Subversion from within (was: Re: whoa nellie!)

[Henry M]

Ahh, the pendulum! That's why the conservative US Congress doesn't 
upset me as much as it otherwise would. But on the personal and 
artistic, rather than historic/social, I believe that we can and 
should consider intent.

> Date:          Wed, 5 Mar 1997 11:39:04 -0500 (EST)
> From:          Joe Varo <vjvaro at erie.net>
> To:            Pynchon List <pynchon-l at waste.org>
> Subject:       Subversion from within (was: Re: whoa nellie!)

> On Wed, 5 Mar 1997, RICHARD ROMEO wrote:
> 
> > [large snip]
> > Isn't that ultimately the failure of hippies, punks, civil rights,
> > feminists, etc, subverting from the outside and not from within?  Is
> > that even possible?? 
> 
> The other day someone not on this list brought up an instance of
> what he felt was subversive.  At first I thought it was the most wacked
> out idea I'd heard in quite some time.  But then I got to thinking about
> it.
> 
> The idea was that Martha Stewart is actually subversive.  The logic went
> like this:  
> 
> 1) First of all, you've got all these middle-class women just fawning over
> Martha Stewart, aspiring to live the lifestyle she creates. 
> 
> 2) Now Martha Stewart knows full well that in order to create the
> household she displays, throw thew parties she gives instruction for, etc,
> you would have to be a full-time housewife with a humungous staff. 
> 
> 3) Women try to accomplish the Martha Stewart lifestyle in their own
> lives.
> 
> 4) They fail abysmally.
> 
> 5) They realize that the Martha Stewart lifestyle is an unattainable sham
> and they go back to more important matters.
> 
> 6) Thus, Martha Stewart has succeeded in subverting the bourgoise
> lifestyle she personifies.
> 
> I suppose it's possible, and if so, would this be "subversion from
> within"?  They way Ms. Stewart particpates in parodies of herself make me
> wonder if it might not be true.
> 
> And there may even be something Pynchonian here, too.
> 
> Joe
> 
> Disclaimer: though I used females in my example, I'm sure that there may
> be some men out there who idolize Martha Stewart also.
> 
> 
> 
> 

AsB4
Keep cool, but care. -- TRP
Moderation in moderation. -- Husky Mariner
m1,ru12? - HDM, d1