Plist ethos reply

[davemarc]

> From: MASCARO at humnet.ucla.edu
> 
> Nods to davemarc for pointing out the dangers of
>  inflating the list's importance (but then, weren't you, davemarc,
>  one of those folks who was so nice and helpful to Bone? Apologies if
not)

Kudos & apologies accepted.  There's apparently another davemarc out there
who is totally ignorant about AIDS and worships at the altar of E.T.,
Richard Nixon, and Judas Iscariot.  Don't worry about mistaking him for
me--you're not alone. Jules, Steelhead, and some others have done the same
on occasion.  Maybe if we meet at a non-virtual p-list discussion you'll
find it easier to tell us apart.

I'm also interested in the mockeries of sincerity online.  At the New
School discussion, one or more of the panelists praised the romance of
Roger Mexico.  I also found that aspect of Gravity's Rainbow to be
wonderfully moving, so I was somewhat surprised when p-listers seemed to
scoff at it a bit.

There is indeed an aspect of "hero worship" to much on the list.  Why
shouldn't there be?  I'm sure the man's got plenty of flaws.  But why not
celebrate the admirable traits?

And if Pynchon wants his child to have as normal a life as possible--I'm
not sure he'd word it that way--I'd encourage him to relocate to someplace
that's not New York City.  At any rate, I'm sure he's doing his damndest to
be a good dad.  That strikes me as only a little harder than writing GR and
M&D in a two-year time period.

davemarc