Review of Cometbus #50
kingw...@yahoo.com
which can also be accessed through the ULA fan site at
www.literaryrevolution.com
Check it out!
D. Halligan
review when they are both quite real.
<kingw...@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:1161633279.4...@i42g2000cwa.googlegroups.com...
kingw...@yahoo.com
Despite what you may have learned in school, the word "mythical" has
meaning and resonances which go far beyond the merely real. I use it to
refer to the undercurrent of word-of-mouth and frankly mystery which
has built around Aaron and his zine over the years. I use the word in
its literary, historical, and also philosophical sense. Writers like
Jung have spoken about the power-- even the necessity-- of myth in our
lives.
The city of Troy for instance did exist-- pretty much as described,
Scaean Gate and all-- but is still a powerful myth. Even American
history is full of real-life myths, from Daniel Boone to The Alamo to
Crazy Horse and on and on-- the word used to describe historical
figures whose reputations made them larger-than-life. At least, that's
how I use the word.
The print underground certainly NEEDS its own myths. We have them and
need to embrace them-- which is what I tried to do with my review.
(If you can think of a better word to describe everything I tried to do
with that one word, let me know. Language is sometimes an imperfect
tool to convey everything we wish to.)
D. Halligan
spell things differently and make up new meanings for words, but in writing
a review you are trying to communicate and connect with someone so they get
a good feeling for what you are reviewing. While Cometbus in part got famous
by word of mouth, it mostly got famous because it's a great read. There
shouldn't be anything mythical about an underground writing that's so good
that it creates a buzz and audience. Ideally that would be normal. I'm not
sure what you are talking about when you mention the mystery built around
Aaron. He's a pretty open guy and many of us have met him over the years
since he traveled about everywhere. I've heard no rumors or dark secrets. My
two cents: legendary would have made a lot more sense than mythical.
<kingw...@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:1162241122....@e64g2000cwd.googlegroups.com...
kingw...@yahoo.com
But "legendary" would even more be taken as "not real."
I intended the word as a compliment to Aaron.
You seem to be stuck into simplistic definitions.
Keep in mind that the dictionary, and what schoolteachers give you
about words, is simply a starter kit. Advance further into the
knowledge of words, language, and literature and you soon enough
realize that many words would take an entire volume to fully explain.
How would you describe "dog" to a person from another planet-- and
fully encapsulate everything the word embodies?
You would need 500 synonyms just from starters: "loyal, warm,
obedient." etc.
One of the Jungs wrote an entire book on the meaning of the word
"Grail."
"Myth" is certainly one of those words, which is why I used it. Again,
because it carries with it countless resonances. Layers of meaning. Do
some reading on the subject sometime.
(I'll concede that "mythic" might have been more apt usage than
"mythical.")
Thanks for your input and for being a fan of the work on our site.
www.literaryrevolution.com
D. Halligan
Legendary is much more often applied to living people than mythical.
> You seem to be stuck into simplistic definitions.
No, I'm saying it's bad writing because it doesn't make sense. You used the
wrong word repeatedly. Trying to pretend it has a different meaning and
giving me shit for not interpreting your own private definition of the word
is even more ridiculous.
kingw...@yahoo.com
Giving you shit???
Dan, your only problem is that you're a moron. Benji the Idiot. You
have a simplistic way of viewing the world and can't seem to go beyond
it. What's more, you have an authoritarian personality-- which goes
against the spirit of zines.
You know nothing about the meaning of the word "myth" and why I used
it-- yet you insist on calling me out on it. Pure ignorance. Yes, I
could have used "legendary"-- as I've used the word to describe ULA
writers like Jack Saunders and Wild Bill Blackolive. BUT-- the word
doesn't do what I want the word to do in regard to Cometbus: to
describe the sense of mystery about the person; a sense of MYTH. "Myth"
isn't the same thing as "legend," though they're related. "Myth" is a
much deeper word more tied into the notion of culture-- of roots
culture especially-- which the zine phenomenon represents.
You don't agree with my choice? Fine. But you didn't write the piece!
Somehow you got it into your head that you're the policeman of
alt.zines-- you seem to think this forum needs a policeman. You in fact
carry the same constipated overregulated mentality which the ULA
attacks in the mainstream.
I'd think zining is about freedom for writers and artists.
Anyway, I don't think you know much about words and writing-- beyond
what you learned in the sixth grade. You're not well-read-- about
literature or culture. The full meaning of a word like myth is beyond
you. This seems to trouble you-- as my presence or my very existence
troubles you. Why is this?
Do your own thing, and good luck to you. But until you can
demonstrate your own abilities as a writer and critic, please don't
presume to tell me how to write my articles, particularly when you
don't know what you're talking about. Thank you.
D. Halligan
you asked us all to read a review and I commented on it because they word
mythical seemed like a really poor choice. Boo hoo, get over it. That
doesn't necessitate page long answers or personal attack. There is no need
to take a discussion of the review to a personal level, well, unless you are
incapable of defending your writing without doing so. -dan
kingw...@yahoo.com
I'll stand by my word choices in all instances here.
-KW
William Mullin
Neither, apparently, do you, George.
>the word
>doesn't do what I want the word to do
Sure. Let's just redefine words to what George Wenclas thinks
they ought to mean.
> Somehow you got it into your head that you're the policeman of
>alt.zines
Somehow you got it into your head that you're the policeman of
the English language.
> Anyway, I don't think you know much about words and writing-- beyond
>what you learned in the sixth grade. You're not well-read-- about
>literature or culture. The full meaning of a word like myth is beyond
>you.
Wow. Talk about projection, George.
kingw...@yahoo.com
zine, and can point to no piece of writing of his own.
(I wonder what you'd make of William Shakespeare if he were around
today. Will not only used creative spelling, he invented many words and
meanings, in so doing greatly enriching the English language. Of
course, he also lived in less anal times.)
William Mullin
<kingw...@yahoo.com> wrote:
>(I wonder what you'd make of William Shakespeare if he were around
>today. Will not only used creative spelling, he invented many words and
>meanings, in so doing greatly enriching the English language. Of
>course, he also lived in less anal times.)
>
Still trying to compare yourself to William Shakespeare, George?
Of course, you're too anal to realize that your third-rate writing
is no good.