Comments Posted By AcademicElephant
Displaying 11 To 20 Of 22 Comments
IT'S MY BLOG SO F*** YOU AND THE MOTHERF***IN' HORSE YOU RODE IN ON
How did Venezuela enter into this? But since it did, I have to share that my proudest internet moment occured yesterday when one of my anti-Chavez posts was picked up by VCRISIS. What's going on in Latin America is utterly appalling and anyone who thinks otherwise (like most of my colleagues at work) has their heads stuck firmly in the sand.
Comment Posted By AcademicElephant On 22.09.2005 @ 14:08
But Rick, I think what made the swearing effective in Joyce or even Updike was that when they did it (or started doing it) it was highly unusual, and so shocking. At this point, their imitators have made it a cliche for "authenticity"--and so Taylor's language winds up not being shocking, but derivative and tired. We're inured to it now--and so just skim over the *** words, which leaves very little.
Comment Posted By AcademicElephant On 22.09.2005 @ 10:16
I don't think your failure to curse has to do with a lack of knack, Rick--it's plain old weak language, chosen for shock-effect rather than expression. I have yet to find an expletive that more effectively expresses a point than a well-chosen non-expletive. If you have to lace your statements with sensationalist words to get people to "look at me," well, then there probably isn't much substance to look at. Of course it is Ms. Taylor's right to curse on her blog if it makes her feel better, but she should give her celebration of the practice another thought. This language has become a counter-culture cliche, and like all cliches, has a pretty hollow ring to it. Why do we banish these words from academic discourse, let alone from conversations with children? Along these lines, why is a well-placed "unhelpful" from the Secretary of Defense more explosive than all the rants of Hugo Chavez? Because a whisper can be much more powerful than a screech, and rigorous, disciplined language is can be immediately and startling compelling to those now impervious to words that might have been shocking 50 years ago, but which, through rampant overuse, have become meaningless.
Comment Posted By AcademicElephant On 21.09.2005 @ 09:02
WELCOME TO THE 2008 PRESIDENTIAL CAMPAIGN
I wonder if Bill and Hillary are reversing their old good cop-bad cop routine so now she can be all sweetness and light and he can be the lightening rod for criticism that riles up the base? If so, why now, right after he was playing buddy-buddy with the Bushes and doing his Global Initiative?
Strange.
Comment Posted By AcademicElephant On 19.09.2005 @ 09:57
I admit I was wondering who was going to figure as Felix to his Jack--maybe John Roberts?
Comment Posted By AcademicElephant On 5.09.2005 @ 08:44
Jack or Paul? Or am I missing something?
Comment Posted By AcademicElephant On 5.09.2005 @ 08:25
HOW MANY PEOPLE DID DEPENDENCE KILL?
Rick: I applaud your bravery in raising this issue. If we can engage in an at least somewhat civil debate on the race crisis that is engulfing this nation, then perhaps we will see some positive outcome to this disaster.
Comment Posted By AcademicElephant On 3.09.2005 @ 14:57
RACE, CLASS, AND BALONEY IN THE BIG EASY
The thing that will annoy them them most will be a bigger turnout for the 9/11 Freedom Walk.
Comment Posted By AcademicElephant On 2.09.2005 @ 15:05
How interesting that the liberal Mr. Cheek thinks that only people who share his viewpoint should have a "platform" from which to spew their venom and that everyone else should just "shut up."
Comment Posted By AcademicElephant On 2.09.2005 @ 12:12
THE GHOST OF CHUCK HAGEL CHANNELS THE GHOST OF VIET NAM
Wow, who knew Chuck Hagel had turned into such a moonbat hero?
Comment Posted By AcademicElephant On 22.08.2005 @ 18:08
