Henry wrote:
<Literary theory for the last 20 yrs or so avidly pursued formal models as a means of uncovering layers of unrecognized law - both laws of undecideability (philosophy) and laws of determinism (sociology).
"Progressive" formalisms in the arts piggy-backed on theory for structural purposes. "Reactionary" formalisms (like the New Formalism in the US) did the opposite: emphasized explicit traditional form in order to celebrate & justify received ideas & social conditions.>
Yes, it's deadly when form becomes a continuation of politics by other means. In mild defense of the New Formalists, though, I would say that most of them are guilty of nothing more than being rather uninteresting poets, and are fairly moderate politically - I would guess many voted for the same guy Charles Bernstein did (if he voted).
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