creative untruth

perhaps the greatness of a lie is that one is not aware of it instantly. if the what that is before her is transparent to itself then she would have named it right away.

the advent of theory and critical thinking has lead this generation to values of tolerance, deliberation, issues of marginalization and reclaiming voices. these are gains that ought to be held otherwise the barbarity of power and legitimation will hold sway again. the model of listener that it apparently endorses however may yet be the antithesis of the tradition of critical reading of texts that freed us from dogmatism and bigotry. the model of the liberal hearer, uncommited and ever tentative is a caricature of post structuralism and post modernity. if there is a learning at all then attention is of paramount importance and listening includes weighing while understanding involves one to embody commitment - be it serious or playful.

Bernard Lonergan critiqued contemporary thought for stopping at understanding and failing to move onto the critical step of judgment and expression. one needs to know if one has done good he is quoted as saying in the halifax lectures. that assertion may sound like remnants of a good boy stage of moral development according to Lawrence Kohlberg. a desire to be affirmed by peers who surround him. however it also moves to a certain direction. perhaps one ought to return to discourses with virtue and truthfulness as concerns. perhaps one can read better mindful of hunger and excesses not only in meaning but also in suffering. Jacques derrida did not want to stop only at the academic level of reading and rereading texts, he wanted more involvement in issues of prudence and ethical responsibility.

grammar of dissent

the nexus of signified and signifiers were lost during the last post. the authors are dead alright, their biographical notes in no way weigh heavier than their written works. what lights up the horizon with grit and brimstone though is that discourses and texts are again loci of action and commitment. and yes truth is in again. i.e., if one is wide eyed enough to get wind of terry eagleton's books. so then - bother and think, post-gender and gender less bloggers who have fallen to hedonistic slumber with the post-structuralist pomo generation - from and with the ashes ludicrously kick some butt!