Whut?

[logovo]

I get linked by metafandom and end up with this in my in-box (unsigned):

Via metafandom - too lazy to login, sorry

To me, "acafan" is associated with "fans who follow Marxist Critical Theory and label fans who follow Enlightenment Scientific Theory as 'anti-intellectual' and 'privileged'".

The following are quotes from Carl Freedman “Science Fiction and Critical Theory” _Science Fiction Studies_, Volume 14 (1987):

"Such speculation, and the concomitant “transformative activity associated with critical thinking” of which Horkheimer writes, is the telos of critical theory: the elaborate and powerful demystifying apparatus of Marxist (and Freudian) thought exist, ultimately to clear space upon which positive alternatives to the existent can be constructed."

"But the conservatism of canon-formation, whose first and most decisively conservative phase is to separate the literary from the non-literary, is, if to some degree necessary, also something which critical theory must be wary and skeptical of. The procedure is intrinsically repressive, and, given the inevitable hegemony of pre-critical thought in class society, the repressions involved are by no means unselective."

And there are just pages and pages of "let's discredit U.S. values and extol the European Marxist theories as superior" by this and other academically trained critics.

You know what happens when you just read Infinite Jest and maybe read/hear some DFW essays way too many times and then someone sends you this? It's like I feel my face trying to laugh and cringe at the same time.

Comments

[isagel]

This comment is such amazing GOLD, I don't even know whether to cry or laugh. Okay, I'm laughing.

Does this mean "Enlightenment Scientific Theory" (WTF?) = "U.S. values" and "Marxist Critical Theory" = European values? Does this mean we're pretending the Enlightenment didn't originate in France? I'm just...baffled. And laughing.

[logovo]

Hey, I'm just amazed someone took the time to post this in my question post, unsigned and - I mean, what was I supposed to do with this? It's so funny and bizarre.

[isagel]

I also love the absurdity of "I'm too lazy to log in, but it's no effort at all dig up complex arguments made in a magazine article in the 80s by a guy I don't agree with."

[logovo]

::nods:: So perfect!

[trobadora]

Does this mean "Enlightenment Scientific Theory" (WTF?) = "U.S. values" and "Marxist Critical Theory" = European values?

Ha, that was the part I immediately latched onto as well. *g*

Although the whole comment really is something else. logovo, you should frame it and hang it on your wall - you don't get something like this every day! :D

[logovo]

Oh yes! In 8 years of playing with journaling in fandom this wins as the most bizarre comment ever \o/

[anatsuno]

I was wondering the same thing! Way to make it about supposed nonsensical intra-western squabbles. Like, what, western europe doesn't have a literary canon? hahahahaha.

[rodo]

... I know this will make me look incredibly dumb, but: What?

[logovo]

I know!

After the 2nd re-read I imagined David Foster Wallace was reading it and giggled.

[rodo]

Would imagining Stephen Fry have a similar effect? (Sorry, don't know anything about DFW.)

[logovo]

Yes, yes, that works too!

DFW's readings are sometimes hilarious or alarming or touching or just plain fun.

This one is short, State Fair excerpt, Different Instance and very funny.

[from]

Oh...kay.

Why do I feel like this could be traceable? It's ironically random enough to be specific.

[logovo]

At least it made more than one person laugh ;)

[la_vie_noire]

... what.

[logovo]

I can't even imagine. No, really, I tried!