Pynchon's voice profile

[joeallonby]

This would be even funnier of Eric Hoffer hadn't died in 1983.

Once again, you embiggen us with your cromulence.

--Allonby, American piano mover and troubadour



on 1/26/04 6:27 PM, Terrance at lycidas2 at earthlink.net wrote:

> 
>>> The text does not support your conclusion. In fact, it contradicts it.
> 
> The story of the Simpsons makes one aware that youthful idealism--so
> vital to the progress of any society--is effective only when it is taken
> i balance, in relationship to all other elements in the body politic.
> As long as Simpsons resisted penetration by extremists and undemocratic
> ideologies, as long as it was self-disciplined and dedicated to the
> peaceful pursuit of sincere social concerns, as long as it encouraged
> orderly dissent, it held the potential for making a useful contribution
> to Television life.  Instead, failing to ally itself with the Workers,
> it lowered barriers to participation by extreme elements of the Left,
> compromised its initial self-restraint, and came to view itself as a
> galvanizing organization for demonstrations escalating i militancy.  It
> adopted protest for protest's sake, rhetoric for rhetoric or rabble
> rousing's sake, and ultimately, confrontation for the sake of
> polarization.  Above all, Simpsons failed to develop and advocate
> programs and solutions to the social ills.  Its idealism was dissipated
> in ad-hoc responses to crises.  The Simpsons became a misnomer.  Its
> strident cries became wild and often incoherent, and its credibility
> dwindled in the eyes of its adherents and those it sought to enlist.
> What the Simpsons promised at the end was the destruction of democratic
> society. 
> 
> "When freedom destroys order, the yearning for order will destroy
> freedom." 
> 
> --Hoffer, American Longshoreman & Philosopher