Nailed it — a century of cultural theory in one sentence!
Carlo Giabarres. “Karl Marx” The Economist, May 4, 2018 Thomas Pynchon. Photographer unknown.
The greatness of comedy.
Great comedy is a surgeon’s blade cutting out and showing the smallest tumour affecting the whole body. Enjoy over one hundred years of cultural theory in one sentence.
Marxist cultural theory in one sentence!
Enjoy reading Thomas Pynchon’s— the great, some say the greatest living American writer — Bleeding Edge, a meandering, funny, exciting, worth a second read, mystery, thriller novel Bleeding Edge.
“It is 2001 in New York City, in the lull between the collapse of the dotcom boom and the terrible events of September 11th.
Maxine Tarnow is running a nice little fraud investigation business on the Upper West Side, al l is ticking over nice and normal until she starts looking into the finances of a computer-security firm and its billionaire geek CEO.” [Back cover Bleeding Edge]
It gives you the bonus, in one sentence a summary of Marxist and Neo-Marxist cultural theory.
“Culture attracts the worst impulses of the moneyed, it has no honor, it begs to be suburbanized and corrupted.” [P 56 (ibid)]
it's my blog, and I'll be greedy if I want to
I cannot resist being greedy, here is a wonderful passage from Pynchon’s Inherent Vice.
Enjoy!
Doc Sportello Joaquin Phoenix) and Sauncho Smilax Benicio del Toro). Image from “Inherent Vice” movie 2014.
A classic restaurant review!?
“I’m Chlorinda, what’ll it be,” A waitress in a combination Nehru jacket and Hawaiian-print shirt, just long enough to qualify as a minidress, and with a set of vibes that didn’t help sharpen anyone’s appetite.
“Ordinarily I’d go for the Admiral Luau,” Sauncho more diffident than Doc expected, “but today I guess I’ll just have the house anchovy loaf to start and, um, the devil-ray filet, can I get that deep-fried in beer batter?”
“Your stomach isn’t it. How about you l’il buddy?”
“Mmm!” Doc scanning the menu. “All this good eatin’!” while Sauncho kicked him under the table.
“If my husband dared to eat any of this shit, I’d throw him out on his ass and drop all his Iron Butterfly records out the window after him.”
“Trick question,” said Doc hastily. “The, uh, jellyfish teriyaki croquetters I guess? and the Eel Trovatore?” [Inherent Vice p 91-92]
