From: zatavu-AT-excite.com Date: Wed, 16 Aug 2000 20:03:36 -0700 (PDT) Subject: Re: PLC: Literary Saints On Wed, 16 Aug 2000 20:41:36 -0500, phillitcrit-AT-lists.village.virginia.edu wrote: > The problem is not with thoughts, but with speaking them, or writing > them. I take it that these then constitute political acts. Surely you do > not think the Declaration a harmless piece of paper. Surely you do not > so hold the Gettysburg Adddress. I continue to disagree. > g Completely useless documents in and of themselves without the actions that followed to back them up. Please explain the moral/political position of the following poem: 'Twas brillig and the slithy toves Did gyre and gimble in the wabe ALl mimsey were the borogoves And the mome rathes outgrabe THese are mere words in the strictest sense. How are we to learn how to live from them? WHat is their moral or political statement? This is an extreme example, I admit, but sometimes taking an extreme helps make the point most clearly. Troy Camplin > > zatavu-AT-excite.com wrote: > > > > On Wed, 16 Aug 2000 17:58:06 -0500, phillitcrit-AT-lists.village.virginia.edu > > wrote: > > > > > You've always agreed with me. It was just sometimes you didn't know you > > > agreed with me, and in some cases you still don't. But consider this, > > > re you last post. To write is to act. To speak is to act. Your "sticks > > > and stones" thing won't wash. What are younger people for if not to > > > contradict their elders. See _The Importance of Being Earnest_. > > > > Speaking and writing are particular kinds of actions that I do not connect > > with moral/immoral actions. I was refering to physical actions. Language is > > connected to thought and I do not think thoughts should themselves be > > considered moral or immoral. Doing so opens us up to things like thought > > police and other fascist/politically correct notions. This is not to say > > that I don't think that changing people's thinking won't change people's > > actions (in general, not for any particular person at any particular time > > necessarily). However, any one person's thinking something isn't going to > > hurt anyone so long as that person doesn't act on those thoughts. Those are > > two separate issues. > > > > Troy Camplin > > > > > > zatavu-AT-excite.com wrote: > > > > > > > > On Wed, 16 Aug 2000 14:25:36 -0500, > > phillitcrit-AT-lists.village.virginia.edu > > > > wrote: > > > > > > > > > To choose any single work as "an adequate basis for conducting one's > > > > > life" would seem to me to be a profound mistake. The work offers a > > > > > laboratory, a trying out of a set of ideas, an embodyment of them > > which > > > > > allows them to be looked at, walked around, discussed. What says > > _the > > > > > Picture of Dorian Gray_ if it is not "and the greatest of these is > > > > > charity." > > > > > > > > George! WHen did you and I start agreeing with each other? So far > > everything > > > > in this thread either has you agreeing with me or I agree with you on > > it. > > > > :-) THe comments on Naked Lunch, Snow White and The Picture of DOrian > > Gray > > > > are right on. > > > > > > > > Troy Camplin > > > > > > > > _______________________________________________________ > > > > Say Bye to Slow Internet! > > > > http://www.home.com/xinbox/signup.html > > > > > > > > --- from list phillitcrit-AT-lists.village.virginia.edu --- > > > > > > > > > --- from list phillitcrit-AT-lists.village.virginia.edu --- > > > > _______________________________________________________ > > Say Bye to Slow Internet! > > http://www.home.com/xinbox/signup.html > > > > --- from list phillitcrit-AT-lists.village.virginia.edu --- > > > --- from list phillitcrit-AT-lists.village.virginia.edu --- _______________________________________________________ Say Bye to Slow Internet! http://www.home.com/xinbox/signup.html --- from list phillitcrit-AT-lists.village.virginia.edu ---
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