posted
First and foremost, I'd like to say that I take an obscene amount of pride at having started the thread that brought out so many worthwhile opinions and little nuggets of wisdom, and that having read all the posts, I think myself just a little bit smarter and wiser than I was before. It's obvious to me that you people are all very passionate about your beliefs, and I'm glad not a one of you are willing to give them up easily.
That having been said.....
Actually, that's pretty much all I had to say. Thanks for clearing up something that had been weighing pretty heavily on my mind for a LONG time.
posted
Darn it, why wasn't Hope's post at the top or this page? Or mine, my post being the first of a new page always makes me happy.
I'll apologize again for the fact that I'm insulting to, well, everyone else here. I don't like humans, and any of you that have a problem with that need to take a look at my life and understand that I have very good reasons for not liking humans (actually, you could just accept that I don't like humans and leave it at that).
I simply can't write or express myself without being derogatory towards humans generally, and while that's mostly the fault of humans other than those that post on this forum, it really is at least partly the fault of some of the members of the forum as well. I have, after a lifetime of being beaten up (both literally and figuratively) over this issue, determined that there is simply nothing I can do about the fact that I have a very low opinion of humanity generally, and of certain humans in particular.
How many of you, after all, have warm feelings towards maggots? Be honest, not too many of you, that's how many.
But I am very sorry about the whole thing. Believe me, my brushes with humanity have hurt me far worse than they have hurt any or all of you. If that leaves me in the position of publically admit that my sorrow over this is largely an exercise in self pity, then so be it. I do pity myself. I'd pity a maggot or even a human in the equivalent situation, so I feel there is nothing wrong with a little self pity here.
But even though it is manifestly an expression of self pity, it is also a genuine expression of sorrow, and I would think that should count for something, all joking aside.
I know it doesn't, with humans. But I'm very sorry, and that's that.
posted
Actually, certain forms of maggots are quite effective at debriding rotten flesh so that new growth and healing takes place. So, I guess that makes them not quite so bad after all.
posted
Since this continues to detract from the discussion at hand, I'm only going to say this last thing, and leave it alone after that.
Survivor, we all have our problems, and as you do not know us, you cannot say for sure whether yours are worse than the rest of ours. That aside, it is your choice and your responsibility how you treat other people. Yours and no one else's. You have the ability to act with civility, and no one is holding you back from that but yourself.
posted
What makes novels great? I agree with what most have said. Added to that, novels are great if they challenge, inspire, and tranform us. Yes, it is a vague definition, yet acceptable.
Deviating from the topic a bit... We know great works exist out there, not classified in the literary department by the critics.
posted
Hey, I'm not saying that I lack the ability to act in a civil manner (though of course, it turns out that technically I am medically impaired in that faculty where humans are concerned).
I'm just saying that I lack motives for always being civil.
I'm also not saying that my problems are worse than yours. In fact, I believe that my problems are not as bad. I certainly don't want to trade places with any of you (partly because I would find that...well, best not said). But whereas most of you probably have very few problems caused by me (or my "ilk"), I have many problems caused by you and your "ilk" (in fact, nearly all of them). I'm just pointing out that my feelings about humanity are not all warm and fuzzy. Not a matter of intentional insult, I just don't like your species.
Hey Hope, have you ever heard of how graduate students going for a PhD in entomology sometimes actually raise a certain type of fly in their own flesh!!!??? Excuse me if I barf That's one experience that I will gladly miss out on.
I don't care how medically useful or interesting leeches and maggots and ew, ehew! I don't like them and I don't want them near me!
posted
No Survivor, I must say I have never heard of such a thing -
I was hoping to draw an implicit parallel - every creature has a redeeming quality or two.
I suppose the same could be said for the great works discourse - most works have one or two redeeming qualities, even if the quality is learning what NOT to do.
posted
Hah! "It Could Be that the Purpose of Your Life [or art ] Is Only to Serve as a Warning to Others."
Seriously, I love and admire humans wholeheartedly. All that stuff Hamlet said about being like an angel in form and godlike in intellect...okay, I wouldn't go that far. Besides, at least partly Hamlet just was saying that to raise questions about his sanity, so that might not be the best source.
Love and (aesthetic) admiration aside, I really don't like 'em that much, that's all.
Anyway, I like x's definition of what makes novels great.
Of course, what makes me read a novel is the fun-factor (actually, it seems to be because I just like reading--but I'll leave that aside for the purposes of this discussion).
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It's obvious to me that you people are all very passionate about your beliefs, and I'm glad not a one of you are willing to give them up easily.
Excuse me if I barf 
