September 24, 2009
Trying to Pull it Together
Andrew posted this.
Kelsey posted this.
In a comment on Kelsey’s post, Andrew said this:
I miss being in a culture of ideas like I once was. I certainly was writing more vibrantly and found myself engaging very challenging material. I have less opportunity for that than I did. Then continued with: Or have I only given myself less opportunity for it?
Andrew, I would only challenge your statement (couched in the knowledge that you know, on many occasions, challenging ideas are broached here on the ‘flock) by saying that your writing (and your speech, on occasion) here is vibrant. All the time. Rigorous thought and writing, I think, is present, too. I think, I think you miss the construct of “the classroom situation?” Where ideas, in reading, in discussion, are presented in a formal way?
I do more writing here, than I ever did on my own. (Once again, I suppose, a construct. Here, the continuing conversation is the base.) I was once barely exposed, in an evening Lit Crit class at the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis, to Derrida and Eagleton (Heddiger and Goethe). At the end of the class, I wanted more. I’ve only pursued it in small ways, since. (If I won the Lottery and could live and do anything I wanted, I would take classes, with the express desire to see/hear the ideas of the past and ponder and wonder and think rigorously with no part of my “mind” given away to the “making of a living.”)
(Feel free to pull out your microphone and speak.)
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Hmmm. Thank you and I like what you appreciate what you have to say. I’ll have to put my thinking cap on for this one.
I hope I was clear by saying (and your speech, on occasion), that I was talking about the occasions you “record” your speech and not that such speech was only occasionly vibrant. Your words live here.
Clear enough, Rick, clear enough.
I hope it is also clear to any who may look at this, this wasn’t directed solely to Andrew.
I have a theory that when we are younger (say, college age), we know that we are learning because we can easily perceive the accumulative results of the learning process. But the more we learn, and the further we distance ourselves from the environments we associate with learning, the less perceptible certain results become.
Likewise, I believe that as we become more effective processing and communicating complex ideas, the articulation of these ideas (hopefully) becomes simplified and more intuitive. Clarified, perhaps.
Of course, I have lots of theories.
I want you to know, Rick, I haven’t forgot about this. Just been swamped this week.