"The order of the world is always right - such is the judgment of God. For God has departed, but he has left his judgment behind, the way the Cheshire Cat left his grin"
About this Quote
Jean Baudrillard's quote welcomes readers into a profound philosophical reflection on the nature of order, magnificent judgment, and the unique lack yet sticking around presence of God in the modern-day world. Baudrillard engages with the idea of a world running under an intrinsic order that is typically warranted as 'ideal' or naturally appropriate, recommending a divine or supreme authority that ordains it so. This idea connects deeply with historical perspectives where divine providence was viewed as the governing force behind the universes, making sure that everything is in its proper location under a divine will.
Yet, Baudrillard presents a paradoxical circumstance: "God has departed". This indicates a retreat or lack of the conventional, anthropomorphic deity actively handling the world's affairs. In lots of methods, this resonates with Nietzsche's pronouncement of 'God is dead,' showing a modern age defined by secularization and the decrease of spiritual absolutes. Despite God's absence, his impact, or 'judgment,' remains. This enduring existence of magnificent judgment suggests that while mankind might no longer be under direct divine governance, the structures, morals, and ethics traditionally attributed to magnificent regulation continue to govern human life.
Baudrillard's contrast to the Cheshire Cat's disappearing act from Lewis Carroll's "Alice's Adventures in Wonderland" even more clarifies this idea. The Cheshire Cat leaves just a smile, a residual existence without substance. Similarly, God's judgment stays as an ideological specter-- a non-tangible heritage influencing human consciousness and societal frameworks.
In this sense, Baudrillard welcomes us to consider the enigmatic inheritance of divine morality and order, constantly affecting human perception and action. It prompts reflection on whether this residual judgment continually supports the 'rightness' of the world's order, or veils the lack of real existential assistance, requiring people to browse a reality where divine certainties have faded, yet their shadows linger compellingly.