MDDM World-as-text

[MalignD at aol.com]

<< At least three critics have argued that Pynchon is influenced by American 
Pragmatism and Pluralism. Somehow, considering his age, his education, this 
makes more sense to me than saying he read a bunch of postmodern literary 
theory.  >>

I recently read Louis Menand's book on the pragmatists (a term, by the way, 
equally disliked by James, Dewey, and Pierce), The Transcendental Club.  One 
key idea is that ideas not become ideologies, that ideas should be useful 
and, one's ideas can/should freely change with changing times and issues.  It 
is akin to what I was saying yesterday about literary theories as tools.  

Pick up a hammer, put down a saw, when the board is cut and needs to be 
nailed.