Myth, Convention, and Truth
I think that truth is nearest when mythology is present. Myths themselves are not true, but neither are they operationally false. Myth implicates belief, and belief is the mode of truth. Myth reveals belief because it is a fulfillment of belief: when I believe, mythologies immediately emerge through consummating acts of creation and ritual. As any similar act of revelry does, mythologies continually bring their practitioners back to their belief source, their truth origin. There is self-awareness in myth that readily professes its role as a signifier of its origin, keeping truth near.

I also think that myth stands in contrast to much convention. Conventions are rules or methods that often masquerade as truth, convincing their operators that they are a source of “knowing.” ...more after the jump

The Human Condition Presented as a Language Problem
Prologue:

John’s Gospel begins as follows: “In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God… In him was life and that life was the light of men… the true light that gives light to every man was coming into the world.” The Word was the divine logos: not just words, but the Word and was represented within time, within space, and even upon our planet.

The Fall (Convention):

Perhaps the digital age began with the fall of man. It's the difference between a broad and ungraspable "analogue" and a concise, discrete "digital." Humanity was no longer satisfied to be awash in the analogue of eternity and wanted to know the limits like God already did. ...more after the jump

Background
A little background on my story and my interest in art and the absolute:

What is art and what is its value?
I moved to Chicago in 2009 to learn what art was. Seth was my first friend that I made in the city and he was, and still is, a true artist. So, in our first conversation over hot chocolate I asked him the question “what is art?” He didn’t have an answer for me then and though I’ve continued to push him for a definition ever since he still hasn’t committed to one. I’ve learned that art is a really hard (impossible?) thing to pin down. I’ve also learned that this is a very good thing because it keeps artists and those who truly engage art from getting too comfortable. After all, art consists of the artifacts from the bleeding edge of culture at any given time (if that’s not a definition, it’s dangerously close). That discomfort leaves me fascinated by the depth of the human being, a creature that we should be careful of assuming we understand, and in awe of humanity’s own creator, whom we understand infinitely less. ...more after the jump