Tuesday, July 24, 2012

the homeopathic remedies for the 5 ills of society





PHILSOPROP*: The Homeopathic Remedies for the 5 Ills of Society is a set of elixirs for social ailments based on the premise that "like cures like" (similia similibus curentur).

Shortly after 9/11/2001 I found a bullet on the ground in NYC and began wondering if I could create a remedy for violence by making a tincture from it? The recipes for the other remedies came to me shortly thereafter:

ALIENATION: Empty (according to homeopathy, the most dilute remedies are the most potent).
VIOLENCE: Dilution made from bullet soaked in distilled water.
GREED: Dilution made from coins soaked in distilled water.
CONSUMERISM: Diluted drop of bottled water from Wal-Mart.
DETACHMENT: Miniscule dose of superglue (this is a "dialectic remedy", the ailment being countered by its opposite. I wonder if, like especially diluted remedies, paradoxical ones have special potency as well?).

* Philosprops are objects (including booklets, posters, garments, sounds, and videos) that are intended to demonstrate a concept or spark a dialog. Please see PHILOSOPROPS: A UNIFIED FIELD GUIDE for more information.

Sets of the remedies are occasionally available in the Philosoprop Pop-Up Shop.

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