Thank you for starting this blog, Jozanny. I hate to say that I never really gave this much thought, but this has been somewhat fascinating. I never thought of these movies in this way thematically before.
Don't Lawrence and Flannery O'Connor deal with some disabled characters?
"The important thing is not to stop questioning. Curiosity has its' own reason for existing." ~ Albert Einstein
"Remember, no matter where you go, there you are." Buckaroo Bonzai "Some people say I done alright for a girl." Melanie Safka
Thank you too gimss. Though I find the Live Journal community overwhelming. If everyone is making so much noise, is there anyone who actually hears through the din?Originally Posted by qimissung
But I will have to be patient, and learn how to build my base and my expertise, but I would really enjoy teaching the course I was supposed to do on the subject, and maybe I could find new department support for that at some point.
Yes, I will go on literary themes as appropriate--but I am just not sure how controversial is too controversial for Microsoft. I surfed around more last evening and found the raw and the tame, and name dropping as well, which, as a journalist, I know that has to be handled with care. I actually do have some fairly contentious and possibly offensive views on the intersection of disability and X and Y and Z.Don't Lawrence and Flannery O'Connor deal with some disabled characters?
"No one will publish what I want to say," I told my ex.
"But what if they do?" he asked.
"Then I might get assassinated, so I'd have to go into hiding." He'd laugh at me after that, but it is finding a balance between reactionary projection and experience, since words have power.
Nightshade: You might want to explore the work of ETA Hoffmann, the German Romanticist. For your needs, this might be stretching it a bit, but The Nutcracker does have hints in it about deformity and beastiality. I am not very familiar with Hoffmann, but an opera adaptation on his demons and loves reminded me that I hate sitting through The Nutcracker every holiday. He is an Enlightenment era figure.
Last edited by Jozanny; 03-28-2010 at 09:38 PM. Reason: reply to Nightshade
Here is an interesting contextual question:
Inglis House in the most unkindest sense, is a modern horror house where the disabled are, um, deposited and put out of sight, although as an institution, it mouths the empowerment niceties that ease the modern conscience. My parents placed me in a similar institution as a child, minus the death toll and the overwhelming odor; I hate it and despite being a brutal realist about the nature of certain progressive diseases, like Huntington's, which killed off a huge number of my clients, I agree with the activists that such places should be nuked, and I am not going to die there, whatever else I have to do to insure that.
However, the activists such that I knew hate me and aren't helping me any, and Inglis runs this damn contest every year; I am not saying my seasoned publishing experience gives me a leg up; it might even work to my disadvantage; nevertheless, it is an easy mark, and it would buy one grocery bill.
Would you stand by your principles, wait for the nukes, or submit according to the guidelines? I am curious.
Last edited by Jozanny; 05-10-2010 at 02:04 PM. Reason: spelling slip
I would stand by my principles. If I were as vehemently opposed to the idea as you seem to be, then I would rather pass up some easy money than lose respect for myself.
I also dislike the idea of sequestering disabled people away from society. I think it runs counter to any idea of progress - better we should provide more accommodations in public transportation, buildings, etc. so that we can better integrate the disabled into modern life.
I personally find it hard to follow your blog because I have not seen many of the films that you write about. I also at the moment don't have much interest in film. Perhaps you could expand your blog to encompass both film and literature? I would be very interested in reading your opinions on novels that depict the disabled.
The miniseries "Warm Springs" deals well with the disability of polio. It's starts when FDR was suddenly stricken with the disease and he could finally relate to regular down to earth individuals confined to a wheelchair and suffering in constant pain - I found out from this story that not only do polio victims experience loss of motion, but also 'pain' which at times can be unbearable. I personally love the story and film. I can relate to how people view disabilty (like it does not exist) since I have a pain disabilty; which is invisible to the average individual and therefore, gets little recognition, unless you meet up with others in the same situation.
"It's so mysterious, the land of tears."
Chapter 7, The Little Prince ~ Antoine de Saint-Exupéry
I will eventually include literary posts, unless I stop using Live Journal; blogging is not for everyone and I am dealing with a fairly esoteric subject, am not a professional film critic, and even though I will never entirely move away from some ranting, I know nobody cares, in the sense that I do not care really, about personal blogs; they work best for me like newspaper columns, and building those resources comes slowly.
As to Inglis, you are probably right; it is not like a 19th century asylum; they keep it clean, and even have independent apartments set off from the main fortress, but in some ways it is worse and I used to wake up with nightmares after work. I will borrow the conehead for a nuke:
I have decided to give my project @ Live Journal my full commitment, at least for a year, and see what I can do. I even brought myself to Ebert's attention, because I am enough of an egotist to raise my voice that way, and I like debating his critical assessments whether or not he will ever give me a plug; that I don't know and I may pitch an article idea his way, though not for the blog per see.
Now, as to my time here on the forum, and my old friends, I *left* --in terms of posting regularly in discussions, because the experience was becoming too similar to past discontents, and this community certainly isn't the place for my lessening matriculation frustration; if this reasoning seems puzzling, let me try to put it this way:
The majority of you have normal lives, teaching, being students, working, even writing, as I do myself. I ceased having a normal life in the late 90's, when my full time career crashed. My poverty led to distemper, and it may and probably will again. My caste resentments thrown @ Poets & Writers did not help, and only led to the distraction of emotional conflict, and on the basis of that lesson, it would be more than futile to subject myself to the need for a lion tamer on the network forums, so I voluntarily ceased interacting here, as I cannot magically expect any of you to help me get that *normal life* back, as many of you are young, and just discovering your own self-definition.
But where you can help me, if interested, is to process and interact with my thematic explorations, which I fully desire to be inclusive, for the disabled and temporarily able alike, not that I expect agreement with my point of view. I will be making upgrades and streamlining my themes over the next few weeks, and any of you are welcome to offer your opinions there at any time.
PS: late happy birthday wishes to gims!
Last edited by Jozanny; 09-13-2010 at 01:43 AM. Reason: PS
Best of luck to your endeavor Jozy. I'll be glad to help out where I can.
LET THERE BE LIGHT
"Love follows knowledge." – St. Catherine of Siena
My literature blog: http://ashesfromburntroses.blogspot.com/
I am more me on Live Journal than I can dare to be *me* here Virgil, but thank you. I have not kept up with your adventure in adoption, but I may discuss that as well on the basis of certain documentary viewings. Maybe one day we'll have a talk, but not here and not nowBest of luck to your endeavor Jozy. I'll be glad to help out where I can.
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