Blicero the Badass

[jbor]

>From the 'Luddite' essay:
>

> There is a long folk history of this figure, the Badass. He
> is usually male,

Blicero is male.

> and while sometimes earning the quizzical
> tolerance of women,

Blicero earns Katje's friendship, protection, admiration even.

> is almost universally admired by men

Enzian, Gottfried and those 175s (who have indeedturned him into a legend).

> for
> two basic virtues: he Is Bad,

Yes again. See below.

> and he is Big.

Phenomenonally, rather than in physical stature.

>  Bad meaning not
> morally evil, necessarily, more like able to work mischief
> on a large scale.

Yes, building and then letting Gottfried man that 00000 is certainly
mischievous in terms of what Blicero's supposed to be doing for the Nazi war
effort. And, it isn't meant or going to blow up the world, surely? Why does
Blicero make a space for Gottfried in the 00000? It's his grasp at some sort
of religious transcendence, not Armageddon.

> What is important here is the amplifying
> of scale, the  multiplication of effect.

Yes, and so Blicero's legendary status (the 175s worship him, and he becomes
a "local deity") and his literary status (cf. Milton's Satan as similarly
"heroic") come right into play.

And, referring to Ned Ludd, but postulating what might have caused his
elevation to the legendary status of "Badass", Pynchon writes:

> No doubt what people admired and mythologized him for was
> the vigor and single-mindedness of his assault.

Right on the money for Blicero as well.

best