The OF Blog: Saracen Pig! Spartan Dog!

Wednesday, April 30, 2008

Saracen Pig! Spartan Dog!

Saracen pig! Spartan dog! Take this! And this! Roman cow! Russian snake! Spanish fly! Anglo-Saxon Hun! - Phil Moscowitz, What's Up, Tiger Lily?
Sometimes, I just feel the urge to scream that at somebody being obtuse, or at myself for being caught up in the obtuseness, or at the cringing, sniveling lurker who snickers maniacally while watching the online discussion version of a hot oil lingerie wrestling match. But other times I feel like chuckling and shaking my head over things like this, which is in reaction to this, which of course refers back to this, which probably can trace the source of its begettings from here to Timbuktu and to the Heaven's Gate cult.

I probably should be ashamed of myself for not being all that serious in my contributions to the circle jerk-like rounds of "Hey! Let's press so-and-so's buttons here and watch them jump!" Then again, perhaps it's the most appropriate response, not taking much, if any, of such things seriously and instead sitting back and being bemused by those working themselves up to a lather, as if they have something "important" to "defend."

Perhaps much of this is due to a long-standing simmering division of sorts into "populist" and "elitist" groups. One smells of shit, the other disdains the very notion of a shit smell. One reads books whose plots are light of air, the other reads books whose pages are as light as air compared to the ponderous tomes of the former. One likes to make presumptions about things without evidence, the other likes to make presumptions about things without evi...wait just a damn moment, here! That can't be right!

Maybe it is, maybe it ain't, maybe it's somewhere in no-man's land. Regardless, there doubtless will be numerous foot soldiers for whatever perceived side that pops up next yelling out things such as "Saracen pig!" or "Spartan dog!", while they charge willy-nilly, foaming at the mouths, into the next "great argument." Hopefully, the next one will be over whether the (anti)heroes/heroines wear boxers or briefs. It is a burning question of mine!

9 comments:

Anonymous said...

In need of attention?


-CN

Larry Nolen said...

No, I get plenty from the likes of you. Thanks!

Anonymous said...

No problem.

-CN

Cheryl said...

But Larry, someone is WRONG!!! on the Internet! How can you stand by and let such injustice exist???

Larry Nolen said...

Very easily, Cheryl - I go to work and try to help students learn to read and to do math, etc. while they learn to cope with their emotional/behavioral disorders. Jobs like that put the rest in perspective, no? :P

Cheryl said...

"while they learn to cope with their emotional/behavioral disorders"

What, you mean like the compulsion to correct people who are wrong on the Internet?

If only you could wean them off that, it would be a great service to humanity.

Larry Nolen said...

That might be too tall of a task for me, but I'll try!

Cheryl said...

It might be worth a Nobel Peace Prize.

Larry Nolen said...

In that case, we'll just have to send Jimmy Carter over to do the negotiations, right?

 
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