Welcome! to The Uncanny. In these pages I hope to try to gain a deeper understanding about how we– American culture, our institutions and their concomitant values–have reached a point that is beyond the ordinary or normal. That is to say, politicians and their surrogate media provide us, the citizens, with a reading of our conditions that arouses superstitious fear or dread. This means or it suggests that we’re not in control. Collectively, we feel uncomfortably strange.
The Uncanny is an invitation to anyone who happens onto these pages to collaborate, contribute and critique any and all ideas pertaining to this dramatic crisis in our perception. The energy crisis, the mortgage debacle, the wars, as well as crisis in health care and in education–all are symptoms of our crisis of perception. Who we are, who and what we’ve become is indeed something we need to investigate if we want to change the course of our culture.
This means that perhaps some unpopular ideas will be said here; however, we are being called upon to dig deeply, inquire and then project ourselves into the vision we want. The Uncanny is a humble attempt to be a part of this conversation.
For personal dialog, I can be reached at hvila@middlebury.edu
Things to know about me: @ Middlebury College and (some) professional information
- The Middlebury College Writing Center
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The Uncanny 