Gunnar F. Gerlach: Dialectics of de-steering
EINSTELLUNGSRAUM e.V., 23.06.06

Transcript of tape recording: Elke Suhr

There are so-to-say two motives which I would like to mention before the dialectics of de-steering: the small try to counter- confuse the seemingly order of the prescribed discourse with constructive work of disruption in critical idyl.
 
I start with three quotations:

1. Johann W. v. Goethe
2. André Breton
3. Theodor W. Adorno
 
In 1805 the old master Goethe says in the Annalen or day- and year pamphlets:
Was hilft es, die Sinnlichkeit zu zähmen, den Verstand zu bilden, der Vernunft die Herrschaft zu sichern - die Einbildungskraft dauert als der mächtigste Feind. Sie hat von Natur einen unwiderstehlichen Trieb zum Absurden, der selbst im gebildeten Menschen mächtig wäre gegen alle Kultur, die Anstand und Hoheit Fratzenlügner bildend, mitten in der anständigen Welt wieder zum Vorschein kommt. (What does it help to tame the sensuality, to form reason, to ensure the power for reason - the power of imagination will continue on as the most powerful enemy. It naturally has an irresistable urge for absurdity which even in the most educated person would be powerful against all culture, it makes grimaced liars of politeness and highness when appearing again amidst of the decent world.

Almost 150 years later André Breton, who was heavily attacked at that time by the hard-core people of the communist party, demands:
What does this reasoning help us when from generation to the next it only leads into the craziness of new wars.

Third quotation - Theodor W. Adorno in "Meditation zur Metaphysik" (meditation about metaphysics), 1966, by the way part of "Negative Dialektik" (negative dialectics):

What once the spirit was keen to determine or construct as his equals is moving towards what does not equal the spirit what revokes its power and with which it becomes obvious as absolut evil.The summarily level of living, far from sense, is stage of suffering of living which spreads without comforting in the