Absolute Alterity

In Totality and Infinity, Emmanuel Levinas speaks about the concept of 'absolute alterity'.

Knowledge of the Other - the unique person - as that which is not me is always an impossibility (I'm of course reducing (and diluting) it in the act of paraphrasing; which is as Derrida says an inevitability in the act of translation). The Other is almost always distinct from 'I' and I am unable to speak of the 'who' without reducing him/her into a 'what'. It is an absolute other, one that will always be inaccessible and incomprehensible. This is the condition of singularity. We exist as singularities that cannot be accessed for the condition of absolute otherness, absolute alterity, is innate in singularity.

So why do we try so hard to understand others? Is that why expectations always fail? People disappoint particularly loved ones. A broken promise, an unexpected betrayal, absent meetings ... they're manifestations of that alterity. We think we know someone; we expect programmed responses; we lure and anticipate remarks that we hope our words would have effected so we may remain in control not only of the situation but of the other person.

But these always end in disappointment - because we believe we have conquered the condition of alterity. We can never, perhaps, live the ethic of 'stepping into someone else's shoe' - that is most certainly a fallacy. It would be (the) impossible.

Why such ponderance? It's a dry season for people and relationships ... it's a season of exhaustion and apathy where one feels too tired and exhausted to keep up with others particularly when disappointment and failed expectations seem to be the prevalent conditions...

It's time to hide yet again...