rubrics (I like that word), wrecking crews and hugfests

[David Morris]

On Tue, Dec 1, 2009 at 11:22 AM, Joseph Tracy <brook7 at sover.net> wrote:
>
> On Dec 1, 2009, at 9:00 AM, David Morris wrote:
>
>> On Mon, Nov 30, 2009 at 11:09 PM, Michael Bailey
>> <michael.lee.bailey at gmail.com> wrote:
>>>
>>> David Morris  wrote:
>>>> I think Pynchon takes occultisms (not to mention Lemuria or hollow earths) about as seriously as he takes zombies.
>>>
>>> which is to say, sees parallels between the description of the obviously fake phenomenon and one or more objectively verifiable phenomena thinks it worth mentioning several such items, and elaborating on the correspondences frequently and to good dramatic effect
>>
>> Right.  Thinks about, not Believes.
>
> No one but you said believes. You said "takes seriously". He obviously does take these phenomena seriously enough to give them a great deal of attention. I would suggest that they are much more than the object of satire or ridicule, they are keys to the collective unconscious  and the imaginative inner life of the time and culture they reflect.
>
> Zombies exist in the imagination because they exist in the real world as a state of mental subjugation and control by master manipulators. How else do you explain the power of Hitler or Sarah Palin or perhaps on a more subtle level Obama and his patriotic jingoism that will announce a "renewed commitment" to our atrocious behavior in the greater middle east. People partake of certain poisons and soon they are eating other people's children. Kinda gross, but it happens a lot.

Mr Tracey,

There are more than a few believers on this list, and "takes
seriously" to me implies "considers their literal existence to be
credible or at least possible," which is essentially how Mike Bailey
put it:  "obviously fake phenomenon" Vs. "more objectively verifiable
phenomena."  In other words believable versus unbelievable without
great leaps of faith.  But, unless were talking to "believers" (in
things not verifiable), I'd say Pynchon's mission is to draw
EVERYTHING into question, not as to existence, but to meaning.

Jeeze...

Right.  There are somethings that "exist in the imagination" and
others that exist despite anyone's need to imagine them.  And Pynchon
considers and compares them all.  And EVERYTHING in both categories
are potential "objects of satire or ridicule" in Pynchon's worlds.