(3/6/07) What’s It All About, ‘Losties’?
Mystery, Meaning, Authorial Intention, and Beyond
Let’s start this out with a one-question multiple choice quiz:
1. Lost: What is it really all about?
a. It’s all about solving the riddle, the big picture, the mystery that the show’s producers/writers are presenting to us. The solution is something they possess and will deliver to us, as the series heads toward its inevitable denouement. We’ve been told that Lost producers/writers have already worked out the story arc, but the exact details of the denouement are still yet-to-be-determined. From this perspective, the central point is that it’s all about our attempts to divine the plot and the authorial intentions of the show’s producers/writers, and it is in this sense that we are in their thrall, captive to what they will eventually reveal to us, regarding what it is all about. In short, we are attempting to solve a complex whodunit/howdunit through our powers of keen discernment, cobbling together hypothesized patterns from various bits and pieces provided to us throughout the series. One prominent reward will be bragging rights for the person who correctly surmises the solution authored by Lost producers/writers, presented to us in the series finale.
b. It’s all about the cash, dude—‘show me the money.’ Savvy executives at ABC knew the show might have a chance if they were somehow able to pique the interest of talented individuals like J.J. Abrams. When Damon Lindelof, J.J., and the others had their initial meeting, creative sparks flew, and ABC succeeded in synergistically leveraging key intellectual assets and, as a the result of this creative combination, ABC has a money-making hit series on its hands. But human nature is fickle, and with time all of this will fade. Just ask the fans of Twin Peaks. The appeal of even the most creative and engaging of shows will fade over time. Ardent fans will still flock to Lostcons, Lost parties and marathons, Lost web sites, and other modes of reconnection once the show is over, but the majority of viewers will eventually move on to other new, engaging TV series. That’s (the business of) entertainment!
c. It’s all about the professionalism and creative process involving the show’s producers/writers. In short, it’s all about a group of highly talented individuals collaborating to create an engaging story that keeps themselves (and us) interested and wanting to learn more. Truly talented people in creative professions, including jazz (see Endnote 1), strive to generate new material which simultaneously pleases the audience, one’s colleagues in creativity (fellow performers, in jazz), oneself and, of course, the person/party writing the checks! In the “Genesis of Lost” segment on disk 7 of the season one DVD set, Damon Lindelof and J.J. Abrams disclosed that they became enamored of the idea for the show, once they were able to infuse it with elements which interested them. In particular, they discovered that the island had to become a character unto itself, shrouded in a mystery which has played such a significant role in the show’s developing mythology, and the larger riddle/big picture/mystery that we are all so fervently attempting to solve. If the ‘creative powers-that-be’ begin to lose their interest and sense of mystery in the show, we will all be in trouble, as fans. Fortunately, as Lindelof and others have previously acknowledged, they are cognizant of the dangers of letting the series go on too long, overstaying its welcome in the process.
d. It’s all about the science, dude! On second thought, it’s all about keeping the faith, dude! No wait, it’s all about the psychic connection! (I can see it now.... Chuck Woolery in a colorful, gem-encrusted turban, gazing intently into a crystal ball....) In all seriousness, there is an undeniable attractiveness for Lost fans/theorists, in dogged pursuit of ‘The Solution' to the riddle/big picture/mystery of the show, to drill down into the depths of the accumulated body of knowledge regarding electromagnetism, quantum physics, religion, parapsychology, psychology, meteorology, zoology, utopian social orders/forms, symbolism, semiotics, etc. Although such pursuits can indeed devolve into ‘ouroborotic’ chasing-of-our-own-tails, if we are mindful of keeping the broader context of the show and our lives in mind, and test our theoretical musings against the evidence/material presented to us in the show, we can keep these activities in proper perspective, leveraging them as an important component in the collective race to divine ‘The Solution.’
e. It’s all about the deeper philosophical questions, dude! In a recent column by Jeff Jensen, ‘guest lecturer’ Dr. Steven Porter made some excellent points by reminding us to not get so mired in the details of the show that we overlook the broader patterns and themes being played out, across the series (see Endnote 2). Lost fans and theoriests would do well to heed this advice! To paraphrase Dr. Porter’s intriguing theory regarding what Lost is all about, electromagnetism, psychology, parapsychology (etc.), are merely ‘props’ used in the service of playing out deeper examinations of fundamental philosophical issues and questions surrounding concepts such as free will, determinism, and the distinctions between the natural and the supernatural. Examples of some additional important philosophical issues and disciplines being examined through the show include: Ethics (including good vs. evil), Epistemology, the Subject-Object problem (please see the “Beyond Free Will” page), causality, etc. (Please see Endnote 3.)
f. It’s all one, big interpretive ‘jam session’. From this point of view, as viewers and fans, we are the real authors of the meaning behind it all, and we are collaboratively and incrementally building a collective body of interpretations and creative possibilities, as the show unfolds. According to this view, ultimately it does not really matter what ‘solution’ the Lost producers/writers eventually reveal/deliver to us, since their authorial intentions are, in some important ways, subordinate in power and relevance to the meanings, interpretations, and applications we bring to the show, through an ongoing experience in collective sensemaking, on a global scale, channeled in no small part through the electronically-mediated virtual community provided to us through the internet. Witness the mind-boggling breadth and depth of Lost theories to date, expressed by, and accessible to, a myriad of individuals across the globe. We are an inherently creative species, and we are also ‘wired’ to make sense of the world, through expressing and testing our theories of what is going on. So it is not so surprising, after all, to observe the fervent, innovative sensemaking that has so enthralled a number of ‘Losties’. Viewed from this perspective, we should not forget or so easily dismiss the insights provided through theories which are now (or are later) discredited. Value in this arena does not necessarily depend on some form of proof, validity, or correspondence to what we have observed in the show; instead, value here derives from a more pragmatic basis, namely, the extent to which these interpretations can illuminate, inform, and enhance our daily lives. (Which leads us to the next option....)
g. It’s all about our own personal journey through life. From this perspective, Lost functions in our lives like other intriguing TV shows, movies, books, or any other instrument of meaningful, thoughtful engagement— It opens our eyes, minds, and hearts to new paths of insight, potentially leading to changes in how we walk through our lives on a daily basis, including how we think, what we do, and how we feel. Think about your favorite character on Lost. Is it Jack? Kate? Sawyer? Hurley? Michael? Walt? Ben/Gale? Or? Now ponder why this person is your favorite character. What does this reveal about yourself, your life, your dealings with those around you, your work, your purpose, (etc.) What aspects of the show are you drawn toward? Electromagnetism and the scientific underpinnings of the apparently ‘magical’ or supernatural elements of the show? The psychological aspects of individual islanders, or the social psychological dynamics among the islanders? (See the page “Beyond Free Will” for a discussion of ingroup/outgroup dynamics). The deeper philosophical issues examined in the show? Your answers to these and other related questions begin to reveal the Lost ‘chords’ the show has struck in your soul, your psyche, and your imagination. In this respect, Lost is a current incarnation of a ‘vehicle’ or stimulus that prompts us to examine and reexamine our lives, transforming and informing our lives through applying the themes, insights, implications, and lessons we have learned by observing the show. As such, it is we who are the ultimate 'observers' of what is happening on the island, and we are using our observations to ‘author’ new meaning and actions, in our everyday lives....
h. ALL OF THE ABOVE....
So what’s the right answer? What is it really all about, Losties? Of course, your answer will depend on who you are, including your strengths, weaknesses, knowledge bases, experiences, skills, biases, preferences, etc. But that’s an important part of the whole point.... We are unique individuals who exist in historically-, culturally-, economically-, politically-, psychologically- (and more; you get the point) situated contexts. Accordingly, we cannot help but be influenced by the knowledge, experiences, skills, biases, preferences (etc.) that we bring to the table or, in this instance, to the TV set and the internet. My answer— which, of course, may be different from your own, especially if you’ve created your own, new option in response to the quiz question— is h., ALL THE ABOVE, and this is due in no small part to the knowledge, experiences, biases, preferences (etc.) that I’ve brought to the TV set and the internet (please see the “About the Author” page for more information on my background.)
Yes, I truly believe and feel that all of the above options are operating as real-world answers to the question: What is it all about? No, this does not mean I’m a wishy-washy relativist; on the contrary, as all of us already know, multiple domains of human knowledge and experience exist in the world, each with their own modes of making and justifying claims about the world (science, social science, philosophy, art, literary criticism, etc.) So a facile reading of the above material as a license for ‘anything goes,’ is an oversimplified interpretation. Each point of view brings different things to the TV set, and to the ‘table’ that is our lives. But that does not, perforce, suspend the procedures, rules, rigors, and standards found within and applying to each of these points of view. Science proceeds according to the rules of the scientific method, including replication and falsifiability. The same is true for the other perspectives, mutatis mutandis.
The result is a complex, multifaceted lens through which to view the show, to reflect on our own admittedly brief lives on this earth, to take in the broad panorama of the vast multi-disciplinary human enterprise at work on a global scale, expanding our understanding of the world and our ability to productively engage it, and to see new opportunities for sharing insights and making this world a better place for our children, and our children’s children.... Is there anything beyond the mere appreciation for, and use of, the different facets in this lens? Of course, the answer here is a resounding YES! Instead of devolving into balkanized, separate camps of Losties embracing one or a few of the aforementioned facets (1.a. through 1.g., above), and focusing on the differences between the perspectives we’ve chosen to use, we may instead choose to consider a metaperspective from which it is possible to explore and exploit opportunities for greater insights through considering how the different viewpoints may complement and inform each other (see Endnote 4.) Again, this does not mean we suspend the rigor of our field-specific methods; rather, it means that we retain within-field rigor and integrity while simultaneously exploring enhanced relevance through considering how the different viewpoints are interconnected and can generate new and useful insights, in this manner.
For example, the notion of causality is an interesting and important theme weaving throughout the series to date. Seemingly ‘magical’/supernatural phenomena like Rose’s remission and apparent healing, Locke’s now-functional legs (etc.), beg important questions regarding our understanding of causality. (Of course, this dovetails in some non-trivial ways with Dr. Steven Porter’s important points regarding free will/determinism, and the natural/supernatural.) Viewed from an historical perspective, the fields of philosophy and science are not exclusive and, indeed, they are inherently complementary:
"Philosophy is a field of inquiry – the pursuit of wisdom; the predecessor and complement of science, developing the issues which underly science and pondering those questions which are beyond the scope of science." (Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_basic_philosophy_topics) The history of innovation is littered with numerous examples of scientific devices which amplify the ability of our human senses to detect and observe aspects of our world and the broader universe. Through the recursive process of proposing and testing scientific theories, using more and more powerful devices and technologies to aid our observations, as a species we are expanding and extending our comprehension of the natural, to include more of what we previously conceived as supernatural. Indeed, it is through this iterative, complementary process that our understanding has progressed through the ages, answering questions while raising a myriad of others. Scientific inquiry is inextricably connected to the basic philosophical questions and issues we have wrestled with, throughout the ages; philosophical issues and questions inform scientific inquiry, and scientific inquiry informs and expands our understanding of philosophical issues and questions, including free will, determinism, the natural/supernatural distinction, causality, and beyond.
So when fans of Lost explore what we know about electromagnetism, quantum physics, parapsychology, psychology, etc., they are not merely inspecting ‘props’ employed by the show’s producers/writers as devices to examine deeper philosophical issues; instead, by engaging in this activity, the fans are opening themselves up to new vistas of insight regarding causality, free will, determinism, and the natural/supernatural distinction, notions which are, in some important regards, 'moving targets,' shifting as our philosophical understanding expands and progresses through use of new scientific devices, enabling new scientific insights into the world around us. (Please see the “Quantum Connections” page for an example of how scientific research is yielding these new insights.) And seemingly weird, creative thinking can, indeed, inform scientific progress, as in the case of August Kekule’s dream of a snake eating its own tail (how appropriately ‘ouroborotic'!), leading to the concept of the benzene ring (See Endnote 5).
Copyright 3/6/07
by Dr. Todd J. Hostager
Email= thostager@LostHEMAtheory.com
ENDNOTES:
(1) For example, please see:
Bastien, D.T., & Hostager, T.J. (1988). Jazz as a Process of Organizational Innovation.
Communication Research, Vol. 15, No. 5, pp. 582-602.
(2) Please see Dr. Steven Porter's "guest lecture" segment at the end of Jeff Jensen's column:
(3) Please see the following, for an overview of basic topics in philosophy:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_basic_philosophy_topics
(4) Of course, a complementary path to this approach is to explore insights arising from thoughtful consideration of fundamental differences and contradictions between viewpoints, through dialectics and other methods. Please see the following: University of Minnesota Press.
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