NO! An Ontological Perspective

A child is a wonderful and adorable little mammal before it learns to be a socialized human. Is the child saying NO to losing the naturalness of being lovingly treated and pampered as a cute little cuddly animal? How much of our animal being do we put into the closet by only focusing on our strictly human development? While all children rightfully must learn to live in and adapt to our human world and this is the way it is, we may be limiting their being. Are children screaming NO to a humanly constituted reality that is being thrust upon them by surprise, due to the necessity of learning to relate in a human society? We may merely be insisting on their being human as we have framed it. Perhaps all children know this when screaming NO in an animal way. It may not be logical or rational, but it is a knowing. But let’s not stop here.

What is happening with respect to NO in examples of sexual assault, abuse, or violence that go beyond the imposition of will or desire of one over another? Pleasurable and beautiful human sex is shared in moments of being US, as opposed to being only ME or I versus YOU. When this US is present, two people are sensuously and sexually sharing and being ONE while simultaneously each is having their own experience. The choice to be and act sexually with each other is natural, free, and joyful when two people are being an US. When US is missing sex is not the same; even for couples who have been together for years. Surely there is no US in rape or abuse. And yet it is happening so much in our world. But let’s not stop here.

In the humanly constituted realities of interpersonal disrespect and institutional inequality based on skin color, race, and national origin there is clearly no US. All children play with and enjoy each other until they have been socialized not to do so in the name of becoming civilized humans. And this is still happening today so much in our world. But let’s not stop here.

We humans have had a difficult time dealing with our addiction for explanations of our human uniqueness. Whether we like it or agree with it, our humanity is being reconstituted culturally, scientifically, religiously, and environmentally all of the time. With Copernicus and Galileo we ceased to be a species located at the center of the universe, revered by the sun and stars. With Darwin, we ceased to be the species created and especially endowed by God with soul and reason. With Freud, we ceased to be the unique species with behavior governed by a rational mind. With the emergence of cybernetics and intelligent computer technology we have ceased being the species uniquely capable of complex manipulation of the environment. But let’s not stop here.