Date: Wed, 13 Jun 2001 11:48:15 +0100
From: "steve.devos" <steve.devos-AT-krokodile.com>
Subject: Re: Hoipefully Seeking Sublime


Uhm - interesting developments a few sublime moments- whilst the
personal is
political it isn't usually that interesting, nor is it very meaningful
on its own.
For example the following list of sublime moments, indexed moments from
a life has
absolutely no meaning outside of its context. Hugh's occasional
anti-theoretical
stance, which could drift and may do so, into anti-intellectualism,
which in the
anglo-saxon world is a problem, scarcely seems justified. However why is
the
personal list of sublime moments more than, say a discussion of Being
and Time
over espresso in Soho? or explaining to a student the necessity of
understanidng
the different meanings of the split subject between Lancan and 
Kristeva?

a few sublime moments from a personal history...

- Reading Edmond Jabes for the first time - (The book of questions....
sheer
bliss)
- Reading Marguerite Duras - The sailor from gibraltor -
- The poll tax riot in London -
- Waiting for the Genoa anti-globalisation demonstrations - (thinking of
beginning
to attend...)
- Godard's Passion
- Rivette's Out One Spectre or Cleline and Julie Go Boating
- Cecil Taylor's piano playing - 'garden'
- the birth of my children -
- larry the siamese cat walking down the garden talking to itself and
being
followed by a deer. (Never did realise it was there...)

sdv

Julie Manning wrote:

> Some of my personal experience of the sublime:
>
> -Wordsworth's "Ode to Immortality"
>
> -looking into the bright eyes of my 3-week old son, sensing who he may be and
> knowing he recognizes me
>
> > To:  All
> >
> > Preamble:
> >
> > A case could be made that Internet Fora get heaviest traffic from persons of
> > very strong personal interests, who often present them
> > on their own sites.
> >
> > Or that academics who are least busy have most time for chat.
> >
> > Or that those who can name the most subjects and the largest number of
> > authors can't resist the impulse.
> >
> > Or that quoting what a white male, dead for 100 years, said about
> > a white male, dead for 200 years, is what list members are dying to hear -
> > remembering that being dead differs from not-being.
> >
> > Let's move in the direction of the sublime.via personal experience.
> >
> > Three short verses .....
> >
> >             I.
> >
> > A stick, a stone
> > It's the end of the road
> > It's feeling alone
> > It's the weight of your load
> >
> >             II.
> >
> > Love is rare
> > Life is strange
> > Nothing lasts
> > People change
> >
> >        III
> >
> > The years, like great black oxen tread the Earth
> > And God the herdsman goads them on behind
> > And I am broken by their passing feet.
> > ~~~~~~
> >
> > For me, each verse has significant resonance, the last being, in some
> > degree, sublime.
> >
> > Other instances,
> >
> > A certain painting of Rembrandt.
> >
> > Michelangelo's Pieta
> >
> > The Winged Victory of Samothrace
> >
> > Chartres Cathedral
> >
> > Vanessa Redgrave in "Orpheus Descending"
> >
> > ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
> >
> > You all must/may have similar extra-ordinary experiences and your own
> > concept of what is sublime.
> >
> > Don't misinterpret these examples of  art as being the only examples of  a
> > quest for, and appreciation of, sublime feelings.
> >
> > On request, I will elaborate/reciprocate on a personal basis.
> >
> > A possible outcome:  We might or might not agree to post such interpersonal
> > results on the List.
> >
> > Best,
> > Hugh