felis_ultharus | (no subject)

Stay strong! *LOVE*

Thank you. It's usually difficult out here, but I thought things were going to be easier this time around.

They may still be, but this day hasn't gone well. Maybe I'm still frazzled from my hatred of long plane trips :/

You got some urgent mail. Please advise by email.

And glad you've arrived safely :)

Sent you an email, now I'm waiting for a response.

I hope this won't ruin your holiday, but I've actively sought out Nic's conference for 261 (BritLit from the beginning of time to 1660).

In the course I just finished, he never really pushed post-modernism on us, was very enthusiastic about the subject matter, and made it interesting for me. I'm hoping he'll do the same for the upcoming course, because that era of lit is really not my cup of tea.

Anyway, he told me he's all happy I'll be in his conference again. (He gave me all As, btw.)

Don't hate me...

I don't hate you, of course. If I was only friends with people whose beliefs matched mine, I'd be a very lonely guy.

Nic has said that his mission is to push postmodernism out of academia into the world at large. Meanwhile, I'm fighting it on the grounds of academia. I noticed when I was in class that he tended to elide the nastier aspects of the philosophy -- avoiding dwelling on certain things that were rather disturbing in his arguments.

I always wanted to corner him on them, but the goddamn pace of that class -- everything at high speed, no time for discussion -- made it impossible.

Yeah, but I'm not dealing with that part of him. We get on well.

LJ just deleted one of my insightful posts ever. Grr.

I was trying to say that I like Nic. He's always been tolerant of my beliefs. We debate, but we debate as equals. Nic's cool.

My frequent rants here are the rants of someone whose beliefs are frequnetly mocked, patronized, and belittled -- of a person who's feeling increasingly isolated in a field where intelligence and "intellectual rigour" are more and more associated with a philosophy whose metaphysical foundation he does not share.

It's a daily struggle to clear and keep a place for myself in that program, and many days I'm not sure it's worth the effort. If my beliefs were respected, I'd be fine, but they're not, at least not by a growing number of students who are becoming increasingly narrow-minded.

So far, it hasn't been a problem with the faculty. But I'm all too aware that the intellectual climate is becoming more and more narrow, and if a professor does fail me for non-conformity, I'm not sure the academic review would be in my favour. Things are that bad now.

Nic does respect my beliefs. So does Emily. But Nic's evangelism is frightening, because I'm aware of some of the scarier aspects of Postmodernism, and I'm scared of what it'll do if it leaks out.

I'm worried about the slums of queer theory, much of which is, paradoxically, homophobic.

I'm worried about the attacks on "liberal humanist values" that include uncompromising attacks on free speech.

I'm scared of the moral relativism, which is often used now to justify the murder of queers in mostly-Muslim countries.

I'm scared because postmodernism shores up dehumanizing psychological theories that can result in people being drugged for non-conformity (in spite of Michel Foucault's famous attack on institutionalized psychiatry).

I'm scared because Bush's goons are already using PoMo arguments to justify their empire.

And I'm scared that I'm more likely to wind up working at Macdonald's than for a university, because my view of literature is opposed to the dominant one.

None of these things is Nic's intention. But these are part of what he wants to unleash on the world. Regardless of his intent, regardless of his approach, these things are part of the Postmodern package, and it means decades -- and in some cases centuries -- of setback for so many of the things I believe in.

I'd never hate you for your beliefs, because I know you'd extend me the same courtesy, my friend. If others extended me the same courtesy, I wouldn't come across as so bitter here :/

I understand completely, but do you think I'm a post-modernist? I just wanted to be in his conference because we get along and he's been able to make boring material more interesting. That's what I'm really going to need for this upcoming course.

But really, isn't this post-modernist thing getting old? When's pre-post-post-modernism going to arrive on the scene?

The important thing I've learned from my courses this semester is that it's not necessary to concern myself with biographical and historical etc. details when writing about a text. If I can back up my readings with textual evidence, then it's valid, and so far I've been getting As. I don't know what you call what I describe, but it's liberating because it allows me to do some real independent thinking when writing a paper. And the thinking part is where I really do well.

Sorry. I thought that's what you were trying to tell me in very diplomatic fashion.

*embarrassed*

I wouldn't mind sharing the scene with postmodernism. There ought to be room for a variety of approaches to keep things moving in English Lit. Problem is, there's no diversity. I don't like to think of my Saulist humanism as post-postmodernism, merely an equal alternative I happen to prefer.

I understand. And there is a kernel of truth to what Barthes says -- you can't really know for sure what someone is thinking, and some authors conceal their intentions. Queer authors throughout history, for instance, afraid of persecution.

My problem is that it ties the hands the other way. I'm almost not *allowed* to quote the author on their work, when it supports my point.

And at the grad level where everything has to be heavily researched, that means ignoring all the interviews, and only reading the work of other critics -- the death of the author means the tyranny of the critic, not a return to my own thoughts, which would have to be there either way :/

(I hope I don't come across as strident or anything in my views. It's so hard to tell iin cyberspace, where there's no tone of voice. I guess I'm just in the habit of over-explaining :/)

And we're looking forward to seeing you sometime in the next couple of days! :) Give us a call whenever you're thinking of heading out to Van. If you're still thinking of catching a ride back to Vic with us our plan is to head out there on Christmas morning, with Duncan in tow. If we haven't heard from you in a day or so, we'll give you a call and see what's happening. :)

Actually, I was hoping to do a post-Christmas thing, following you to Vancouver, then coming back on my own.

If that's inconvenient for you, I can re-arrange things...?

The only problem with after Christmas is that we have two friends flying in from Australia on the 27th, so we might have some space issues. Would it be a big hassle to rearrange things for before? We're having mulled wine and Christmas cookies on the 23rd if that helps convince you. :)

As I mentioned to

jc2004 below I'm rapidly re-arranging my travel plans to be there the evenings of the 22nd and 23rd, and going back on the 24th to visit a friend who'd otherwise be alone on Christmas :/

Are those dates okay with you guys?

I should warn you that if I'm coming before, I'll have to spend most of my days Christmas shopping. I haven't really had a chance to do anything, and 'tis truly down to the wire now :/

*sorely tempted by Christmas cookies, but must decline offer of wine as it can trigger a seizure in epileptics*

I heard you got dragged out to view a mormon nativity scene. My condolences. At least it didn't happen right on the solstice. That would have been particularly tragic.

I call it the fairy-tale cottage too.

You should come and visit us this week sometime.

Actually, the Mormon nativity scene is tonight, on solstice. I can't find my pentacle, so if I have time, I'll be hunting for one downtown to wear.

snowdaemon said it would be better before Christmas, so I've been doing a hasty reqorking of my plans. How does my staying over the 22 and 23, and going back on the 24th sound to you?

(I wanted to go back on the 24th because

node357 might be alone for Christmas, and I thought he'd like a little company Christmas Eve.)