Purity is Dangerous — Si-Ting Chen

British anthropologist Mary Douglas, in her book Purity and Danger, proposed a theory about the concepts of "dirt" and "purity," exploring how these concepts function in different cultures. Her research mainly focuses on understanding how societies maintain order through classification and symbolic boundaries. She argued that dirt is not merely a matter of physical uncleanliness but a threat to social order and classification systems. Cultures create classification systems to distinguish between different things, such as the pure and the impure, the sacred and the secular. Anything that does not fit into these categories, or falls outside these classification systems, is often regarded as "dirt."

Different cultures attribute various symbolic meanings to purity. In some cultures, purity is closely associated with the sacred and symbolizes the maintenance of moral and social order. The act of maintaining purity is not just a matter of personal hygiene but also involves adherence to social norms and values. "Dirt" and "purity" are socialized to varying degrees in different cultures and become crucial means of maintaining social order and identity.

Weather events are a significant part of our daily culture, with our emotions often linked to weather conditions. Extreme weather is typically perceived as dangerous and can evoke feelings of unease. Conversely, good weather is often metaphorically associated with positive, stable emotions or a harmonious social atmosphere, which in turn stimulates productivity and helps maintain social order.

Lightning and thunder are the purest and most direct visual and auditory manifestations of energy transformation. Weather shapes our perception of the current environmental conditions, especially during extreme weather events. In some cultures, thunder and lightning are considered supernatural or evil forces, representing danger, and are even believed to affect a person’s physical and mental state. How do we perceive danger, and how do natural energy and unpredictable weather events influence our physical and mental well-being?

Type
Video Installation

Softwares
Blender, Adobe Premiere, Max MSP, JavaScript

Credits
"M9 Bayonet knife" (https://skfb.ly/6BY6P) by Michael Karel is licensed under Creative Commons Attribution (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).

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