Personal Scatologies

[davemarc]

I'm fascinated by the way Steely decries civility as something that might
cause colon cancer, and then proceeds to share the tale of Spadafora, whose
"torturers took the stem of a rose-bush, about an inch thick and covered
with sharp spines, and shoved it repeatedly up his ass."  I presume that
we're supposed to be outraged by this torture--despite its obvious
incivility.  I conclude that even Steely believes that there are some
standards of civil behavior.  What puzzles me is how quick he's been to be
uncivil towards list members.  As far as I can tell they haven't been
shoving thorny stems up anyone's butts (at least without consent...). 
They've merely ventured their opinions about feminism and Citizen Kane,
among other subjects.  There's no evidence, really, that any of them
warrant being throttled by his verbal thrusts.

Steely asks, "Do you really not understand the seething hatred of academics
held by many of us in the Other World?"  I suppose as much as I understand
some of the seething hatred of feminists I've seen in some posts here.  I
understand the hatred to be a reflection of stereotypes and prejudices. 
Over and over again I read blanket condemnations of academics and feminists
and fail to see any good reason why anyone would want to lash out in that
manner.  I'd like to think that all academics are extraordinarily
competent, but I know that only some are.  Same goes for journalists,
computer technicians, saxophonists, film directors, u.s.w.  It's
inaccurate, irresponsible, and offensive to vilify them categorically.  And
yes, I even feel that way about mimes, bagpipe players, and accordionists. 


Steely also asks

> Don't you see how many of us who have been 
> reading Pynchon for more than twenty years revolt at what the academics
> have done to him, how they've routinized his writings, blurred his
images,
> deadened the words, drained out the moral and political tenor of his
work?

How has anyone routinized Pynchon's writings?  They're still there for all
to read in all their audacity,  presumably untouched (except for minor
alterations) since their first appearances.  As for the "moral and
political tenor of his work," I note that it offers a powerful case for
civility.  Of course, this quality may come through the most in Vineland,
which Steely conveniently dismisses.  But it's also in the short stories ,
in the Keep Cool But Care credo from V., and in the general timbre of his
work.  How many of Pynchon's more heroic characters are uncivil?

> How it would especially rile many of us for this fate to befall Pynchon,
> one of the few contemporary American writers of stature who has avoided
the
> academy, fled it, mocked its critical parlor games and ridiculed its
> intellectual pretensions and political obsolescence?

Far from avoiding the academy, Pynchon benefitted from it greatly.  He
holds a degree from an Ivy League University.  In the Eighties, the Cornell
alumni magazine published his remarks on Farina.  His writings reflect a
continued interest in academia.  Yes, I'll gladly acknowledge that he
satirizes academia.  But, earnest researcher that he is, he also seems most
appreciative of the work of those outstanding scholars who bring honor to
their profession.

And now to the most important point:  I think it may be slightly off the
mark to call Satie's music "aural Prozac."  It's actually a bit more like
nitrous oxide in its wonderful giddiness.  Dentist chair music indeed.

davemarc