On the Need for a Tender Narrator in an Unfeeling World

Magdalena SZPUNAR

Wydział Nauk Społecznych, Uniwersytet Śląski w Katowicach, ul. Bankowa 11, 40-007 Katowice, Poland , Poland

Abstract

The article is based on the premise that we live in a world of ‘misguided rationalism,’ to use Husserl’s words, which deprives us of the awareness of others and of the sensitivity towards them. The article points out that the fear of losing control and the sense of helplessness are among the greatest anxieties of contemporary human beings, while their strong focus on control leads to rejection and devaluation of a typically human characteristic of tenderness. The author claims that by adopting a defensive attitude, the human being becomes distrustful and unable to experience tenderness. The main axis of the discussion is the category of tenderness proposed by Olga Tokarczuk who points to the necessity of returning to ethical contacts with others and performing acts of care towards them. Tenderness is considered as our response to weakness and suffering and thus as a turn towards humanity.

Keywords:

tenderness, weak thought, mindfulness, empathizing