Friday, December 19, 2008

Comment Central:

Daniel Finkelstein asks: What's in a Name?

McLuhan (1911-1980), from beyond the grave, responds: "The name of a man is a numbing blow from which he never recovers." (That's why his brother, Red, called him "Mars.")

2 comments:

  1. The name is the third soul, according to certain shamanistic traditions.

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  2. 'Mornin' LoveLee :). I never knew that; very interesting piece of information. I wonder if McLuhan was influenced by the notion. I'll ask his son, Eric. I know the idea of a name being a defining part of a person's psyche's one that originated in the cradle of civilisation; but, I'd never heard of it being a third soul.

    One thing my biological mother wanted to do to me before I was adopted and my name changed? She was going to name me Kim (after Kim Novac); but, my father (who had annulled the marriage to her by then) vetoed it. He gave me my name. That was his way for me to remember him. He was a fireman and? When I was five? He actually attended a fire I had reported; but, I didn't know it till 1977 when I found him. He told me; he also told me he remarried (or married, since he's a Catholic) and, he named his first-born daughter the same name. I think he was in love with Judy Garland :) . . .

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