The Pound of Flesh Metaphor
Kevin B. Murphy
surmised and yet it doesn't circulate... curious... I'm guessing it means
that cattle are killed before being butchered and not the other way
around... unless you can surprise me with something better.
--
Denial of Free Will makes the Knowledge of Order Absolute.
ZerkonXXXX
> pound of flesh
You know the play at all?
Kevin B. Murphy
ZerkonXXXX
> I understand the play well enough... why do you ask.
Well in the play a "pound of flesh" is not a metaphor so whenever it's
used as one there is a concrete reference to meaning.
so I do not know about 'better' but another meaning other than killing
cattle can have something to do with indebtedness, greed or vengeance.
M Purcell
I believe the metaphor usually refers to a person's flesh, perhaps by
making it harder to obtain food.
Kevin B. Murphy
On 22-Nov-2009, M Purcell <sacs...@aol.com> wrote:
> I believe the metaphor usually refers to a person's flesh, perhaps by
> making it harder to obtain food.
Hmm... well, my understanding of the play has me to believe that the world
is much more complicated than anyone is able to comprehend... I suppose the
bottom line is that... when I say 'if you want to understand how the world
'works'... become an engineer', it is really arrogant of me to believe that
given the context of 'The Merchant of Venice'... Now as far as the metaphor
is concerned... I suppose there is an association with Catholic communion as
the reason why people are adverse to discussing what may be the real meaning
of the metaphor... There is no real explanation for why various entities in
this world persist in trying to extract money from those who don't have
money unless those entities need to be reminded of the fact that while it is
possible to butcher a cow without killing it... that is not the standard
protocol for extracting meat from a cow.
M Purcell
You don't think greed is a real explanation? I don't know the play
although I've heard of an opera by that name and don't see what a cow
has to do with it, but the metaphor usually includes a possessive
which implies something owed. Perhaps you are thinking of "putting the
cart before the horse" such as putting your arrogance ahead of your
beliefs.
Kevin B. Murphy
On 23-Nov-2009, M Purcell <sacs...@aol.com> wrote:
> You don't think greed is a real explanation? I don't know the play
> although I've heard of an opera by that name and don't see what a cow
> has to do with it, but the metaphor usually includes a possessive
> which implies something owed. Perhaps you are thinking of "putting the
> cart before the horse" such as putting your arrogance ahead of your
> beliefs.
I say it is arrogant in the *context* of 'The Merchant of Venice' and then
you think that entitles you to shove my arrogance down my throat?!?!? Well,
aren't you an obsessive controlling little cunt? I wouldn't necessarily say
that it is about 'greed'. You know, a philosophy teacher will explain Locke
to you by imposing on you his definition of 'greed'. Well, 'The Merchant of
Venice' defies a philosophy teacher's best efforts to program us with the
correct definition of greed... so what do you make of that?
M Purcell
That I got mine? At least under your skin but if the shoe fits I
wouldn't try to sell it.
Kevin B. Murphy
simply a bait to determine who is an 'imperial jackass'. It is no wonder
that foreign cultures have a problem with the word 'imperial'... it is
because... 'imperial jackass' hits to close to home.
M Purcell
> You can't get under my skin by simply calling me arrogant... Arrogance is
> simply a bait to determine who is an 'imperial jackass'. It is no wonder
> that foreign cultures have a problem with the word 'imperial'... it is
> because... 'imperial jackass' hits to close to home.
You should try to get over yourself, I don't care what kind of jackass
you are or what you think of me.