Octavio Paz Wrote That "Modern Man Likes to Pretend That

question 22

Essay

Octavio Paz wrote that "modern man likes to pretend that his thinking is wide-awake. But this wide-awake thinking has led us into the mazes of a nightmare in which the torture chambers are endlessly repeated in the mirrors of reason" (p. 342). Do you agree with Paz? What sort of nightmares has modern, Western reason created? Think especially of our attitudes toward time, death, social existence, and our relationship to nature. Could the indigenous philosophies of Latin America and Mexico, Native Americans, and Africa provide perspective on how we live in society and nature? Focus on three of these philosophical perspectives. After briefly explaining them, identify any common themes they share. Then focus on how these philosophies might offer lenses through which we can look at, evaluate, and transform our attitudes toward time, death, society, and nature. Be specific: identify three alternatives ways of being these philosophies might suggest to you.

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Definitions:

Purchase Volume

Purchase volume refers to the quantity of goods or services bought over a specific period of time.

Direct Selling

A sales method where products are marketed directly to consumers, bypassing traditional retail environments.

Face-to-face Customer Contact

Direct, in-person interaction between a business representative and its customers.