On Thu, 1 Jul 1999 15:11:57 +0100 (BST), Keston wrote:
>Why does it so often happen on this list that potentially useful
>discussion gets shut down by resentful flourishes...
Before we start to generalise about resentful flourishes, perhaps we
could rewind and consider where this thread started, with the spoof
review of CCCP9 in Jacket. In amongst the in-jokes and other light
parodic elements there, there were, as I recall, some potentially
quite unpleasant side-swipes at individuals which could also - loosely
speaking - be put under the "resentful flourish" heading. Hard to be
specific about it, because the whole piece was cast in a rather smug
I'm-not-really-serious sniping tone. These swipes do their author -
hiding under pseudonymity - little service. Keston asked us if we
didn't think the piece a masterpiece of satire, and some of us said,
in various ways, no, we didn't.
Keston's tone in his continued subsequent arguings around from here is
self-evidently his own, whatever one feels about it, and he obviously
feels it deeply when it comes under some sympathise-with-able attack.
Perhaps there's some slight indirect comparability between any
swipemarks on Keston's prose and the swipemarks on those swiped at in
the spoof which started it all. But it's getting to the point where
resentful flourish replies to resentful flourish, to little good
effect that I can see
There's much I could say about the monied nature of universities, and
individuals in and around them. But the waters are pretty muddy at
present, and I doubt it would help. Serious points get lost in all
this, as Keston says. Best to just watch the tone in the first place.
Anyway no bones broken, eh? I'm going away now for ten days and I've
bloody well earned it, believe me. Be good, kiddies!
RC
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