Subject: Re: Reference to JDS by Paul Thomas Anderson
From: Cecilia Baader (ceciliabaader@yahoo.com)
Date: Thu May 09 2002 - 11:37:03 EDT
--- Jim Rovira <jrovira@drew.edu> wrote:
>
> The context was that a talk show host asked me why Salinger wasn't so
> important to academia. She asked me that because I was a token
> representative of academia on the show. Being a token representative of
> academia on the show, I didn't get a whole lot of airtime ;). I think I
> was asked two questions, and that was one of them.
My opinion still stands. By asking why Salinger is unimportant to
academia, the conclusion that must immediately follow is that his work is
less important than, say, Updike and all his Rabbit Goes to the Bank
books.
> But going beyond that, which authors academia considers important IS
> important. I agree it's not ALL important, but it has its importance
> and its place. What teachers teach as "literature" becomes a standard
> in society whether we like to admit it or not. And we pretty much ALL
> go through this system, at least through HS, so this omnipresent POV
> does indeed have its effects.
What *teachers* teach, Jim, not academics. My argument rests on the
difference, especially since Salinger is taught in most high schools.
> I would like to add that the American Unviversity English Department
> that's "headed exclusively by white males" is a thing of the past.
I think you should check my original post, since I've been misquoted. And
this is the sort of argument that always arises when men speak of
equality. "I know one woman who has a high position," they say, and they
neglect to look at things like the number of full professors who are women
is a much smaller percentage than there are women working in universities.
Go ahead. Poll your own English Department and then come back to me and
tell me if I'm wrong.
> If it was PC obsessed it wouldn't be headed by white males.
Sorry. Doesn't wash. The most PC obsessed people I've known have been
white males.
> And when it is, the white males feel terribly guilty about it :).
Ha. They only feel guilty when they're caught.
> I'd tend to disagree that the most interesting discussion I've had about
> books has ever been on any listserve, but honestly, the word
> "interesting" tells me nothing -- except about the personal preferences
> of the person using it, which is usually meaningless to me, being
> different from my personal preferences :). What's interesting to me is
> what I'm concerned about :).
I'm sorry, but my own personal preference is that I cannot take seriously
any argument that ends in a smiley.
However, if I were to take it seriously, I'd say that I began and ended my
post with the notification that it was a rant, i.e., my own opinion,
clearly labeled as such.
I'm just saying.
Gosh, you'd think by reading this that I'm a raging feminist, but really
I'm not. I'm just female. Stick around in this body for long enough and
you almost can't help yourself.
I really should be doing work right now.
Regards,
Cecilia.
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