Thesis+Antithesis=Clashy Synthesis?

Let's start with part three instead. Just throw ourselves into the middle of history, cuddle up with a cup of tea, a penguin classic written by Emile Zola and wroom - here goes History and Context of Journalism - part three.. I guess first parts are over rated? Or just time consuming? ...both?

Anyway, start of part three it is. As class went on, I found myself most interested and inspired by the idealistic philosopher Hegel. His thoughts and ideas were complicated, mainly based on life, society and how the world all evolves around changes. His main idea suggests that there are no objects, all there is is change. Change seems to develop from two opposites (thesis and antithesis) clashing and erupting into something new, some kind of 'togetherness', or as Hegel would say, synthesis. This could easily be described, as Chris pointed out in the lecture, as two football teams, a home team (thesis) and an away team (antithesis). When these two teams meet up it results in a football game - the clash (synthesis). As we can see here, out of two opposites, the final result is change.

To take this theory to a higher level we can instead of the football terms refer to the ancient times and the Greek state (thesis) and the Roman fall (antithesis). When these two nations clashed history resulted in war (synthesis). 

But even after this change, there is according to Hegel additional changes that will build the future. So, with war there will be peace which will lead to victory and so on in all eternally...

When I started reading the Emile Zola book, Germinal a week or so ago, I found this similar way of thinking reflected in the story about the coal mine worker in France. Here we get the opportunity to follow the citizens daily work and life in a very violent and emotion filled society. As poverty and famine like conditions hit the society, the miners decide to strike in hopes to get their employer to once again rise their wages in order to support their families and themselves. But the tactics do not quite go according to plan as mayhem breaks lose and people will have to fight even harder to survive...

So; mining society vs powers ruling above the miners clashing together and gives us strike. It might not be exactly what Hegel gave us with his theory of how everything changes, but traces can definitely be found in how society do change according to people, the interest in surviving and having a worthy life even though there is a higher power ruling them in society. I think this still in some ways occur in our society with strikes, demonstrations and such, and it will probably exist as long as the humankind is alive and ready to defend themselves and their human rights...

To make a long story short; nothing stays the same as everything changes all the time... Like I said, well confusing..

Weyoo

Mads