Is it OK to be a Luddite?

[jbor]

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>From: "Paul Mackin" <paul.mackin at verizon.net>
>

> Why would he make fun of his point if he has any
> confidence in its importance?  The possibility I'll admit to is that his
> fiction writing habit of turning ideas on their head is so strong that he
> may no longer be able to help himself. Well, of course he could if he really
> tried but for some reason or other he is unmotivated. And he is of course
> fairly funny.  And it's a habit, so why change.  Isn't it true that he
> pulled pretty much the same trick at the end of the Sloth essay? The crack
> about  redifining TV time or something like that? Ok, as I said, I don't
> know how seriously  he takes himself as a journalist. I almost hope he IS
> being slightly tongue in cheek. It seemed to me MilignD's critique of the
> essay had much merit
>
> I don't know if I'm right--just throwing out ideas.

I can never get a clear line on who he is throwing his own sympathies behind
and who he is mocking in that first third to half of the essay. There are
several consecutive points/paragraphs beginning with "But ... ". Also,
there's a facetiousness to the tone of it all: to my ears he even sounds
dismissive of C.P. Snow, let alone Ned Lud.

It's interesting, and possibly revealing, but certainly not the best essay
I've ever read. I'm inclined to agree with MalignD's intuitions also.

best