Crisis with a view (2009-2015)

We live in a period of generalized cris(i)ology. The word “crisis/krisis” is one of the most common words used today by a great variety of people, institutions and social groups. The Greek word “krisis” has two meanings: the first one is related to an absence of functionality and a disruption introduced to normality (the illness is the best metaphor). The second refers to the capacity of an intelligent diagnosis of sociocultural conditions and to an imaginative decision-making related to these conditions. It is clear from the current use of the term crisis that the second meaning is absent. This deficit, this loss of meaning is due to the well known mechanism of word borrowing from the ancient Greek language and culture and transforming them into terms/notions/concepts. This transfer, this translation allows the transition from multiple word meanings to a strict and unique meaning. What is lost in richness and variety of meaning, is gained in precision and demarcation. However, in ancient Greek, Krisis presupposes both the disruption of the normal flow and the capacity of human beings to transcend it through judgment and clever decisions based on it. The dominant discourse use the first meaning of krisis and ignores the second. This paradox creates an atmosphere of despair and a feeling of hopeless confrontation with an impossible situation. Athens, Greece 2009-2015 [see also: http://dagrafiotis.com/?p=1866&from_cat=8]