This doesn't matter, but it does! It's a cautionary tale about how we relate to each other and the importance of intention. Criticism is important and worthwhile, but only if the ends are to sharpen, enlighten, inform, advance. True intentions are hard to discern, but then sometimes a situation (like the publishing of this book) illuminates:
"Oyler clearly wishes to be a person who says brilliant things—the Renata Adler of looking at your phone a lot—but she lacks the curiosity that would permit her to do so."
By putting her own writing on display, she inadvetently reveals that her intentions are not constructive, but self-absorbed, and in one fell swoop, undermines her legitimacy as a critic.
On the one hand you're right that this style of criticism is a circular firing squad meant for social dynamics and not legitimacy.
But on the other hand, "the Renata Adler of looking at your phone a lot" is such an incredible burn I think she deserves a Nobel Prize of some sort, or at least a Grammy.
I was so imprecise in my reply! I meant to affirm the legitimacy of this conversation around Lauren Oyler's work and subsequent takedown. She outed herself as in it for the wrong reasons and that's important to call out. Doing so is in the spirit of a more constructive conversation overall, I think. All the better to have fun with it =)
Excellent as always Jeremiah, but I must reluctantly point out that those are "photographs" and not "screenshots". This is the toll gazing into the internet takes, the cost of your Christ-like sacrifice keeping up with the internet so we don't have to ( as much ).
This doesn't matter, but it does! It's a cautionary tale about how we relate to each other and the importance of intention. Criticism is important and worthwhile, but only if the ends are to sharpen, enlighten, inform, advance. True intentions are hard to discern, but then sometimes a situation (like the publishing of this book) illuminates:
"Oyler clearly wishes to be a person who says brilliant things—the Renata Adler of looking at your phone a lot—but she lacks the curiosity that would permit her to do so."
By putting her own writing on display, she inadvetently reveals that her intentions are not constructive, but self-absorbed, and in one fell swoop, undermines her legitimacy as a critic.
On the one hand you're right that this style of criticism is a circular firing squad meant for social dynamics and not legitimacy.
But on the other hand, "the Renata Adler of looking at your phone a lot" is such an incredible burn I think she deserves a Nobel Prize of some sort, or at least a Grammy.
I was so imprecise in my reply! I meant to affirm the legitimacy of this conversation around Lauren Oyler's work and subsequent takedown. She outed herself as in it for the wrong reasons and that's important to call out. Doing so is in the spirit of a more constructive conversation overall, I think. All the better to have fun with it =)
> passing around screenshots of the print edition
Excellent as always Jeremiah, but I must reluctantly point out that those are "photographs" and not "screenshots". This is the toll gazing into the internet takes, the cost of your Christ-like sacrifice keeping up with the internet so we don't have to ( as much ).
last post was community noted i think
At least the SFF circular firing squad generally uses ammunition that comes from elsewhere...
Man, post all the "terrible person receives comeuppance" content you want; I'm good with it. :)