of sacrednessenvironment of sacredness– Value its communal characterValue its communal character– Value its fragilityValue its fragility– Value its temporarinessValue its temporariness

1010

Concluding Questions (1)Concluding Questions (1)

Are all religious frameworks good Are all religious frameworks good candidates?candidates?– The Humanistic Self should disapprove of the The Humanistic Self should disapprove of the

intolerant and fanatical onesintolerant and fanatical ones– They differ in their theatrical raw materialsThey differ in their theatrical raw materials

Might there be simpler, better alternatives?Might there be simpler, better alternatives?– E.g., love of nature, ecosystem, earth?E.g., love of nature, ecosystem, earth?

But no history, no social compassionBut no history, no social compassion

– Non-theistic religion, e.g., Buddhism?Non-theistic religion, e.g., Buddhism?

1111

Concluding Questions (2)Concluding Questions (2)

Might the Ritual Self overwhelm the Might the Ritual Self overwhelm the Empiricist Self?Empiricist Self?– Yes, there is a riskYes, there is a risk

Does everyone have a Ritual Self?Does everyone have a Ritual Self?– Not to the same degree or kindNot to the same degree or kind– Fear of “The Divided Self”Fear of “The Divided Self”