I Thought There Was Something Like That

• Responses to First Learning about Affect Theory by Jim Duffy a.k.a. J.C.D., 2/28/97
  • More on Initial Responses to Affect Theory by Vick Kelly, 3/1/97
    
    

Vick, I thought there was probably something intrinsically shaming in first being introduced to Affect Theory! I've got it now; you told me about something I thought might be happening. Yes, when explaining to an intellectual person, he or she is precisely in a catch-22--in fact, that's also how I first reacted, and still do, on and off. And the idea that affect and shame really are "obvious," once we understand how we've been missing it, certainly does leave one feeling a lot or little dumb. Somethings are "blindingly obvious." Incidentally, here I just used a term that is a true oxymoron. The word "oxymoron" is often erroneously thought to mean "self-contradictory term." An oxymoron is not a self-contradiction but a term that only seems self-contradictory because it refers to something with an unexpected mixture of components. A sad festivity or a suny rain are real but unusual and unexpected occurrences and are referred to with oxymorons. Events that can be described with oxymorons may be intrinsically connected to shame. But I'm getting in over my head here. Thank you, Vick. Really helpful.

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