[EVA] The Greater Meaning

[once at ix.netcom.com]

-----Original Message-----
>From: Peter Svensson <sun1jack at hotmail.com>
>Sent: Jun 10, 2008 1:30 PM
>To: "The english-language evangelion mailing list." <evangelion at eva.onegeek.org>
>Subject: [EVA] The Greater Meaning
>
>
> What is Evangelion about? I have my answer, but I'd like to hear everyone else's before I give it, so as not to stifle creativity. There must be something to the series that keeps us talking about it, so what is it? At the core, why is Evangelion important?
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>Peter Svensson
>
>

I think you're helping to answer your own question. I think the meaning of any work or phenomenon is something that only resides in individuals. That is, everyone (including, of course, the creators of a work--and Eva's staff has spoken at various times about its meaning to them) has to decide for themselves what, if anything, a work means. But if a work such as Evangelion keeps so many people talking and wondering about it, that's certainly a sign it has meaning for those people. At that point, you have to ask yourself, what's it about for you, personally?

It may seem like an evasive answer, but it really isn't. The responsibility each individual has for meaning is an important theme in modern philosophy, dating back to at least Kierkegaard, which Evangelion quotes in the title of episode 16. Never mind fiction such as Eva--if you look at the real world, there are tremendous events like wars, religions, and movements that nevertheless mean one thing to some, another thing to others--and nothing at all to many. There is such a thing as meaning, and it can be the most powerful thing in the world--but it is a personal phenomenon--or a personal indifference.

--C.