The English Assassin wrote:
> Ha! All unintended. I don't suspect you to believe
> that, but you do seem to have a bit of a
> persecution complex... just an observation...
> albeit unkind one... My 'sneaking in like an
> illegal immigrant' comment is a case in point and
> was hardly meant as a sleight on you, but an
> attempt (maybe a failed attempt..) at a humorous
> remark of the sheer ludicrousness of you being
> barred from these forums... It's not ALL about
> you, you know! :)
I'll merely suggest that you read some Nietzsche. You may be amused by the contrast between his originality, ludicity and humor, and the robotic pomposity of some of his disciples, a not insubstantial sub-demographic of whom are far from failing to give the impression that, in improximally to un-Freudian terms, they are so anally retentive as to be able to conduct ultrasonic petomania or convert coal to diamond by a means not suitable for exposition on a family forum...
> But regardless, I personally appreciate those who
> exhibit creative thinking that is a synthesis of
> their own reading and learning coupled with their
> own personality and thinking, rather than the
> regurgitating of academia...
Careful -- speaking truth to pomposity may (and did) provoke a sulk...
*** Since the appearance of 'Analysis Terminable' in 1980, I had repeatedly made the same two-pronged argument: that Freud's scientific and ethical standards were abysmally low and that his brainchild was, and still is, a pseudoscience... Whereas the original objectors to 'Analysis Terminable' in 1980 had flatly denied my entire case against psychoanalysis, these recent statements mostly took the plaintive form of 'yes, but...' Although virtually all of my charges were conceded in one letter or another, each correspondent clung to some mitigating point that might justify the continuation of psychoanalytic business as usual... Step by step, we are learning that Freud has been the most overrated figure in the entire history of science and medicine--one who wrought immense harm through the propagation of false etiologies, mistaken diagnoses, and fruitless lines of inquiry... ***
I despise people who take accurate shots at Freud, based merely on a thorough understanding and knowledge of his life and work. Nevertheless, I think Crews is right on the money in his assessment. However -- and I have the full endorsement of Nietzsche, Marcus Aurelius and Lao-Tzu in saying this -- I must also insist that Freud was a brave pioneer, a profound thinker, and did the best he could with the materials and knowledge available to him.
*** Much as I like CAS's line as literature, I'm not sure it IS so humble to announce that "All human thought, all science, all religion, is the holding of a candle to the night of the universe." Not even sure it avoids self-refutation. CAS obviously thinks he understands the universe well enough to know humans can't understand it ("All humans are fools," said the human.) ***
I despise people who punctuate in slipshod fashion. I, myself, am a master of this delicate art and have, twice, won gold medals in Punctuathons sponsored by the Royal Canadian Society for the Promotion and Preservation of Pure English.
*** On the subject of stars, all investigations which are not ultimately reducible to simple visual observations are ... necessarily denied to us. While we can conceive of the possibility of determining their shapes, their sizes, and their motions, we shall never be able by any means to study their chemical composition or their mineralogical structure ... Our knowledge concerning their gaseous envelopes is necessarily limited to their existence, size ... and refractive power, we shall not at all be able to determine their chemical composition or even their density... I regard any notion concerning the true mean temperature of the various stars as forever denied to us. ***
I despise people who quote Comte, particularly in November. On the subject of science (and this is positively my last word (unless I decide otherwise (or not (as the case may be)))), I would merely remind you that a) I have a degree in English; and b) I have read Nietzsche, T.S. Kuhn and the mathematician E. Brian Davies. If that doesn't make you see the error of your ways, all I can say is: I despise you even more.
“The true independent is he who dwells detached and remote from the little herds as well as from the big herd. Affiliating with no group or cabal of mice or monkeys, he is of course universally suspect.†—
The Black Book of Gore Vidal.
Edited 6 time(s). Last edit at 26 Nov 11 | 06:21AM by treycelement.