Monday, April 04, 2005

Finery! Silks! and the Ephemeral Corpse

After having an argument for several hours over Straw Dogs, Geof concludes that Gray doesn't prove his thesis. Geof contends that I prefer the thesis rather than defer to it on logical grounds. After having a few hours to consider it, I think that Gray's argument is one based on a prima facie premise. Either that principle resonates with the reader or no evidence in the world will convince you. The value in the book for me is that Gray gives a lucid voice to the notions that percolate in my head.
For me, the search for meaning became a lamentation before the crucified body of created necessity. When the body is laid to rest, it resurrects and we follow like disciples, till finally necessity of meaning becomes a monolithic leviathan that we can doubt no less easy than doubt our very being. In the absence of a Cartesian doubt, we dissect the rotting corpse only to discover not that the emperor has no clothes, but that he has no body! Clothes-yes. Finery! Silks! Purple and pearls but a body of not even ephemeral quality. It is this revelation that mutes the witness and melts the gospel. And the necessity of miracles disappear like a limp on the stage of a faith healer.
What then of meaning? Well. It is easier to want there to be a blue key, than to search for a blue key that was never forged. Action becomes clarified and what meaning I parcel out to myself becomes true.

4 comments:

rainswept said...

I repeat my position that Straw Dogs is a conversaiton, not the elucidation of a thesis

If there is a thesis that binds it all it would be that humans are creatures with a place in nature - a place from which the dream of escape is just that

No-one would claim that such a thing could be proven - but it can be seen

"The truth is what we find *whether we like it or not*..." - David Bohm, On Creativity

rainswept said...
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captainorange said...

Gee,I'm not sure I feel comfortable talking about this decaying corpse of yours--be it clothed or otherwise. However, one thing about you has not changed...you still speak in riddles.

Anon said...

I certainly hope you do not expect me to understand what you're talking about!! Wait a minute. I momentarily forgot who I was talking to. OF COURSE YOU DON'T!!

Well here's what. I don't feel like talking on the phone so I'm telling you that I want to go to the symphony but I cannot cannot cannot. This does not mean that you should not attempt to contact me via old-fashioned methods in the future.

Out.