Meta-P-List ramble WAS Re: GRGR(4) Re: Pynchon's Faith

[Doug Millison]

At 5:12 PM -0400 6/21/99, Paul Mackin wrote:
>Objection to virtually everything you say is surely an exaggeration

Guess that depends on how you define "virtually". A handful of P-listers
can be counted on to object to, or attack, almost every thing I write on
Pynchon-L. It's there to review in the archives if you care to ground your
assertion in reality.

>but
>you clearly do get an above average amount of negative reaction. I don't
>think it's a plot or anything. I also don't think the problem is
>what you say in the first place

Really?  Most recently, you're usually first off the mark with a light jab,
followed by rj with the heavy artillery.  I generally don't have a chance
to respond before several barbs have been flung in my direction. Keith
Woodward (although he's backed off a bit since our exchange not long ago)
and MalignD (he/she is back on track after a few weeks of lying low, in the
wake of Woodward's scolding) make up the rest of the usual attack force --
that is, those who attack with real venom, as opposed to the intellectual
debaters who manage to restrict their comments to the substance of what I
post instead of going after me personally. It's all there in the archives
if you'd care to refresh your memory.

pm,. cont'd:
>but the tortuousness and circuitousness
>with which you try to turn away even the mildest disagreements

I think I prefer your usual weightless whimsy.

You stumble when you try to discern the motives of those P-listers -- who
have made a career of attacking my posts, however, having no better luck at
that than I have at estimating TRP's intentions. (I guess you're including
yourself in that group, and that here you reveal what it is about my posts
that disturbs you so, and if so you certainly know best why you post what
you post. ) I readily admit that there is a certain class of people who
take earnestness for a kick-me sign. I don't generally choose them as
friends, but of course I lack that choice here on Pynchon-L, where,
surprisingly, many of us manage to cut some slack for the rest of us, most
of the time, despite the crude antics of a few.

Actually, there's no need to guess why this particular group of P-listers
devote such energy to sniping at me, I'll tell you:  all but Paul M have
carried their attacks into offlist correspondence, some of it quite
extensive and quite nasty, and, unable to prevail with their feeble
rhetoric offlist (I give as good as I get, writing circles around their
fizzling obscenities and puerile sputtering) bring their pique to this
public arena.

Fortunately, there is a far larger group of Pynchon-L correspondents with
whom I enjoy an altogether different -- positive, enriching, supportive,
enlightening -- rapport, on-list and off.

pm, cont'd:
>with your
>precious heartfelt views.

Just curious, but what's your objection to "heartfelt views"?  Having such,
at the very least, indicates the presence of a heart.

Post-ironically,
Big Bro'

d o u g  m i l l i s o n  http://www.online-journalist.com