Not identical!

[Kai Frederik Lorentzen]

OK, I bite.
 
Of course it's true, what you were saying when you posted already years ago
something to the effect of: Every [including this very one.kfl] P-mail says
much more, and in the first place, about the person posting and his/her current
state of mind than about Pynchon, his novels or anything else in the world.
 
Word!
 
Yet you uttered a special wish concerning what you would like to read.
 
Now, Pynchon is, from V to IV, the most dedicated Germany-hater among all the
Champion League writers I know. His caricature of German culture, though largely,
at least until GR, installed for reasons of 'US-American-self-reflection' (if 
this term makes any sense ;-), is pitiable gross. Thomas "Überwerfen sie irgendwas
Fummel" (AtD, 914) Pynchon does neither know the German language nor has - ask
Michael Naumann - he, Pynchon, ever been here. His picture of Prussia --- Where
did all the surviving protestants find political asylum after France kicked them
out? --- is with 'one-dimensional' still described mildly. But when it comes to
support the Herero's fair claim for reparations concerning the genocide of 1904, 
our world-famous author keeps his mouth shut, though he (ab?)used their history
for more than just one novel ... As far as human integrity is concerned, I find 
all this a little tacky ...
 
Yet of course Pynchon is one of the greatest authors alive. The man who can 
picture the Dialectic of Enlightenment vividly and funny. Funny Noir, that is.        
 
You know, when I talk with my daughter who is reading Vineland these days, I always
tell her: "Pynchon is really cool, but don't take his anti-Germanism too serious.
German culture --- just think of classical music or modern philosophy --- has a lot
to offer, and neither you nor me have anything to do with the Holocaust. Historically
informed responsibility in your political actions? Yes! Guilt? No way, guilt is always
personal and though neither you nor me nor --- for that matter --- Pynchon (who had his
own share of guilt by co-constructing destructive flying-machines for the so called 
'defense industry' in the course of which he wrote "Gravity's Rainbow" as some kinda
'karmic adjustment') know what we would have done way back when in 1933. So sing the
songs, learn about the darkness of the human soul, but be happy as a bright and 
beautiful German child!" For me (and lots of leftist from my generation) this was 
a long way, but my children have no problems with 'cheerleading' for Germany when 
Ballack, Podolski and the others play Football (Fußball) against other nations' people.
 
Very plain text: I don't share Pynchon's half-informed Germany-hatred that is so very
obvious (uh, how subtile to name a really bad character "Prussia") from the beginning
to the end. But I still can enjoy the greatness of the man's art.
 
"'Sure. I get lonely. It's hard to make friendship with Americans.'
 
'Is it?'
 
'In New York it is. Sure. They want to use you. In any possible way. That's the first 
idea that comes to their mind.'
 
'I'm surprised to hear this. People in New York are worse than people in Germany? History
would seem to some to tell a different story.'
 
'Oh no, definitely. And cynical. In New York they keep their true motives to themselves and
announce to you other motives. (...) But then they're very friendly --- Hi, how are you doing?
It's lovely to see you'' She enjoyed her imitation of an American dope and he laughed appreciatively,
too. 'And you don't even KNOW the person. Germany is very different,' she told him. 'Here there's
all this friendliness --- and it's fake. 'Hey, hi, how are you?' You have to. The American way. 
I was very naive when I came here. (...) Of course you learn. You learn all right.'"
 
(Philip Roth: Sabbath's Theater. London 1995: Jonathan Cape, pp. 55-6)
 
  
Yours in discourse,
Kai

----------------------------------------
> From: keithsz at mac.com
> Subject: Re: rubrics (I like that word), wrecking crews and hugfests
> Date: Wed, 25 Nov 2009 19:43:28 -0800
> To: pynchon-l at waste.org
>
> From reading the list off and on for quite a few years
> it seems like Pynchon's perceived views on any given
> subject are identical to the views of the perceiver.
> I have as yet to read anyone saying they see Pynchon
> making a point that is at variance to their own.
>