The State of the P-List (part 2)

[quail at libyrinth.com]

Tim writes:

>But please recall that when Quail says, 
> "I for one feel no obligation to continually link Pale >Fire to Pynchon during this reading" 

Please note: "continually."

>and "To believe that we have to labor to make arbitrary >connections to Pynchon in order to please a vocal >minority is misguided"

Please note: "arbitrary."

>and "Policing the discussion so that all Pale Fire and >Nabokov discussions connect directly to Pynchon is a >limitation that defuses any real freedom of >communication" 

Please note: "Policing" and "all."

>and "please stop wasting bandwidth by insisting on the >necessity for a VN/TP connection," 

Please note: "insisting" and "necessity."

> these statements are a far cry from a reasonable
> approach at synthesis of author discussion.

Tim, my above statements are indeed reasonable, and argue against the kind of totalitarian nagging being done by Doug, and increasingly, and increasingly sadly, yourself. Both of you have lately started to imply -- or baldly state -- that those of us who don't robotically relate everything to Pynchon do so out of "laziness" and/or incompetence. It's a negative characterization that I find offensive, a change in tack to muddy and fouled waters indeed. With the exception of Dave Morris' posts responding to personal attacks, no one involved in the PF reading has accused you, Doug, or "SlothEnvyPride" and "Eulenspiegel" of opposing the reading out of lack of cabability or wit. 

>And his statements are kind of what ignited this whole >bruhaha. 

This is simply a false statement, and I don't want it to stand unopposed. To claim that *I* "ignited" this bruhaha is just ridiculous, though I certainly take responsibility for perpetuating it. I began responding to Doug's incessant and often gleeful nagging, blatant hypocrisy, and willfull misinterpretation of events. I have tried to keep a firm, but reasonable tone. You and I have a disagreement about the direction of the List, I still find that a respectful disagreement. What upsets me are meta-issues, mischaracterizations, and insulting insinuations that lower the tone of even this debate. 

> But yes, I agree with you, malignd.  Let it "play out." 

Please, God, yes, let it play out: and that means, stop poking us every few minutes to request a "promised" Pynchon link. Though to be fair, this is something you do much, much less than others....

I am done, too, with these meta-Pale Fire posts. From now on, I'm only commenting on Pale Fire itself, and of course, when I feel it insightful or useful, Pynchon. 

--Quail
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