THINK CONCEPT - DO NOT THINK IDENTITY
Phlegmatico: ( Clearing his throat): “ Maggot, it would be so much nicer for us if you would go Orphic. You know that routine? Mythical and romantic and mystical, freighted with tradition; in other words… predictable, but still cool. If a person is going to be different, we insist they be different in a way that’s identifiable, ya know? You haven’t been in compliance, and under section 3.0031 code 4.403, I am issuing you this citation for being ‘weird without precedence.’ If you want to be weird, Maggot, we provide you with dozens of ways to do that and still be acceptable to all. You know we do… What’s gotten into you?”
Maggot: “I’m out of ammo...You got me, where’s Pussy? I have a general feeling of weariness right now… maybe because I really do need to assemble some important explanations for what I’m doing here in the Unenlightened Overgrind, and I don’t want to put in the effort. Actually, I don’t deserve the ‘weirdness without precedence’ designation….Yet. I’ll take it as high honor if I ever do get it… I’ll serve the time as a badge of glory….”
Phlegmatico: “What kinds of things did you want to explain? Maybe I can help you.”
Maggot: “Well, first of all, I wanted to let it be known that I haven’t abandoned the attempt to understand how to create concepts. All of this recent stuff here in the Overgrind has been a continuation of that ambition… I really think it’s been worth the while… You see, what interests me is that unless there is real care, all of the old BS which Father Gilliam tried so hard to get rid of comes flooding back in as soon as ‘concept creation’ gets mentioned. The concept retains all its old associations with the signifier and continues to be seen as some sort of ‘unified thing’… this is devastating to the project of reconceptualizing the concept. Also, and I think this is equally important,the ‘creation’ part of ‘concept creation’ invites the return of all of the old associations of agency which, in their unmodified forms, really do not belong to the schizophrenic processes within this notion of 'creation.'
"Try this: think CONCEPT but do not think IDENTITY. This is hard. But what I’ve been doing over the last few months can’t make any sense to anyone unless they try this experiment. If they try the experiment, I think they’ll get a better idea of what I’m doing nowadays.”
Maggot: (once more ): “ I have a deep fondness for the Orphic routines. I’m always flattered when people read into me more than is there. But honestly, I eschew this. As I see it, there is something going on in these comments at the Overgrind; something really is happening. I do need people who are willing to extend me a little tolerance and try to discern what that is… I want them to know that I am not playing any Orphic games.”
Phlegmatico: “ Yes, but you do try the patience of very tolerant and very intelligent people.”
Maggot: “ I know I do, and for that, I am sorry.”
Maggot: “I’m out of ammo...You got me, where’s Pussy? I have a general feeling of weariness right now… maybe because I really do need to assemble some important explanations for what I’m doing here in the Unenlightened Overgrind, and I don’t want to put in the effort. Actually, I don’t deserve the ‘weirdness without precedence’ designation….Yet. I’ll take it as high honor if I ever do get it… I’ll serve the time as a badge of glory….”
Phlegmatico: “What kinds of things did you want to explain? Maybe I can help you.”
Maggot: “Well, first of all, I wanted to let it be known that I haven’t abandoned the attempt to understand how to create concepts. All of this recent stuff here in the Overgrind has been a continuation of that ambition… I really think it’s been worth the while… You see, what interests me is that unless there is real care, all of the old BS which Father Gilliam tried so hard to get rid of comes flooding back in as soon as ‘concept creation’ gets mentioned. The concept retains all its old associations with the signifier and continues to be seen as some sort of ‘unified thing’… this is devastating to the project of reconceptualizing the concept. Also, and I think this is equally important,the ‘creation’ part of ‘concept creation’ invites the return of all of the old associations of agency which, in their unmodified forms, really do not belong to the schizophrenic processes within this notion of 'creation.'
"Try this: think CONCEPT but do not think IDENTITY. This is hard. But what I’ve been doing over the last few months can’t make any sense to anyone unless they try this experiment. If they try the experiment, I think they’ll get a better idea of what I’m doing nowadays.”
Maggot: (once more ): “ I have a deep fondness for the Orphic routines. I’m always flattered when people read into me more than is there. But honestly, I eschew this. As I see it, there is something going on in these comments at the Overgrind; something really is happening. I do need people who are willing to extend me a little tolerance and try to discern what that is… I want them to know that I am not playing any Orphic games.”
Phlegmatico: “ Yes, but you do try the patience of very tolerant and very intelligent people.”
Maggot: “ I know I do, and for that, I am sorry.”
posted by Yusef Asabiyah at 11:40 PM
2 Comments:
Sanguino joins the conversation:
You know, Maggot, that’s a worthy project, but don’t be too hard on yourself. Stop thinking like a tree. Creation is neither bottom-up nor top-down.
I’m reminded of a sentence of D&G in A Thousand Plateaus”:
"The American singer Patti Smith sings the Gospel of the American dentist. Don't look for the root, follow the canal."
Sanguino leaves the conversation in the middle of it – always the best place to start.
Orla Schantz
Viva el Sanguino!
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