EVERYONE SHOULD HAVE HEARD OF ALEXANDER GERSHENKRON ALEXANDER GERSHENKRON (1904-1978) was a Harvard Professor of Economics from the late 1940's to the 1970's. He was known particularly as a historian of economics and among other things postulated the 'Backwardness Theory'. His paper Economic Backwardness in Historical Perspective (1962) was and is to the best of my knowledge, … Continue reading THE MAN WHO KNEW TOO MUCH ( I Mean Really )
Culture and Society
Charlie Hebdo Ate My Puppy
which is clearly not the case. Here is a picture of my ten week old puppy and she is zipping round our rented cottage like a pixie on amphetamines. Charlie never so much as laid a tooth on the little creature. To accuse him of doing such a thing (as I implied in the title) … Continue reading Charlie Hebdo Ate My Puppy
There’s something terribly wrong with Breaking Bad
Breaking Bad is a television show that has won basically every award worth winning and every accolade worth giving and been subject to the most minute scrutiny by television critics, writers, psychologists, addiction experts, and dramatists ever since the show first aired back in 2008. It has more than simply caused a sensation. It is … Continue reading There’s something terribly wrong with Breaking Bad
FRAGMENTED SOCIETIES
Feminism, Love and Identity in the Novels of Doris Lessing Authors Press, India ISBN 978 81 7273 9188 200pages My introduction to the work of Doris Lessing was when I had the misfortune at fifteen to pick up a copy of Briefing for a Descent into Hell. I read it at a sitting and, … Continue reading FRAGMENTED SOCIETIES
Crucifixion?
Calvary (2014) Written and Directed by John Michael McDonagh “Killing a Priest on a Sunday, that would be a good one.” A Catholic Priest, especially on a Sunday, while he celebrates Mass, acts In Persona Christi (in the person of Christ) transforming the bread and wine in to the body and blood of Christ, re … Continue reading Crucifixion?
Librarians and Civilization
As usual in Wicklow town the staff in the local Library are incredibly helpful and saved me a fortune in books by sourcing copies of volumes on loan I was pricing on the Internet. There are few jobs more unappreciated than that of the librarian, which is not cool at all. … Continue reading Librarians and Civilization
POSTER POEM BY COLIN DARDIS
COLIN DARDIS’ EXCELLENT ADVENTURE So much of Irish contemporary poetry is to say the least disinteresting. It is tired, fearful of innovation, hopelessly swamped with a vast rich cultural and historical context that should give it a deep well of innovation to work from, a launching pad to new modes of self … Continue reading POSTER POEM BY COLIN DARDIS
The Ego has Landed
There are few sections of any society or culture more susceptible to the siren call of monstrous egotism and delusional self belief than that of the artist. Primarily (but not exclusively) a lone calling, the artist interprets and remakes the world in music, dance, writing, sculpting, film, or other materials present. At the highest levels … Continue reading The Ego has Landed
William Seward Burroughs (1914 – 1997)
With thanks to Scrawl Magazine, who originally published this piece. William Seward Burroughs – actually smiling… It's not all in the voice. But one gets inklings when one listens. The cracked sepulchral voice of William Seward Burroughs (1914 - 1997) adds a searing quality to countless recordings of his stories. Nowadays this is the … Continue reading William Seward Burroughs (1914 – 1997)
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