Is it OK to be a Luddite?

[Otto]

>
> I've just read it in response to your post,
>
> http://www.themodernword.com/pynchon/pynchon_essays_luddite.html
>
> and it does not strike me as any of your adjectives below, and this is not
> because of an overriding Pynchon worship.  I think it is a good stab at
> understanding the value of "escapist" reactions to overwealming
> cultural/technological forces, AKA "The Machine."  I think it is also a
> valuable key to understanding some Pynchon's own literary intentions.
>
> David Morris
>
> --- MalignD at aol.com wrote:
> > I recently reread Pynchon's Luddite article, the first time, I guess,
since
> it appeared.
> >
> > Has it struck anyone else that the article is odd, cranky, at times
> disturbing, and, altogether, not very good?
>
>

The oddity and crankiness escaped me up to now. Disturbing, well, with the
given topic no negative characterisation.

I have three sources on the web for this brilliantly written essay,
beginning with the "Two Cultures", the historical overview, the
Shelley-Byron connection and the future-outline at the end. And I consider
it as an inevitable key to Pynchon's novels like the Sloth-essay, the
Watts-essay and the "Slow Learner"-intro.

Otto

http://www.nytimes.com/books/97/05/18/reviews/pynchon-luddite.html
http://www.themodernword.com/pynchon/pynchon_essays_luddite.html
http://pages.whowhere.com/internet/f.vazquez/luddite.html