“I’m beginning to see why one would want to write a blog.”

Balatarin
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homo sacer
by homo sacer
27-Aug-2010
 


The above is the opening sentence of the first-ever blog by infuriating-to-many and icon-for-some, the late Norman Mailer (Huffington Post May 17th,2005), who had once opined, “If a person is not talented enough to be a novelist, not smart enough to be a lawyer, and his hands are too shaky to perform operations, he becomes a journalist.” Which only added to Mark Twain’s sarcastic remark, “Journalism is the one solitary respectable profession which honors theft.”

Now that you know my own propensity for (mis)quoting famous people, here are a few hints for … (well, myself if you like).

 

To Whom It May Concern,

You seem overwhelmed. You are exerting yourself way above and beyond the call of duty. You have been commenting about almost every post on this site for quite a while now; sometimes more than once, and sometimes with more than one voice. Your comments have become stale and prosaic, your video clips worn out. There is not much novelty – let alone originality – left in either. You have rearranged, reformatted and repeated your comments, ad nauseum, and still they are not taken seriously. You sound like a broken record. You should be exhausted.

Your reactions are Pavlovian, triggered by a touchy word here, or an annoying phrase there. Some of your comments have no connection to the subject of the main post; you either wrote them before reading the text, or after glancing at the first few lines, or god forbid you had read it all to the end but couldn’t digest it. They are boilerplate. It sounds a cliché, but you seem apt to judging a book by its cover. Have you ever read one of your earlier comments? How do they sound to you, afterward?

You are intellectually depleted. Your rendition of history is delusional. Your posts are a collage of disjointed verbiage and video, many of which you have repeatedly used before. They’re passé. I noticed you are borrowing - rather liberally - ideas, concepts even terminology from other writers; some of which you seem not to even connect with. I am not accusing you of plagiarism, though. I am just saying when the singer and the song are discordant, neither one sounds worthy – a Karaoke singer you are not.

A few words about ventriloquism: (1) the funny and entertaining one is usually the dummy. The one who is sober - and appears somewhat embarrassed by the other - is the puppeteer, not the other way around. (2) To avoid confusing the audience, puppeteer and dummy should use distinct voices. (3) During a conversation between the two, the puppeteer must keep his own jaws immobile when the dummy ‘speaks.’

About multiplicity: One needs to possess the acting talent of Michael Keaton (in Multiplicity) to be able to play more than one character in the same scene, without forgetting one’s different roles - and mixing up in the middle of a performance. Multiplicity is not for amateurs.

As always,

HS

Balatarin
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more from homo sacer
 
Farah Rusta

Well, homo jaan

by Farah Rusta on Mon Aug 30, 2010 03:26 AM PDT

I think I am not going to make myself very popular (not that I am popular at all) by naming that blogger, though I referred to him in a coded manner (holy man from the bush) in one of my previous comments. But as you asked I am going to oblige. Now banned on this site, he was a highly erudite and the same time a very controversial figure. I was not in accord with all of his ideas but I respected him and admired the depth and breadth of his knowledge. He wrote initially under Nur-i-Azal and after the first ban changed to Xvarneh (both banned now). He is the head of a spiritual order based in Auzzieland (hence the 'bush'). Your chosen username and your elegant style made me think perhaps my old (holy) friend has reappeared. Perhaps he is still around but I haven't spotted him.

Anyway, I am very glad to have found a new friend in you. I should also thank you for making a reference to one of my comments in one of your recent blogs (re: 1953). Your blog didn't escape my attention but I thought it wouldn't be correct etiquette to expand on my opinions at your expense. But thank you all the same.

 

Look forward to seeing more of your great work in near future.

 

FR


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benross

Dear homo

by benross on Sun Aug 29, 2010 02:02 PM PDT

 

Hadn't I received an email of your comment, I didn't know I should have felt ignored! So there is nothing to be sorry about.

I'm a weekender with very poor memory. So the best I can do is to go through a crash course on Pavlov in WIKI and jump on an advanced case study such as this or that. BTW I also posted a couple of things lately that I just noticed they didn't register. So it must be general clumsiness epidemic or few glitches in IC. Nothing to be concerned about.

 


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homo sacer

My FRiend

by homo sacer on Sun Aug 29, 2010 11:37 AM PDT


Thank you for your kind words. I hope I can rise to the challenge. The last think I want is to disappoint you. BTW, could you identify that blogger? I wonder if that person is one of my favorites as well. 


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homo sacer

ای مگس عرصه سیمرغ نه جولانگه تست

homo sacer
Sun Aug 29, 2010 11:34 AM PDT


Dear NP,

Nothing attests to our demise as seeing MLK being usurped by Beck.


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homo sacer

I am sorry, benross

by homo sacer on Sun Aug 29, 2010 11:31 AM PDT


I did not ignore you - of all people. How could I? I did write a response. It looks like I didn’t post it, as I thought I did. My apologies. Here it is:

Thank you, benross

I agree. Delusional is a touchy word. Please write back when you are ready to talk about Pavlovian reactions.


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Farah Rusta

Homo jaan

by Farah Rusta on Sun Aug 29, 2010 04:04 AM PDT

I never thought of you as anyone but a friend. Your fluent and elegant style of writing combined with sound and sensible arguments reminded me of another blogger who not long ago disappeared from our midst. Well, I am glad to see that you my new friend keep the flag flying.

See you in near future.

 

Regards 

 

FR


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Niloufar Parsi

homo sacer

by Niloufar Parsi on Sun Aug 29, 2010 12:53 AM PDT

i think you have put it very well. wouldn't worry about such lightweight feathers. they are all busy worshipping ayatollah beck this weekend i would guess :)


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homo sacer

My FRiend (can I call you that?)

by homo sacer on Sat Aug 28, 2010 09:04 PM PDT


I wish we had. I would have certainly enjoyed your company (read my response to NP). Unfortunately for me, there are too many Holly men around here – from the street or bush – that would have made my chances close to nil. I am an optimist, though; maybe in another life, or guise, or post.


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homo sacer

MPD

by homo sacer on Sat Aug 28, 2010 08:59 PM PDT


I am an old fan. And, I miss your delightful brand of humor.


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Farah Rusta

Dear Homo

by Farah Rusta on Sat Aug 28, 2010 06:26 PM PDT

Haven't we met before? I mean in your former guise? The Holy man from the bush?

 

FR


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Multiple Personality Disorder

Holy mother of all insightful blogs I’ve ever read on this site!

by Multiple Personality Disorder on Sat Aug 28, 2010 12:37 PM PDT

…and very well said too.


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homo sacer

Thank you, NP

by homo sacer on Sat Aug 28, 2010 11:08 AM PDT

As much as I enjoy reading thoughtful and well-articulated comments gracing some of the posts in IC, I am disheartened by the quantity and quality of those I refer to as reflexive, or Pavlovian. When I was penning down this blog, I realized that it was bound to ruffle some folks’ feathers. My purpose however was to offer a hint or two, and I tried to make them as impersonal as possible. 


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benross

delusional?

by benross on Sat Aug 28, 2010 05:48 AM PDT

Your reactions are Pavlovian, triggered by a touchy word here, or an annoying phrase there.

Hummm... I don't know that Pavlov guy. But I know you weren't here three months ago! I should look into what pavlovian reaction means.


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Niloufar Parsi

wow

by Niloufar Parsi on Sat Aug 28, 2010 01:55 AM PDT

real sharp! you're going to cheese quite a few people off...!


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homo sacer

Farnoosh

by homo sacer on Fri Aug 27, 2010 11:53 PM PDT


I wonder why you didn’t practice what you preached. Could the subject have been beyond mere gustatory sensation?


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Farnoosh

Why?

by Farnoosh on Fri Aug 27, 2010 09:08 PM PDT

Why so bitter?  Just move and ignore people you don't like.


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