hypertext poem, sorta

[Monte Davis]

JT > the  western obsession with text
Not to be confused, surely, with

"[In Vedic chants,] The various pathas or recitation styles are designed to
allow the complete and perfect memorization of the text and its
pronunciation..."

"Memorization of the sutras and their commentaries is a standard monastic
practice in all Buddhist countries..."

"Hafiz, literally meaning "guardian" or "memorizer," depending on the
context, is a term used by Muslims for someone who has completely memorized
the Qur'an..."


On Sun, May 29, 2016 at 12:39 PM, Joseph Tracy <brook7 at sover.net> wrote:

> Before hypertext: Strong’s Bible Concordance-Look up any word; find every
> instance of use in Bible. Could be a model for Thomas Ruggles Pynchon’s web
> of word play before digital hypertext. That and Encyclopediativeness.
> Word jazz ensues.
>  Strong’s is an example of both the  western obsession with text and an
> example of the illusiveness, allusiveness, inclusiveness and delusiveness
> intrinsic to language. It comes out of the western history of Biblical
> authoritative text as a revolutionary force, directly connected to the
> press as a revolutionary force,  leading first to the reformation then to
> capitalism, Shakespeare, Jefferson, overthrow of monarchy, enlightenment,
> Uncle Tom’s Cabin, Lady Chatterly’s Lover, Das Kapital, I have a Dream…
>
> What do the words mean? Is there a true and pure  language which is the
> machinery of God ordering all things aright? Will mathematics work?
> Missile guidance? Precision of sacrificial blood? Access to all the data?
> The true history of the known and unknown universes? It’s a poser what with
> them squelchy, slippery words, them fluttering birds crossing borders like
> Mexicans with private airplanes, them stock options, refrigerators,
> figidity,  fiery flowers becoming fruit becoming fruit salad, becoming eyes
> ablaze with wonder, becoming shit, becoming dirt with thousands of microbes
> per teaspoon, becoming wet seedy birthplace of new green shoots, and we as
> recyclable as
>
> any other droppings, leavings, beatings, flutterings,  words.-
> Pynchon-l / http://www.waste.org/mail/?listpynchon-l
>
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