How Conservative Is It
I'd like to go back to the dinner party to start a discussion about how conservative Cryptonomicon is. The dinner party is obvious; we are not using our secret conservative code breaking abilities to figure out that Stephenson is making fun of lefty academia. The part about nature being a social construct is particularly funny, and yet not at all subtle. So there is a subtext of social conservatism and, through the use of a Lord of the Rings metaphor, a recognition of a real world where people do things that matter. What is it that's missing from the world that reason has created.
Two strong hints will come in the next installment: through page 524.)
Two strong hints will come in the next installment: through page 524.)
posted by David at 6:09 PM
5 Comments:
David:
My reading was completely undisciplined -- I raced through the book without really stopping to think about much.
Would you please tell me which page the dinner part is on, so I can get back in synch?
David:
Making fun of lefty academia, while both entertaining and gratifying, is no more challenging than dynamiting fish in a bucket.
There are other ways in which the book is conservative -- there are many passages evoking the immutability of human nature, in all its conflicted splendor.
I can't remember the page, but Randy uses a computer geek metaphor to explain the left: they are like administrators who have this wonderfully complex operating system -- Unix -- but then throw away the manual. The operating system then starts to break down, but without the manual, these administrators have no hope of fixing it.
On the surface, that is fine. However, like many metaphors, it breaks down, at least a little, upon closer inspection. First, the OS, standing in for Wester Civilization, is far from flawless. Stephenson's metaphor would have been more accurate, if less persuasive, had he substituted Windows for Unix.
Stephenson leaves unclear precisely what "the manual" really is, whether it is the rejection of religion alone, or that plus the Left's complete desertion of reason.
What is it that's missing from the world that reason has created.
Are you sure Reason created these problems, or is it reaction formation to the problems attending Western Civilization?
(Keeping in mind that no human endeavor is without problems. This is a sure sign that "the world" criticized here is not the product of reason, but of reaction absent reason.)
christian louboutin, uggs on sale, longchamp outlet, air max, gucci handbags, ugg boots, oakley sunglasses wholesale, nike air max, ray ban sunglasses, louis vuitton outlet, louis vuitton, ray ban sunglasses, longchamp outlet, michael kors pas cher, christian louboutin uk, ugg boots, polo outlet, nike free, nike outlet, tiffany and co, polo ralph lauren outlet online, oakley sunglasses, oakley sunglasses, cheap oakley sunglasses, louis vuitton outlet, christian louboutin outlet, prada handbags, tiffany jewelry, louis vuitton outlet, longchamp outlet, sac longchamp pas cher, louboutin pas cher, nike air max, prada outlet, ray ban sunglasses, christian louboutin shoes, nike free run, replica watches, chanel handbags, louis vuitton, replica watches, kate spade outlet, jordan shoes, longchamp pas cher, jordan pas cher, oakley sunglasses, tory burch outlet, nike roshe
coach outlet, michael kors outlet online, oakley pas cher, michael kors outlet online, new balance, true religion outlet, nike air max uk, burberry outlet, ralph lauren uk, ray ban uk, north face uk, replica handbags, michael kors, timberland pas cher, michael kors outlet, michael kors outlet online, coach outlet store online, uggs outlet, nike air force, hollister uk, michael kors outlet, sac vanessa bruno, hogan outlet, nike roshe run uk, uggs outlet, sac hermes, michael kors, mulberry uk, north face, nike tn, nike air max uk, hollister pas cher, true religion jeans, michael kors outlet online, coach purses, nike air max, nike blazer pas cher, true religion outlet, converse pas cher, true religion outlet, abercrombie and fitch uk, kate spade, lululemon canada, ray ban pas cher, guess pas cher, polo lacoste, nike free uk, vans pas cher
moncler, pandora jewelry, replica watches, canada goose, hollister, pandora uk, moncler outlet, canada goose uk, barbour, ugg,uggs,uggs canada, lancel, canada goose, louis vuitton, thomas sabo, ugg,ugg australia,ugg italia, barbour uk, swarovski, moncler, louis vuitton, canada goose outlet, montre pas cher, juicy couture outlet, doudoune moncler, ugg, louis vuitton, louis vuitton, moncler, karen millen uk, moncler uk, coach outlet, canada goose outlet, juicy couture outlet, toms shoes, moncler outlet, links of london, canada goose outlet, louis vuitton, moncler, wedding dresses, supra shoes, marc jacobs, swarovski crystal, canada goose jackets, ugg uk, canada goose, pandora jewelry, ugg pas cher, pandora charms
Post a Comment
<< Home