Transcension through exploring the rhetoric of transcendence

© Suren Manvelyan

Transcendence seems to be a fancy word with a sense of mystery and an aura of mysticism around it. When we hear transcendence, we think about a psychedelic trance-like state where we have an out-of-body experience — transcend our physical body.

The Latin verb scandere means “to climb”, so transcend has the basic meaning of climbing so high that you cross some boundary. Remind you of something?

source: gifer.com

So what is transcendence?

I’ll tell you what it is not. It is NOT the 2014 Johnny Depp movie.

source: giphy.com

Mr Depp agrees. So what is it?

Transcendence is extending or lying beyond the limits of ordinary experience.

According to American literary theorist Kenneth Burke, transcendence is an elusive concept that is difficult to pin down.

“The point to be stressed is that the process of transcendence, basic to thought, is revealed most simply in didactic-moralistic literature. There must be many ways by which transcendence takes place” (Burke qtd. in Jasinski).

Transcendence is vital to human life; it is a basic “modality of human existence” that is “fundamental to social life” (Jasinski).

Burke’s classical definition is:

“When approached from a certain point of view, A and B are ‘opposites’. We mean by transcendence the adoption of another point of view from which they cease to be opposites.” (Burke qtd. in Jasinski)

Okay, let me explain this another way.

Consider the following image:

From the centre of the circle ‘O’, the 2 points ‘A’ and ‘B’ are on opposite sides.

But,

From an outside perspective, these points cease to be at odds.

Imagine that you are standing at ‘O’.

In the first image, clearly, you can have a face-to-face conversation either with a person standing at ‘A’ or with a person standing at ‘B’ at a time but not with both. But in the second image, you can be face-to-face with both of them at the same time and can initiate a dialogue among the three of you.

How to transcend for conflict resolution

Consider the emergence of 2 factions in a religious order.

Think of Protestants and Catholics out for each other’s blood.

Now, both want God’s will on Earth.

When Christianity is challenged, they unite as a whole.

Be it, Karl Marx,

Note: All images are borrowed from Google

Or Darwin,

Note: All images are borrowed from Google

For any sect of Christianity, Darwin and Marx pose a greater challenge to their beliefs than the differences in their beliefs.

Let’s consider an Indian context:

With over 10,000 Gods, Hinduism has their fair share of tussles, especially the legendary fight among Shaivites and Vaishnavites. Among Tamil Brahmins, these fights manifested among the Brahmin class and the creation of Iyers (Shaivites) and Iyengars (Vaishnavites). The physical conflicts soon deterred to debates and showcasing of intellect. But when challenges arise against Hinduism as a whole, these sects unite.

In both cases, they ‘transcend’ the ideology that differentiates them and unites under the umbrella ideology of their particular parent religion.

Now for another instance, let’s go corporate!

If 2 departments in a company are feuding, the manager would say, “Boys, stop squabbling! The other company is developing a better product than us. We need to put our differences aside and become better. To the ideation centre! Huzzah!”

And then probably do this…

Note: All images are borrowed from Google

Well, they may not do this per se or the manager may not say so verbatim, but you get the gist. Here, warring departments choose to forget their differences to form a united front against the other company, for a greater cause that is of pertinence than their internal fights.

Then there is the crowd favourite that helps in transcendence — abstractions — like National Interest.

Source: CNN (youtube)

Everyone forgets all discerning factors to unite in the name of one’s fatherland/motherland. Be it wartime or minor disputes, the nation, i.e., the people come together despite all ideological, political and socio-economic differences. America is a banner under which all Americans unite irrespective of being a Democrat, a Republican or apolitical.

In India, in the wake of Pulwama attacks that the nation is united in their rage against the unprovoked terrorist aggression.

Source: CNN-News18 (youtube)

The aftermath of the national tragedy saw the civilians, the government and the corporates unite by their shared grief and outrage by transcending their differences.

Transcendence 101:

So basically, to transcend from oppositions/conflicts between two positions, you:

1. Appeal to god
or

2. Create an enemy
or

3. Introduce an abstract principle

None of the above appeals focuses on what distinguishes A, B but refocuses on the shared “something” — transcendence strategy — i.e., it creates a new perspective.

So, what is transcendence again?

Burke also says that this is not the only definition of transcendence. Transcendence also occurs when A becomes B — there is a symbolic transformation.

Confused? Me too!

Note: All images are borrowed from Google

i.e., Burke described transcendence as :

“the building of a terministic bridge, whereby one realm is transcended by being viewed in terms of a realm ‘beyond’ it” (Burke qtd. in Jasinski)

What he means is — change or transformation to eliminate differences.

Burke also talks of two types of transcendence: upward transcendence and downward transcendence.

Upward transcendence is when a selfish act is reimagined as an act “that protects the health of the larger economic system”. Something like — for the greater good. When Dumbledore and Grindelwald were young, what got Dumbledore wildly passionate about domination over the muggles was that Grindelwald argued that it was for the Muggles’ own good.

Created using giphy.com

Well, not exactly. But that is what he argues for. And that, folks, is a convoluted utilization of upward transcendence in fiction.

In real life, if you think about it, Hitler too used similar rhetoric.

Note: trigger warning.

The speech begins with a demand for obedience and sacrifices for the Germany of their dreams.

Downward transcendence, on the contrary, is when something noble is reduced to its elemental constituents. An extreme case of downward transcendence would be a downward spiral into being a nihilist (This is my conjecture).

Here, Jason Silva might sound inspiring, but what he is also unknowingly doing is reducing humanity to intellectual machines. He reduces humanity’s multi-dimensional nature — intellect, emotions, ethics — and portrays us single-dimensional intellectual machines that need to overcome the human condition.

But wait… What? Why talk about transcendence at all?

Burke’s definition of transcendence is rhetorical in nature. At least, his first definition was. Burke’s second definition of transcendence as rhetoric (that seems so vague to us) resonates with transcendental philosophy.

Transcendental philosophy seeks out wholeness and absolution.

We can take a glimpse at transcendental philosophy through a poem of Ralph Waldo Emerson, a famous transcendental poet. Here’s his poem Each and All:

“Little thinks, in the field, yon red-cloaked clown,

Of thee from the hill-top looking down;

The heifer that lows in the upland farm,

Far-heard, lows not thine ear to charm;

The sexton, tolling his bell at noon,

Deems not that great Napoleon

Stops his horse, and lists with delight,

Whilst his files sweep round yon Alpine height;

Nor knowest thou what argument

Thy life to thy neighbor’s creed has lent.

All are needed by each one;

Nothing is fair or good alone.

I thought the sparrow’s note from heaven,

Singing at dawn on the alder bough;

I brought him home, in his nest, at even;

He sings the song, but it pleases not now,

For I did not bring home the river and sky; —

He sang to my ear, — they sang to my eye.

The delicate shells lay on the shore;

The bubbles of the latest wave

Fresh pearls to their enamel gave;

And the bellowing of the savage sea

Greeted their safe escape to me.

I wiped away the weeds and foam,

I fetched my sea-born treasures home;

But the poor, unsightly, noisome things

Had left their beauty on the shore,

With the sun, and the sand, and the wild uproar.

The lover watched his graceful maid,

As ‘mid the virgin train she stayed,

Nor knew her beauty’s best attire

Was woven still by the snow-white choir.

At last she came to his hermitage,

Like the bird from the woodlands to the cage; —

The gay enchantment was undone,

A gentle wife, but fairy none.

Then I said, “I covet truth;

Beauty is unripe childhood’s cheat;

I leave it behind with the games of youth:” —

As I spoke, beneath my feet

The ground-pine curled its pretty wreath,

Running over the club-moss burrs;

I inhaled the violet’s breath;

Around me stood the oaks and firs;

Pine-cones and acorns lay on the ground;

Over me soared the eternal sky,

Full of light and of deity;

Again I saw, again I heard,

The rolling river, the morning bird; —

Beauty through my senses stole;

I yielded myself to the perfect whole.”

(Emerson)

It is a similar thought-stream of unity and wholeness from where Burke’s second definition originated.

Rhetorical or not, transcendence is fundamental to human life and plays a crucial role. This is the reason why it must remain of interest to rhetorical studies.

Transcendence at play

Let’s look at a few situations where transcendence rhetoric was used:

1. Truth and Reconciliation Commission, South Africa

After the abolition of Apartheid, South Africa was a nation of victims. They overcame the hatred and mistrust by embracing the South African philosophy of Ubuntu. Let’s hear from the people involved why this was the need of the hour.

Desmond Tutu and Nelson Mandela among others strongly and rightly believed that for their nation to heal, it was forgiveness was paramount. People needed closure. They needed catharsis. And it was only by transcension to a higher moral ground that this was achievable.

Mandela led by example. It takes a person of great stature to not just be able to forgive his persecutors who imprisoned him for 27 years but also advocate for reconciliation rather than retribution.

2. Transcendent rhetoric in political speeches

Ronald Reagan is considered as an eloquent orator. His speeches are studied for their rhetoric. Let’s take a look at a part of his “Berlin Wall” Speech.

In his speech, he talks about love and freedom. He masterfully uses the transcendent rhetoric. Note his usage of the phrase “something deeper” and various other “somethings” mentioned. This speech was delivered in 1987, years before the fall of the Berlin Wall, a time when such an event could not have been a premonition. In his speech, he uses abstract notions like belief and faith to make it a reality — “beliefs become reality”.

A more recent example would be Hilary Clinton’s speech after losing the Presidential race when she offered “to work with him on behalf of our country.”

3. Gandhiji

Gandhi, a true advocate of non-violence strongly believed in getting independence by peaceful means. Ahimsa demanded extraordinary levels of tolerance from the people involved in the struggle. To turn one’s other cheek when slapped, it requires transcendence to a place one can be all-forgiving — a place that is near perfect to divinity.

Let’s transcend

“Transcendence may connote the mystical and the occult, the visionary and the divine. But whatever its particular connotation …, it is fundamental to social life”

In this era of intolerance and violence, it is vital to try and live by transcendental philosophy. In a nuclear age, we cannot afford wars. The obvious and enduring yet deceptively hard way is through transcendence.

The philosophy of transcendence comes with transcendence rhetoric, for the rhetoric is the application of the philosophy. The rhetoric is successful when there is philosophical support.

Okay, one last meme…

P.S. You need to be in it to get it

References

1. Jasinski, James L. Sourcebook on Rhetoric. Thousand Oaks: SAGE Publications, 2001.
2. Mahatma Gandhi’s Speech. Dir. indiavideodotorg. Perf. Mahatma Gandhi. YouTube. YouTube, 24 Sept. 2009. Web. 11 Mar. 2019.
3. Hitler Speeches with Accurate English Subtitles. Dir. Historical Speeches TV. Perf. Adolf Hitler. YouTube. YouTube, 27 May 2015. Web. 11 Mar. 2019.
4. Human Transcendence. Perf. Jason Silva. YouTube. YouTube, 01 Feb. 2016. Web. 11 Mar. 2019.
5. Nation’s Outrage Over Pulwama Attacks. Dir. CNN-News18. YouTube. YouTube, 16 Feb. 2019. Web. 11 Mar. 2019.
6. President Reagan’s Address at Brandenburg Gate. Dir. ReaganFoundation. Perf. Reagan. YouTube. YouTube, 15 Apr. 2009. Web. 11 Mar. 2019.
7. Trump: America First and Only America First. Dir. CNN. Perf. Donald Trump. YouTube. YouTube, 20 Jan. 2017. Web. 11 Mar. 2019.
8. Truth & Reconciliation Committee: The Difficulty of Forgiveness. Dir. DesmondTutu PeaceFoundation. YouTube. YouTube, 30 Mar. 2013. Web. 11 Mar. 2019.
9. Emerson, Ralph Waldo. “Each and All by Ralph Waldo Emerson.” Poetry Foundation. Poetry Foundation, n.d. Web. 11 Mar. 2019.
10. “Transcend | Definition of Transcend in English by Oxford Dictionaries.” Oxford Dictionaries | English, Oxford Dictionaries, en.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/transcend.