Realizable illusions

"Whoever stripped himself of all illusions would remain naked." (A. Graf)

Contrary to the mainstream, contrary to the Latin root, absolutely different from the explanations given in dictionaries and encyclopedias - I do not think that illusion is always a deception, a danger, a "distorted image", a delusion, an idealization without a foothold, a shorter or longer clouded state of human consciousness. No - it does not have to be reduced to deception, to an illusion, to a mistake, or even to fraud. Classical, "cruel" definitions of illusion are limited almost exclusively to the relationship between reality and human perception of it, to a human experience of a fragment of life that he, his self, sees in a given situation - literally or metaphorically - in his own, unique way, different from others. At least for a certain time. And that "something" no one can take away from him!!! I do not claim that illusion is pure reality, but even facts are not a mere coincidence with the truth!

Often, we are not convinced whether something is an illusion or not. For example: the sea is (not) blue, justice is (not) attainable, love is (not) eternal... However, the sea really does seem blue to us - during the day, bathed in sunlight, justice is capable of transforming into a abyss, while love is indestructible, in principle, not in concrete terms. By the way, what would be left of ideas, of creativity if, whether as inspiration or as a framework, we somehow “take away” the illusion, the divine images born in our head, in our mind, in our heart? Banality? Dryness? Boredom? An unsuccessful “repetition” of raw reality?

Otherwise, we understand relatively little about time in its essence - whether it has a linear course or parallel flows, both within us and outside us. We are even less sure how the Earth and life on it came into being. And God - no, he is by no means an illusion: it is a matter of belief, not insight; moreover, no one has established that God does not exist, in any form. And man himself is proof to the contrary.

Therefore, when we are on the verge of - sober dreamers - discarding illusions/"illusions", let us raise our gaze to the sky, to its glowing ball, to the clouds, the moon, the stars. Or, let us direct our eyes to the ground, especially to the water. What will someone feel then, what will permeate them in those moments - remains their personal, inalienable. Freedom. And such a thing is not and cannot be an illusion (sic!).

Undoubtedly, this is not about the skills of my “writer” David Copperfield, about magic tricks, or about mental disorders. It is about the human right to dream and imagination - but also to a deeper and broader, more holistic view of things, the environment, the world. One's own consciousness and subconscious, “real” magic! Not only scientific, not even exclusively philosophical judgment, but primarily fluid, artistic. Because illusions enrich life and, no matter how long they last, they are able to bring joy, happiness, and even happiness. Again, these are not lies - and, after all, lies are also truth, and lies exist no matter how they are launched! - but such projections of reality, our inner ones, as well as those of others, which then themselves become part of them.

Finally, what would human existence be like without illusions, no matter how we understand them? (I am not, of course, advocating “burying one’s head in the sand”!). “If we were to deprive people of their illusions, what pleasure would they have left?” (Volter).

All in all, I agree with the view that in illusions there is, on the one hand, a lot of conceit, but on the other - (and) necessary beauty, vain hope, and even myths, legends. But also motivation, the desire to achieve even the unattainable. Why not reach for what is actually possible? Who could understand that, "knowledge is fragile"? (Dobriša Cesarić, "Povratak"). Yes - the attempt at the aforementioned represents some kind of success, at least a relief, sometimes even a consolation.

"The illusion, which is dear to me, is more valuable than the truth, which saddens me." (Viland)