On the other hand, reading Barthes in context, rather than venting one's spleen at a single quote passed on by another splenetic, can be by contrast quite illuminating.
I think one of the chief psychological characteristics of the postmodern is precisely this kind of disgust with the world. On the other hand, all some postmoderns seem able to do is vent their spleen, mock with their razor irony, but never actually present a solution to the problems they're vilifying. It's a kind of decadent ennui, which Dalrymple's attitude in this piece doubly exemplifies.
On the other hand, reading Barthes in context, rather than venting one's spleen at a single quote passed on by another splenetic, can be by contrast quite illuminating.
ReplyDeleteI think one of the chief psychological characteristics of the postmodern is precisely this kind of disgust with the world. On the other hand, all some postmoderns seem able to do is vent their spleen, mock with their razor irony, but never actually present a solution to the problems they're vilifying. It's a kind of decadent ennui, which Dalrymple's attitude in this piece doubly exemplifies.