Camera Obscura

[pjthompson]

Random quote of the day:


"Those who write clearly have readers; those who write obscurely have commentators."

—Albert Camus, Notebooks 1942-51




(Thank you, Kim, wherever you are.)


And, as if The Onion wanted desperately to participate in the random quote of the day, this randomly popped up on my Onion calendar.












Disclaimer: The views expressed in this random quote of the day do not necessarily reflect the views of the poster, her immediate family, Siegfried and Roy, Leonard Maltin, or the Mormon Tabernacle Choir. They do, however, sometimes reflect the views of the Cottingley Fairies.

Comments

[purdypiedad.livejournal.com]

OMG. Love the quote, and The Onion article was hilarious. I think that accurately expresses how I feel about most contemporary poetry.

[pjthompson]

Yep, Camus was a cool guy.

re: poetry - I agree for the kind that's published in most "important" poetry venues. There's some good stuff out there, but much of it reminds me of the Emperor's New Clothes.

[purdypiedad.livejournal.com]

That is a perfect comparison.

[safewrite.livejournal.com]

Talk about your congruence in the universe. (The Onion sidebar rawks.)

[pjthompson]

Hey, any time I can congroove with the Onion, I'm good. :-)

[helios137.livejournal.com]

That makes sense to me. James Joyce had lots of commetators but it is a rare person indeed who has actually read and understood "Ulysses." I will keep trying.

[pjthompson]

Or loved it. Many may appreciate it, but I wonder how many have it as one of their all-time favorites.

[helios137.livejournal.com]

I read once that there are two paths in Western Civilization towards enlightenment. One way was to keep simplifying and simplifying until you reach a place of pure unity. The second way is to intensify complexity until things get more and more complex until you begin to see patterns in the complexity. I am told that the Kaballah is one possible way for this second path. For me, "Ulysses" is like that second path where you throw more an more into the mix.

[pjthompson]

I tend more towards the keep it simple model. But not always.