Morris Vs Percy

The Loss of the Creature and the Will the Real Hooded Man Please Stand Up? contain very similar ideas that are interpreted in different ways. Both Walker Percy and Errol Morris introduce something valuable being lost and give a way in which it can be regained, and they both are fairly adamant they have reached a correct conclusion.This begs the question: since they are giving conflicting points of view, which author’s logic is flawed? A quick glance at either text would lead one to think they are both right, however a clear contrast can be seen in some areas. A closer look at both texts will reveal the similarities and differences in their theories, and how even though their ideas conflict, truth can be found in both. Worth consideration is

Percy’s anecdotes all contain a character who suppresses their ideas, beliefs, and opinions in order to conform to the more widely accepted standard with which they are familiar. To Percy, this represents a loss of sovereignty, and it is a negative experience. He introduces the idea that the foundation of any worthwhile discovery is rejecting all pre-existing norms to maneuver yourself around symbolic complexes and get a full understanding of a topic. Also in Percy’s writing, his concern with the effect that symbolic complexes have on learning and experience is evident. The easiest way to not see something, he says, is when you look at it through someone else’s perspective, or in other words a symbolic complex. In a way, you surrender your original thoughts and opinions to conform to the way of thinking that is most generally accepted. He points out that in order to have a genuine experience or discovery, you have to approach the subject from a standpoint of ignorance. If you have a frame of reference in mind then you tend to only see it from that point of view, and you lose out your own opinions. In the attempt to try to evaluate your experience “correctly” or perhaps how an expert would do it, you invalidate your own thoughts or just ignore them

Sovereignty is so easily lost because many people surrender it. When a well respected person’s opinion conflicts with yours, too many people bow out and accept a theory contrary to what they would initially think, citing their own ignorance as an excuse. As soon as sovereignty is lost, the consequence is the inability to form original thoughts. A person becomes conditioned to absorbing the theories of others as fact and considering their own ideas as moot. This quells the flow of free-thinking in individuals which Percy says is a very dangerous thing. To recover sovereignty and regain control of your mind, Percy suggests rejecting formal education and tried and true methods of execution. He says the best way to rebound from the loss is to take the bull by the horns, and get your own free-thinking mind back. Morris says that your personal beliefs need to be taken with a grain of salt, and awareness of general truths is what really cannot be lost. If you wish to take part in Percy’s solution, Morris suggests you can lose rationality and the ability to differentiate your thoughts and opinions from reality. This could quickly lead to you making incorrect assumptions, and believing things solely based on your eyesight, which consistently lies to you. In order to regain control, Morris offers a hybrid of Percy’s solution and his own. It is unwise to accept