Discuss

[Ian Livingston]

Agreed, Laura. Especially inasmuch as it is not a helpful term when the
vicissitudes of life are the question. But what, then? Is fate as a lump of
untraceable variables inadmissible in literature? Whence comes the quote,
Mark, and to what does it relate in context?

On Sat, Feb 9, 2013 at 9:18 AM, <kelber at mindspring.com> wrote:

> Your "lazy" definition of fate sounds pretty much like my definition.
>  Both are a far cry from "a man's character is his fate," which emphasizes
> a single variable.  That may work for playwrights, but isn't much help
> outside of the theater.
>
> Laura
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Ian Livingston **
> Sent: Feb 9, 2013 11:35 AM
> To: kelber at mindspring.com
> Cc: pynchon-l at waste.org
> Subject: Re: Discuss
>
> Well, on the other hand, is fate a lazy way of referring to complexity too
> great to succinctly reference? That would fit with Hindu, Buddhist,
> Kantian, Spinozist frames of reference on the subject of fate. In which
> case, all the variables that come together to shape us impel us to given
> behavioristic styles, such as, for instance, dressing up in a pig suit to
> score some hash, but we have always the capacity for novelty, like using
> the pig suit to get laid along the way to the score.
>
> On Sat, Feb 9, 2013 at 8:18 AM, <kelber at mindspring.com> wrote:
>
>> Don't really believe in any sort of deterministic Fate - there are too
>> many incalculable and unpredictable variables.  At any rate, I'd say that
>> what happens in Slothrop's life has more to do with the fact that he was
>> experimented on as a baby, than anything to do with his friendly, and smart
>> but hedonistic character.
>>
>> Laura
>>
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> >From: Markekohut <markekohut at yahoo.com>
>> >Sent: Feb 9, 2013 8:30 AM
>> >To: pynchon -l <pynchon-l at waste.org>
>> >Subject: Discuss
>> >
>> >"A man's character is his fate" with special reference to Slothrop.
>> >
>> >Sent from my iPad
>>
>>
> **
>
>
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