Charlatans and Twisted Minds
Muggeridge, in his wonderful auto-biography Chronicles of Wasted Time, remarks that, in the 20th century, all the geniuses headed off into science and technology, while all the charlatans and twisted minds scuttled away into the arts and various mystic pursuits.
I think he's right, and how much more in our new century?
He was referring to people like D.H. Lawrence, Betrand Russell and the like, but the thought is even more powerful for today's writers and artists. Who out there is writing with a keen mind bent on truth and beauty and a contempt for the narcissim of post-modernism (the dreary hallmark of most writers these days)?
No one comes to mind (except me, of course).
Critics invariably pull out the same phrases to apply to books these days - do they all subscribe to some sort of email service that sends them pithy little phrases from which to cut and paste? "A courageous new voice!...Brilliant, bold and compelling!...A superb achievement!...A wise and bleakly funny writer!"
No, actually, these are most likely dull, meandering buckets of self-engrossed oatmeal, laced with dollops of pederasty or infidelity or the like (as if such things were honey to sweeten the experience! Rancid honey, rather).
Is it possible to write a story these days without indulging in your neuroses? Here's a telegram for Mr. Author: Don't care about your neuroses Stop Your problems are boring Stop My onion-breathed great-aunt has more interesting problems than you Stop Please include matches with your next book Stop.
Typing, not writing.
I think he's right, and how much more in our new century?
He was referring to people like D.H. Lawrence, Betrand Russell and the like, but the thought is even more powerful for today's writers and artists. Who out there is writing with a keen mind bent on truth and beauty and a contempt for the narcissim of post-modernism (the dreary hallmark of most writers these days)?
No one comes to mind (except me, of course).
Critics invariably pull out the same phrases to apply to books these days - do they all subscribe to some sort of email service that sends them pithy little phrases from which to cut and paste? "A courageous new voice!...Brilliant, bold and compelling!...A superb achievement!...A wise and bleakly funny writer!"
No, actually, these are most likely dull, meandering buckets of self-engrossed oatmeal, laced with dollops of pederasty or infidelity or the like (as if such things were honey to sweeten the experience! Rancid honey, rather).
Is it possible to write a story these days without indulging in your neuroses? Here's a telegram for Mr. Author: Don't care about your neuroses Stop Your problems are boring Stop My onion-breathed great-aunt has more interesting problems than you Stop Please include matches with your next book Stop.
Typing, not writing.
posted by ToadRocket at 10:31 AM
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