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(2/8/07 and 2/16/07) Lost HEMA Theory HEMA Theory sheds light on the deeper agenda of the DHARMA Initiative. What does the HEMA acronym stand for, and how does it illuminate this agenda? We start our journey by revisiting the DHARMA acronym, with particular reference to the "H": HEURISTICS. The tendency has been to focus on the problem solving component of this term, but upon closer inspection, we can see that the key element is the power of FOCUSED ATTENTION: "A heuristic is a replicable method or approach for directing one's attention in learning, discovery, or problem-solving. It is originally derived from the Greek "heurisko" (εὑρίσκω), which means 'I find'. " (Source= http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heuristic) So one key element of the DHARMA initiative-- one of the six factors in the Valenzetti Equation-- is the systematic study of the effects of focusing attention, using replicable methods or approaches. To what ends and objects might this study be directed? Here we turn to the "M" and the "A" in the DHARMA acronym: MATERIAL APPLICATIONS. A central part of the DHARMA agenda was to explore how focusing attention can effect changes in the material world, when this attention is applied within the energy field of the island, producing material applications. So HEMA represents the phenomenon of focused attention (Heuristics) influencing the island's Energy field, yielding tangible effects on the physical world (Material Applications)= HEMA. As we will see, these effects can range from materializing thoughts and feelings (the horse, the cat, the desire to walk again) to projecting oneself to other places (Walt appearing to Shannon and Sayid), and influencing weather (meteorology). DHARMA Was Exploring HEMAtic Phenomena On Multiple Levels: 1. Animals (zoology)- Are polar bears and other animals able to impact the island's energy field, through focused attention, yielding tangible material applications? 2. Regular (non-psychic) Humans (psychology)- John Locke's ability to walk again shows how focused, concentrated attention (fervent faith/belief) can connect with, augment, and sustain seemingly 'magical' results in the physical world, when directed through the island's energy field. The 'material application' of being able to walk again demonstrates the power of one form of Heuristic (focused attention), namely Faith. The crash site, and Rose's "spot" where she sits to receive a special, therapeutic, form of electromagnetic energy, impart a 'magical' healing effect to the body. (Note: Rose is, of course, a psychic, but the point here is that even 'regular' persons like Locke can access the energy fields.) The existence of these energy locations were presaged by the Australian faith healer in the "S.O.S." episode. The healing effects of these energy fields are not unconnected or unrelated to one's belief system. In particular, the healing of Rose's cancer, and Locke's legs, demonstrates an important mind-body connection of interest to DHARMA, as a means to effect changes on the Material world through focused attention/Heuristics, in this case, Faith. Immediately after the crash of Flight 815, Locke was 'given back' the use of his legs through the effects of the healing electromagnetic energy field, emanating from that part of the island (see Endnote 1). In particular, Locke saw he was able to 'wiggle' his toes again, and from that point forward, we can see the positive effects of his growing Faith in the new start he was given on the island. Locke's newfound sense of purpose and growing Faith helped sustain and amplify this healing effect on his legs. Locke's loss and subsequent renewal of his Faith/purpose parallels and influences the Material loss and subsequent renewal of his ability to use his legs. Rose's special "spot" on the beach-- where Locke also went, to help heal his blast-door injured leg, in "S.O.S."-- emits a strong dose of healthful, renewing electromagnetic energy which, when coupled with a deeply felt Faith in being (not doing, ala Bernard!), enabled both Rose and Locke to progress toward and ultimately sustain a more whole and renewed physical state. Taken together, Rose and Locke's stories of physical healing reveal how Faith is connected to Science, Energy, and the Material world. This truth is opaque to regular, non-psychic, people until they 'find' themselves on the island, through fervent faith, belief, and purpose, as did Locke (of course, with obvious applications to our own lives!) Sufficiently focused and concentrated, this form of focused attention can, indeed, influence the island's energy field and produce material applications. (Note: The Swan hatch electromagnetic field has a very different character than the "healing" spots located on the beach... More on that, later!) A second form of non-psychic Heuristic observed on the island is a more emotional burst of attention as in the case of Charlie's loud and heartfelt exclamation that he is a "Rock God" which produced a pronounced yet more diffuse material application in the form of the cave-in. What DHARMA, and the Flight 815 passengers, have discovered is that the energy field on the island enables extremely focused and concentrated forms of attention to be translated into tangible material applications (H-->E-->MA.) 3. Psychic Humans (parapsychology)- Walt shows us that outside the island it can be possible for psychics to effect changes in the material world through focused bursts of attention. Witness his fervent, demanding calls to be noticed (how ironic!) when reading about birds of Australia, while his mother and Brian are discussing other pressing matters, and the subsequent material effect of the dead bird. Walt demonstrates how psychics are able to enact HEMA, albeit on a smaller and less powerful scale, outside the energy context of the island. Place Walt and other psychics on the island, and you can see how their HEMAtic abilities will multiply; if regular, non-psychic people can do HEMA through concentrated attention bursts, think of what Walt and other psychics can do, through focused attention, within the island's energy field! Is it no surprise that Walt can project himself materially, to Shannon and Sayid? What kinds of testing, using what forms of equipment, did the Others conduct on Walt? And what's up with Desmond? 4. Super-Psychic Humans (parapsychology)- If animals, regular humans, and psychics can influence the island's energy field to produce various material applications, what would happen if an off-the-chart super-psychic focused his/her attention, while on the island. This is what caused the "rift" incident that is referred to in the Swan hatch orientation film. What DHARMA did not anticipate was that a sufficiently powerful psychic could produce such a large impact on the island's energy field, that a rift or rip in the space-time continuum was produced. This incident created the conditions requiring the periodic (108 minute) dispersion of the electromagnetic field build-up. (More on this, below....) What's Up With The Virus?: How Does It Relate To The HEMA Factor? The virus may be the result of a failed attempt to use gene therapy to amplify human psychic abilities. (Recall the Swan hatch blast door map reference to the polar bears being acclimated to the tropical island, through use of gene therapy.) The first attempt at a virally-delivered gene therapy, developed to increase human psychic powers (Heuristics), did not succeed. DHARMA developed a serum to combat the virus and distributed it to hatch workers. Unbeknownst to the workers, the serum contained two types of virus: (1) the 'dead' viral material to immunize workers against the failed virus, and (2) live viral material culled from a later, successful attempt to develop a gene therapy approach to amplifying human psychic powers. So the serum the hatch inhabitants have been taking may have been more than just a serum, after all. Consistent with DHARMA's HEMAtic agenda, taking the serum may serve to build and amplify psychic powers, helping hatch workers accomplish their tasks through more powerfully focused attention (Heuristics). In the case of Desmond, receiving the gene therapy through the serum may have further amplified his pre-existing psychic abilities.... And, in the case of Ethan, we may see evidence of other forms of gene therapy, producing increased, super-human physical strength. Indeed, Ethan's strength strongly suggests DHARMA was successful in amplifying 'natural' forces in our human constitution. Is it really so much of a stretch to see how they would also try to amplify human psychic abilities, through gene therapy (delivered virally) and other means (electromagnetically)? What's With The Numbers, Dude?: HEMA Is One Of The Six Valenzetti Equation Factors! One lingering and hugely important question is what Valenzetti Equation factors are represented by the numbers 4-8-15-16-23-42. After all, we know that the island is a testing facility designed by DHARMA to recreate the factors on a smaller scale, to explore ways to change the fate of mankind (see Endnote 2). One of the six factors is HEMA-- the impact of focused human attention (Heuristics) on Energy and the material world (Material Applications). In this specific sense, HEMA Theory is not a grand theory of all six factors, but is instead a theory of one key factor with significant potential to change the fate of humankind. Indeed, in paragraph three of the opening section (see above), I noted that HEMA is one key element of the DHARMA Initiative, while certainly not the only one of importance. One of DHARMA's key lines of experiments was focused on the goal of examining ways in which it might be possible to change the fate of humankind through augmenting, amplifying, and leveraging the power of human attention (Heuristics), including various forms of PSYCHIC ABILITIES. Here are some of the ways in which DHARMA has observed this factor, on the island: 1. Fervent FAITH/BELIEF as a means of effecting material changes (Locke's newly functioning legs; Jack bringing Charlie back to life). As Locke's Faith waned, so did the Material Application-- he began to lose the use of his legs. What can we learn from this, relating to the HEMA factor and how we might leverage the insights to change the fate of humankind? DHARMA observed, by watching Locke, that Faith can indeed serve as a Heuristic, in effecting changes in the Material world, in the presence of sufficient energy. Off-island, is it possible to draw such energy from each other, as in a body of believers, effecting material changes in the world? Think this is far-fetched science fiction... Well, think again: http://www.redorbit.com/news/display/?id=126649 2. Concentrated EMOTION as a means of effecting material changes (Charlie's heartfelt outburst "I am a Rock God!") DHARMA saw how this potent concentrate of emotional attention produced the Material Application of a cave-in. So DHARMA has learned that cognitive and emotional Heuristics can produce material changes on the world, useful information for influencing our fate, to be sure. In short, what these observations on the smaller scale of the island have shown is that shared thoughts and emotions on a larger scale may indeed effect material changes on energy patterns, producing material effects from quantum to macroscopic scales. 3. PSYCHIC ability to project oneself elsewhere, as in the case of Walt appearing to Shannon and Sayid. Among other things, this ability could be developed and used in the outside world, to help warn others of an impending disaster (changing the fate).... 4. PSYCHIC ability to perceive things at a distance (spatial non-local awareness), as in the case of Rose knowing that Bernard was fine. Again, this ability has obvious and relevant implications for DHARMA, as a means to increase our ability to see and influence events.... 5. PRECOGNITION as a means of expanding human attention forward and backward in time, with obvious and significant implications for predicting and influencing future events affecting the fate of humankind. (Please see my page on Desmond HEMA- Episode 56, in regard to points 4 and 5.) What Are The 'Levers' For Changing The HEMA Factor? When considering the range of observable HEMA dynamics (points 1-5, above), it is possible to identify different types of 'levers' which might be used by DHARMA to influence the HEMA factor to influence the fate of humankind. This is, after all, a central goal of DHARMA: Experimental manipulation and observation of the Factors on the small scale of the island, to explore ways to change the fate of humankind. Examples of 'levers' for influencing the HEMA factor include: 1. Channeling and augmenting the power of focused attention, through an electromagnetic field. 2. Focusing attention through intense expressions of faith, belief, and emotion (Locke, Jack, Charlie.) 3. Expanding the scope and range of attention, through an intense energy burst, enabling movement forward and backward in time (Desmond's Swan hatch 'flipping the switch,' in Episode 56.) 4. Focusing attention through mundane yet seemingly important tasks, heightened by the presence of an annoying or noxious stimulus (typing the numbers in the Swan hatch, while the loud warning horn is sounding....) 5. Gene therapy to activate one or more DNA sites associated with psychic abilities, delivered through a VIRUS. (This is strongly implied by the notation on the Swan hatch blast door, indicating the Polar Bears were acclimated to the island's tropical climate through gene therapy.) This 'lever' has some very appealing implications as a real-world, replicable approach or method for increasing the species' ability to wield greater Heuristic powers in a range of psychic flavors, from remote viewing to quantum teleportation to time travel. (For more on the latter, see the Desmond HEMA- Episode 56 page on this web site.) In summary, the image of Gerald de Groot intensely peering at some very interesting material, levitated between two poles in an electromagnetic field, tipped us off to one of the six factors in the Valenzetti Equation: HEMA. What particular number is associated with the HEMA factor is yet to be determined.... Now I'll turn my attention to a crucial component in DHARMA's recreation and study of the HEMA factor: The original source of the electromagnetic field, and how this field was amplified through the occurrence of a 'rift' incident.... What's Up With The Black Rock, Dude?: Psychic Duracell! "Black Rock" refers to more than just the name that was on the back of Magnus Hanso's slave ship: Quite literally, it is the rock comprising the bed of the island. Volcanic islands sit atop a bed of black rock in the form of basalt, spewed forth as lava during their genesis. Unlike other islands, the volcanic event culminating in the island (and others in the vicinity) spewed forth a particular kind of black rock, including concentrated masses infused with large amounts of MAGNETITE, a magnetic black rock. (So don't expect to see X-Files super-soldiers like Knowle Rohrer lining up for a vacation tour of the island and its monoliths, any time, soon....!) If the island is located at or near the South Pole, this certainly would further augment the electromagnetic field operating on the island. In short, the island is a super-charged magnetic pole, a giant PSYCHIC BATTERY/ENERGY SOURCE, with the entire island comprising a substratum of magnetite-infused black rock. Some portions of the black rock have far higher concentrations of magnetite, and serve as mini-poles/rods/monoliths, with more highly concentrated electromagnetic discharges and field dynamics in or near their vicinity. So while the entire island is a charged magnetic pole, more potent poles/rods/monoliths exist throughout the island, waiting to be unearthed and exploited through human Heuristics. The Swan monolith, therefore, may be only one of several potential sites on the island at which the magnetitic black rock may be leveraged through Heuristics to effect Material Applications, i.e., changes in the physical world. The Swan experiment incident generated a rift in the space-time continuum, increasing the radioactivity of that particular island pole/monolith, leading DHARMA to encase the monolith in thick cement. The Incident imprinted the Swan island pole/monolith with a periodic 108-minute energy build-up dynamic, which is dispersed through human Heuristics by typing in the numbers. The "Quarantine" stenciled onto the inner side of the hatch has a second, double-meaning, beyond the obvious surface viral one.... The hatch not only keeps out virally infected organisms, it also keeps in, 'buries', and periodically disperses/lances the now 'infected' Swan pole/monolith's 108-minute boiling over.... DHARMA wanted to contain The Incident to the Swan hatch, fully aware of the dire implications should this spread to other poles/monoliths on the island. NOTE: There have been at least TWO, not just one, "incidents" on the island to date- 1. The Swan hatch incident referred to in the Orientation film by Dr. Marvin Candle, which happened shortly after the station began experiments relating to the electromagnetic activity in the area. This incident led to the number punching protocol. The film is clearly dated with a copyright of "1980", at the end. 2. A second "AH/MDG" incident, occurring in 1985, which may have contributed to the Caduceus station being abandoned. This information is provided to us in the Swan hatch blast door map. So whenever I cite the rift incident, I am referring to the first incident (#1), not the second incident.... 2004: Another Space Odyssey? Fans of Lost were alerted to the presence of crucial 'Easter eggs' placed in the February 7th, 2007 episode. Fans of Kubrick were delighted to see the overt reference to "A Clockwork Orange", with its obvious implications for studying the effects of reprogramming minds (and changing focal attention patterns-- changing Heuristics). This may be one of the various techniques employed by DHARMA to explore the effects of changing Heuristics on the Energy field, producing new Material Applications. The deeper meaning of this "Easter egg," when unwrapped and digested, is the Kubrick clue, leading us to "2001: A Space Odyssey." What does this add to HEMA theory? Consider the following: 1. Like the hatches on the island, the monolith on the moon in "2001" was buried and unearthed. 2. How interesting that the "2001" monolith was called the "Tycho Magnetic Anomaly 1", clearly marking it as associated with magnetism, not unlike our precious island. 3. The "2001" monolith emitted a "radio" signal, analogous to the island emitting an electromagnetic pulse (EMP) when the numbers were not properly entered and executed. (Which leads us to....) 4. What was located behind all of that concrete in the Swan hatch? Speculation has been rampant. Here is the truth.... Behind the concrete was a monolith (or some island monolith-equivalent), discovered by Magnus Hanso and his crew (motliest= mittelos). It was no coincidence that his ship was called "Black Rock", since the "2001" monolith appeared to be made of "black rock" (see Endnote 3). 5. And it was no coincidence that the Black Rock was carrying mining supplies. No doubt, while stranded, some of the ship's passengers searched for valuable ore and found the island's 'monolith' (or its equivalent.) Once unearthed, this monolith produced some startling and seemingly 'magical' effects. Back then, did someone focus their attention (Heuristics), channeled through the newly amplified energy field (island Energy, increased through unearthing the 'monolith') to produce the Material Application of the Black Rock ship rematerializing mid-island? In any event, Magnus documented the discovery and unearthing of the island monolith, leading to... 6. Alvar Hanso, who subsequently found Magnus' documents and consulted with the de Groots, leading to the development of the DHARMA Initiative, with its public agenda to explore relationships among meteorology, psychology, parapsychology, zoology, electromagnetism, and utopian social.... 7. DHARMA sets up its facilities on the island and begins testing HEMA Theory on animals, regular humans, and psychics. They find the closer you get to the monolith, the more powerful the effect. DHARMA may have designed and built a device to amplify the energy field effects of the monolith, linked to and directed, in part, by computers. 8. One of the test events, perhaps involving a super-psychic located in the Swan, near the monolith, unwittingly yield a huge energy burst, producing a rip in the space-time continuum, one of the effects of which is the periodic (108 minute) build-up of EMP. If this energy is not sufficiently diffused through HEMAtic activities, it builds up and discharges as an EMP into the Earth's upper crust, the atmosphere and space. (Note: This may be shown to contribute to the December 26, 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake, leading to the deadly tsunami. See Endnote 4.) 9. For safety's sake, DHARMA decided to encase the rift-incident-influenced monolith in cement. It is a post-rift, super-charged monolith that was behind the cement, shaking and shuddering like the pole of a super-magnet, prior to discharge. And the computers were in an adjoining room. 10. DHARMA reconstructed the actions leading to the rift incident, and figured out how long each periodic energy build-up took place (108 minutes) and determined the proper sequence for activating an energy dispersal system: 4-8-15-16-23-42-Execute. 11. The 108 minute countdown was devised by DHARMA to focus human attention (Heuristics) at the end of the energy build-up cycle. Hence the sounding alarm, cuing heightened attention in Swan hatch inhabitants. Fear, faith, anger, frustration, even annoyance at having to drop out of another task like riding a bike, or reading a book.... any of these heightened forms of focused attention will suffice to produce one of the key components involved in the HEMAtic dispersion of energy. 12. The acts of Magnus finding and unearthing the monolith on the island, and DHARMA inadvertently increasing the power and periodicity of the monolith, parallel the finding, unearthing, and activation of the monolith in the movie "2001: A Space Odyssey." 13. DHARMA scientists, aware of the power and potential downside of HEMAtic phenomena through their pre-rift studies on the island, may have recognized the danger of letting the amped-up, post-rift island EMP signal emit like a periodic beacon, outward through space.... Who knows who or what might respond to such a call? 14. "2001" provides some insight into who or what might come a'calling if such a beacon were left operating.... In Kubrick's movie, the "Star Child's" response to the monolith's signal and subsequent arrival to Earth 'signaled' an end to humanity, at least as we know it. Is this the end referred to in Lost? The "2001" connection sheds additional light by revealing that the end is also a new beginning.... If left operating, could the island monolith's signal produce a "Star Child-like" end, with the arrival or disclosure of an entity representing the dawn of a newly transmuted human species, an end to experience as we now know it, but the dawn of a new HEMAtic existence for all, in which each and every person is capable of effecting changes in the physical world through applying focused, concentrated attention (Heuristics) to impact Energy fields, producing Material Applications? When is a Plane not just a Plane? Since an 'alien' solution has been discredited by Lost producers/writers (see Endnote 5), a more likely scenario than "2001/Star Child from Space" is that the outward EMP burst, in addition to its undeniable tangible effects on the material world, is symbolic of an impending movement of our species to another "plane" of existence.... 1. The Flight 815 plane is symbolic of our 'safe' travel in our current 'plane' of existence. For most of us regular, non-psychic folks, this means we cannot see and leverage the higher plane of existence in the universe, a higher plane which Walt and other psychics can periodically access through focused attentional bursts (Heuristics), even outside the island. 2. The crashing and breaking up of the plane on the island is symbolic of a fracturing and opening up of the species, to a new plane of existence, through and enabled by, the island. The fracturing of the plane mirrors the fracturing of the bones which occurs in "2001: A Space Odyssey," as the apes symbolize the impending evolution of the species through breaking old bones, all in the presence of the 2001 Black Rock monolith. 3. The island's monolith (or equivalent feature), ramped up in energy through the rift incident after DHARMA's arrival and experimentation, is opening the FLIGHT 815 passengers up to seeing and experiencing this new plane of HEMAtic experience.. Psychics already see this, and they are 'found' or opened to further explore this new plane through a faster/shorter learning curve, on the island. Non-psychics are open to 'finding' their new selves, and seeing the HEMAtic plane through periodic attentional bursts (Heuristics), as in the case of Locke's Faith enabling him to walk, Jack's concentrated focus on his abilities in science/medicine/CPR to bring back Charlie, after he was strung up for dead by Ethan, Charlie's heartfelt emotional outcry "I am a Rock God" precipitating the cave-in, etc. 4. Through the course of their unfolding new lives on the island-- their "fresh start" (Locke)-- they are engaged in a process of 'finding' their new selves in this new "plane" of HEMAtic existence, afforded and enabled by the island and DHARMA experiments.... 5. So unlike 2001, the monolith is not signaling/symbolizing the arrival of some Star Child from outer space, but rather is signaling the dawn of an evolution in our human species, from one plane, to another. And as Locke has presaged, this will show how Faith and Science are inextricably linked, on a higher plane of existence (the HEMA factor!) (Note: For more on the scientific underpinnings of HEMA Theory, please see the Episode 56: HEMA Tie-Ins page, on this web site.) HEMA, Utopia, and the Collective Consciousness: The HEMA theory fits with the Faith and Utopia themes of the show….. As Locke’s legs have shown, Faith is one form of Heuristic that is able to produce Material Applications….. We have seen Locke regain use of his legs through fervent faith borne of found (not lost) purpose and meaning. Interesting that he begins to lose his legs right when he begins to lose his Faith…. And that he regains his legs with renewed Faith in purpose, through the need to rescue Boone…. This shows that Faith is not divorced from Science, Energy, and the Material world. There are forces/dynamics at work in the world, which we cannot see, unless we are psychic… or unless we happen to ‘find’ ourselves (like Locke ‘found’ himself), on the island.
In addition to seeing individual persons-- psychics and non-psychics alike-- produce HEMAtic phenomena on the island, we can see the potential for multiple people to work together, focusing their collective attention (social Heuristics) through the Energy field, to achieve Material Applications. Perhaps this is one manner in which DHARMA conceived we could indeed arrive at, and sustain, a Utopian existence. But beware the potential dark side of such powers, not unlike the Krell who suffered extinction in the movie "Forbidden Planet."
Finally, perhaps as we saw with Boone, a ‘sacrifice’ to the island can focus the attention of us as individuals, and as a collective, to produce startling effects. Maybe this will occur when/if Jack is called to sacrifice in a messianic mode, 'finding' that Locke was right all along.... that Jack does believe in destiny, but just doesn't know it, yet.... Maybe this act will enable the islanders to delay or prevent the end, via the power of their collective emotion, channeled through and amplified by the island’s energy field, producing profound and material applications…. Addendum: Bateson's Double-Bind Theory- DOUBLE-BIND THEORY- This is a classic in the annals of psychology, from esteemed social scientist Gregory Bateson. DHARMA didn't limit itself to Skinnerian Behaviorism; the true experiment was not the Skinnerian task in the Swan, but rather the double-bind situation created in the Pearl.... It's interesting that John Locke's mother had schizophrenia, which is the phenomenon that led to the discovery of the double-bind.... Of course, the surface interpretation is that Locke (and we) are conflicted, schizophrenic beings, walking the fine line between rationality and non-rationality (faith).... The deeper meaning is that the real experiment on the island was not the people in the Swan hatch, punching the buttons, no, the real "lab rats" were the persons in the Pearl hatch, observing Swanees and meticulously recording their behavior.... Here is the Pearl inhabitants' double-bind situation, in a nutshell....
1. You are told by an authority figure whom you trust, that the Swan people are doing something they believe is important, and you are explicitly told by this authority figure that you don't need to know what it is (and, by implication, whether or not it really is important!) This is the primary injunction in the double-bind.
2. The secondary injunction in the double-bind, unstated for maximum/optimum effect, is the meta-looping thought the Pearl inhabitants could not help but generate.... Hmmmm... If the Swan people have been duped into doing something they believe is important, am I being so duped, myself?!?!
3. So we can see that the seemingly impossible task of writing down everything that happens in the Swan hatch, on a moment-to-moment basis, coupled with the primary and secondary injunctions above, with only the minimum amount of information stated explicitly to Pearl inhabitants, yields maximum effect in establishing a double-bind, which was the real study, in the first place....
4. I wonder if the Pearl inhabitants ever got to see all those pneumatic tube receptacles, with the handwritten notebooks, stacked atop each other in the field.... It's clear from the design of the exit end of the tube, and the lack of something to catch the notebooks on the other end, that the Pearl inhabitants' work was meaningless, while observing their "double-bind-driven" behavior was precious....
***** And how about this for the grand hurrah...! The creators of the show have (wittingly or unwittingly) set us Lost aficionados and theoreticians up in a classic double-bind situation....
1. Primary injunction= Thou shalt figure out the show.... This has the classic double-bind hallmarks of authority figures setting us up with an impossible task.... Witness one of the prior columns in which the Stephen King approach was discussed.... Elements of making it up as they go.... (see Endnote 6). But then again, they did tell us in the genesis of lost special feature on disk 7 of season 1, that they had mapped out the entire arc, over 5 or 6 seasons....
2. Secondary injunction= Conflicting thoughts by us devotees.... We are simultaneously drawn and driven to make sense of and theorize about something that by its very definition is shifting and impossible to predict.... Even worse, and those of us who are theorizing have all thought about this.... Is not the very act of sharing our theories in a public forum, setting these theories up for failure? Even if we were able to predict some bits and pieces of the direction the show's creators/writers have mapped for Lost's future, would they not alter this course/direction (esp. in the details), when confronted by an external party correctly guessing some future elements? They want to keep the intoxicating process of moving the story, us, and the cultural phenomenon along... We are all caught up in a mystery and in a mysterious process.... An exciting double-bind trap that helps us liberate our minds from the numbing sameness of everyday life.... Copyright 2/8/07 and 2/16/07 | ENDNOTES: (1) I thank Kevin Meier for his observation that Locke was initially 'given' the gift of being able to again use his legs was instrumental in my reworking of the HEMA Theory applications relating to Faith as a Heuristic. (2) I am indebted to Noah Hawthorne for reminding me about the literal importance of the numbers as factors in the Valenzetti Equation. Behind the scenes over the past few days, I had been working on streamlining and clarifying HEMA Theory, and Noah's kind and insightful words of wisdom led me to expedite the implementation of these changes. Hence, this "Home" page is a more straightforward exposition of what HEMA involves, with other related topics and expansions of the theory moved to their own, dedicated, pages. (3) My brother, Dean Hostager, suggests a potential connection to Atlantis, prompted in part by the four-toed foot observed by Sayid and crew (presumably part of a larger, preexisting statue.) It is likely presumptuous to assume that the island's monolith equivalent was unknown to humans, prior to Magnus Hanso's arrival and unearthing of this island feature. Indeed, it is entirely possible that the island is the lost Atlantis, and that the ancient Atlanteans knew of, and HEMAtically used, the power of the monolith. Perhaps they were the ones who buried it, or it was inadvertently buried through some cataclysmic event, with Magnus subsequently finding and unearthing it, centuries later.... (4) Please see the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake page in Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2004_Indian_Ocean_earthquake (5) I know, I know, that we could quibble about whether or not the "2001"' Star Child is technically an 'alien', but I would put it into that 'dismissed' category, since it has the same feel to it.... Please see the Lost page in Wikipedia, for discredited theories: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lost_%28TV_Series%29 (6) My brother, Kurt Hostager, alerted me to this point. For more Lost information, please check out the following site: http://www.buddytv.com/lost.aspx | |
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