The concept of the Superunknown has been explored in various contexts, from the artistic to the philosophical, and even to the realm of spirituality and mysticism. It is a term that has come to represent a space beyond our everyday perception, one that is often associated with the unknown and the mystical. In this essay, I will explore why I would choose to name the mental space occupied by aliens and art the Superunknown.
The term “Superunknown” was first introduced by the American rock band Soundgarden in their 1994 album of the same name. The album was a reflection of the band’s interest in the occult, mysticism, and the supernatural, and the concept of the Superunknown was used to describe a space beyond our understanding, a realm of mystery and intrigue that could only be accessed through art, music, and other forms of creative expression.
In the context of aliens, the Superunknown can be seen as a metaphor for the vastness of space and the infinite possibilities that exist beyond our known universe. The idea of extraterrestrial life has long been a subject of fascination for humans, and the possibility that there are other intelligent beings out there in the universe is both thrilling and terrifying. The Superunknown represents the unknown and the mysterious aspects of this possibility, the idea that there is so much out there that we have yet to discover.
In the context of art, the Superunknown can be seen as a space beyond the limitations of our everyday experience. Art has the power to transport us to new realms of thought and emotion, to challenge our perceptions and expand our understanding of the world. The Superunknown represents the infinite possibilities of creative expression, the idea that art can take us beyond the limits of what we think we know and connect us to something deeper and more profound.
By naming the mental space occupied by aliens and art the Superunknown, I am acknowledging the interconnectedness of these two seemingly disparate concepts. Both aliens and art represent a space beyond our everyday understanding, a realm of mystery and possibility that can only be accessed through the imagination and creative expression. The Superunknown is a reminder that there is always more to discover, more to explore, and more to create. It is a call to embrace the unknown and the mysterious, to venture beyond the boundaries of what we think we know and connect with something deeper and more profound.
The concept of the Superunknown has been a subject of interest for artists, philosophers, and scholars for centuries. It refers to a state of being or a mode of existence that preceded the development of differentiated self-awareness. It encompasses the realms of art as such, shamanism, magic, and religion, all of which share the goal of accessing deeper and more profound levels of reality beyond the limits of ordinary perception.
According to some scholars, the Superunknown represents a kind of primal unity or wholeness that is lost when the self becomes differentiated and self-aware. In this sense, the Superunknown can be seen as a kind of preconceptual reality that is not bound by the constraints of language, culture, or ideology. It is a realm of pure experience and sensation, where the boundaries between self and other, subject and object, dissolve.
As the Superunknown developed, it eventually forked into two distinct paths: the Acceptable Known and the Adjacent Known. The Acceptable Known refers to the use of aesthetics to manipulate emotions in a predetermined manner. It includes forms of popular culture such as pornography, advertising, and generic pop songs, as well as more ideologically-driven forms such as propaganda and message films. The goal of the Acceptable Known is to control and manipulate the audience’s emotions, often in the service of commercial or political interests.
The Adjacent Known, on the other hand, uses aesthetics to reveal things in their original preconceptual “likeness”. It seeks to create art that does not reduce its content to some instrumental end, but rather reveals deeper truths about the world and our place in it. In doing so, artists create symbols that point to vast untapped regions of reality, beyond the constraints of language, culture, or ideology.
The concept of the Adjacent Known is particularly important in today’s society, where we are increasingly becoming a society without art. As the boundaries between self and other, subject and object, continue to blur, it is becoming more and more difficult for people to envision realities beyond the ideological horizon. By creating art that points to the Superunknown, artists can help to expand our vision of reality, and remind us of the deeper truths that lie beyond our ordinary perception.
In conclusion, the concept of the Superunknown represents a profound and complex aspect of human experience. While it may have preceded the development of differentiated self-awareness, it continues to be an important source of inspiration and insight for artists, philosophers, and scholars. By exploring the two paths of the Acceptable Known and the Adjacent Known, we can gain a deeper understanding of the role of aesthetics in our lives, and the ways in which art can help us to access deeper levels of reality beyond the constraints of language, culture, or ideology.