An-na-na-na-na-na!

Mass movements make me nervous, because their leaders are deified and in the eyes of their followers, can do no wrong. The kind of intensity and focus that members of these movements bring to the cause is not often matched by depth of understanding of the issues, or more importantly, breadth of understanding of the world. No issues can be resolved in isolation, or there will be unintended consequences.

All too often, the recruits for these mass movements are those with the time to devote to them - not necessarily those qualified (in any sense of the word) to contribute.

Finally the leaders of these mass movements become rockstars - and from there either they are corrupted by their power, or become victims of their own fallibility, because no one is smart enough to be a god... unless they go completely offstage (or worse, die) before they make their first mistakes.

This is why Anna Hazare's "anti-corruption movement" in India is at best a quixotic piece, and at worst a circus that is going to benefit media TRPs more than the country. I almost feel sorry for the man - he has one good idea, but no vision to speak of, and is now cornered by his own followers. He reminds me of Raju Guide more than Mahatma Gandhi at this point!

A Clouded Memory

The Matrix

Remember the Information Superhighway? Used to be a buzzword about a decade and a half ago. No one uses it any more! I read about this study by Columbia University psychologist, Betsy Sparrow published a little while ago and I was reminded of the concept, and how it is finally coming to fruition. 

Scenario: two colleagues are talking about their favorite author or poet (who I've never heard of) while I'm sitting at my desk. I quickly Google the name, and join in the conversation - but I enter it saying "such and such" is my favorite poem by this poet... particularly the line "..."

Book Review: God is Not One

An interesting book!

We take a break from our regularly scheduled programming to speak at some length now about a book that got me thinking about my beliefs or faith (or lack thereof).

Stephen Prothero's "God is Not One" is the kind of counter-argument in the face of the prevailing conventional wisdom that wakes you up like a strong cup of coffee on a bleary morning.

His central thesis is that for all the analogies ("many paths up the same mountain" or "different pieces of the same elephant") being tossed around to describe world religions as being essentially the same, they are in fact very different from each other! They address different central dilemmas, and don't line up in a neat row as those focusing on their commonalities would like. This is a bold idea, and very relevant to our times. I was pleasantly surprised at how much I found myself agreeing with it; it brings a clear-eyed approach to a field that suffers too often from an excess of either fanaticism or romanticism.

A Malazan Meditation - (On Species)

This is a continuation of my 'meditation' on Steven Erikson's opus: The Malazan Book of the Fallen, which I view as an exercise in attaining reader catharsis. If you haven't already, for some context, please read my prior posts - a Prologue that explains what this is all about, Part 1 - Elements, and Part 2 - Quirks & Features. If you have already, read on...

Warning: This post contains spoilers for various books in the series, but I have tried to stay away from revealing too many specifics. The imagined species that make an appearance in the series, their physical attributes, and some portions of their history and overall arc are mentioned. I don't think I reveal anything that will necessarily spoil your experience of reading the books; if anything it might enhance your appreciation for some of the elements... but that's just what I think.

This (and the next post) will be the most spoiler-filled of the lot. If you're completely anti-spoiler, please stay away!

A Malazan Meditation (Part 3: Species)

Where I look at each of the eponymous elements of the world, their role or agency in-story and in the series as metaphors and motifs...

A Malazan Meditation - (Quirks & Features)

This is a continuation of my 'meditation' on Steven Erikson's opus: The Malazan Book of the Fallen, which I view as an exercise in attaining reader catharsis. If you haven't already, for some context, please read my prior posts - a Prologue that explains what this is all about, and Part 1 - Elements. If you have already, read on...

Warning: This post contains spoilers for various books in the series, but I have tried to stay away from revealing specifics. Some tropes used, and the social/ philosophical dilemmas explored will however be revealed. That said, I don't think I reveal anything that will necessarily spoil your experience of reading the books; if anything it might enhance your appreciation for some of the elements... but that's just what I think.

If you're completely anti-spoiler, please stay away!

A Malazan Meditation (Part 2: Quirks and Features)

Where I try and point out what makes this series ‘special’ or what literary devices within it expand upon the primary theme. To highlight how this series is set apart from other SFF literature, I propose to compare it where appropriate with the writings of JRR Tolkein (the grand-daddy of fantasy literature) which have served as templates for much fantasy fiction in the last sixty or so years.

I'll start with the low-hanging fruit, the easy 'structural' features and then move into heavy territory...