File spoon-archives/marxism-general.archive/marxism-general_1997/marxism-general.9705, message 122


Date: Fri, 30 May 1997 18:09:33 +0200
To: marxism-international-AT-jefferson.village.Virginia.EDU,
From: Hugh Rodwell <m-14970-AT-mailbox.swipnet.se>
Subject: M-G: Scientific socialism, Strine-tork and ars poetica


Unwittingly kicking off the silly season, Gary wrote:

>You wouldn't recognise scientific socialism if it bit you on the arse.

I get this image of Louis P (Gary's idea of scientific socialism, not mine)
sinking his teeth into UticaRose's behind.

But I suppose it was just Gary's wishful thinking at work -- tell us Gary,
when and where did scientific socialism ever bite *you*?

Anyway, leaving bodily parts and conversion to old-time Stalinism aside,
it's a bonus every time someone with a voice of their own hits the list.
That's just about everybody from Oz, for some reason. Maybe it's just that
they're not tying themselves in knots trying to second-guess some imaginary
consensus.

So keep up the good work, Gary and the rest of you.

On the subject of arses, I wonder if our Ozzie mate would translate ars
poetica as poetic arse?

Speaking of which, the style isn't really the person, but it spreads a bit
of honey on the rim of the goblet, so the bitter medicine stands a better
chance of slipping down.

As I tell my kids when I'm in the mood: There are two rules to writing --

1.	Know what you want to say.

2.	Say it.

Translating is more difficult -- you've got to choose between writing what
they wrote, writing what they meant to say and writing what they thought.
When I'm feeling generous I write what they meant to say, when I'm in a
hurry I switch off and write what they wrote, and when I'm feeling mean I
write what they thought.

Cheers,

Hugh







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