> Well, that was one of the possible interpretations I pondered, but I
> rejected it on the grounds that it's an *ability* to be able to refuse
> to grasp what others take for granted, rather than an inability.
That's an interesting point, Peter, and I shall ponder. My thoughts are
wander and wonder-ing on the lines of an innate ability, akin to an
inability, but I'm not clear on that yet.
But I can't agree about Muller being brittle, perhaps you need to see the
book as a whole to grasp its contextuality. Glad you like the quote from the
great Boris Turnip though (or was it Parsnip? I've forgotten)
And I'd certainly invite Muller to my dinner parties (a) I never have any
(b) he wouldn't turn up but (c) it's a matter of principle.
Best
Dave
David Bircumshaw
Leicester, England
Home Page
A Chad's Alphabet
Painting Without Numbers
www.paintstuff.20m.com/index.htm
http://homepage.ntlworld.com/david.bircumshaw/index.htm
----- Original Message -----
From: "Peter Howard" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Wednesday, November 28, 2001 10:08 PM
Subject: Re: Back on Planet Earth
> On Tue, 27 Nov 2001, david.bircumshaw wrote...
>
> >But too
> >there is an element, a strong element, of something like autism, of being
> >willy-nilly unable to grasp what others take for granted, of being thrown
> >back on one's own resources because you can't understand the jabber of
easy
> >understanding, its smoothtalk comprehension and comfortable
categorisation.
>
> Well, that was one of the possible interpretations I pondered, but I
> rejected it on the grounds that it's an *ability* to be able to refuse
> to grasp what others take for granted, rather than an inability.
>
> And autism isn't the same thing as stupidity, though it may appear so
> from some perspectives.
>
> I'm glad Candice doesn't think I'm stupid. Sometimes I am, though.
>
> I'm afraid Alison's posting of the interview extract has made me agree
> that Heiner isn't stupid. He has that brittle, self-regarding cleverness
> that's only tolerable in Oscar Wilde. I have already struck him off my
> dinner-party invitation list.
>
> I liked the Pasternak quote though.
>
> Best,
> --
> Peter
>
> http://www.hphoward.demon.co.uk/poetry/
>
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