Thursday, August 6, 2009

Things that really count

In the greater picture of things that really count, true friendship really counts. Likewise telling the truth really counts. We are all for a variety of reasons misled by our culture to scoff and laugh at the truth and things that matter. We believe that style can mean more than meaning when every six year old child knows this is nonsense.

But this delusion that style can mean more than meaning is certainly why 99% of our current literature is ignored around the world. And 99% of our literary work is ignored right here at home.

3 comments:

Rochelle said...

"99% of our literary work is ignored here at home." That's true. I didn't know about Reed Fry until you posted the FB link, and I should have. Thanks for spreading the truth!

William DeRaymond said...

Hi Jeff, Antonio always stressed the value of Style as being most important in the arts. But he made a distinction between style and stlylized or stylization. I believe that this is an important concept to deal with as it is not nearly widespread enough. the distinction should be made. Does this make sense to you?

jeffrey ethan lee said...

hi william,

yes, this makes sense to me. i was not thinking of style in that sense when i posted this remark. i still give to my students the statement by antonio about style. "Style is most important," he wrote, but he already knew that he had something to say that was manifest in his style.

what i am concerned with is the trend now that makes it seem as though the "stylistic" appearances of a style can replace both style and/or substance. so many poets are following this trend that it is an unhealthy situation.