What if?
There’s another controversy afoot. (As if there isn’t always, right?) This one concerns some comments made by some Lit professor in Toronto. You can read the story at the link, and you can read some other stuff over at Comment Home, which is where I read about it. Mostly, I don’t care. The professor in question (one David Gilmore, but not THAT David Gilmore) is basically teaching the stuff he likes, which is mostly stuff written by straight men. In this I don’t see any difference between him and the various [Blank] Studies departments that have sprung up all over academia in recent decades.
But one comment he made had me asking a “What if?” First, here’s a comment of Gilmore’s to give a little context:
I’m not interested in teaching books by women. Virginia Woolf is the only writer that interests me as a woman writer, so I do teach one of her short stories. But once again, when I was given this job I said I would only teach the people that I truly, truly love. Unfortunately, none of those happen to be Chinese, or women.
He went on:
What I teach is guys. Serious heterosexual guys. F Scott Fitzgerald, Chekhov, Tolstoy. Real guy-guys. Henry Miller. Philip Roth.
I read this and thought,
What if Leo Tolstoy and Anton Chekhov could be asked for their opinions about this? Assume that they understood the English language and modern North American vernaculars. Would they appreciate being described as not merely guys, or guy-guys, but as real guy-guys. Personally, I’m thinking Chekhov probably reaches for that rifle hanging on the wall….
Ambiance 
SM_Icepick said,
September 29, 2013 at 12:55 pm
I wish I had some sushi.
mockturtle said,
September 29, 2013 at 4:14 pm
The guy sounds like an @$$hole to me.
mockturtle said,
September 29, 2013 at 4:17 pm
Let me clarify—I happen to like most of the authors he approves of but what kind of point is he trying to make? My guess: Notoriety and–as you aptly point out–controversy [for controversy’s sake]. OR [giving this fellow the benefit of the doubt, maybe ust a tit-for-tat statement on the PC trend in ‘specialized’ lit and other studies classes? In that case, he is not an asshole. Or even an ‘@$$hole’. :-) I didn’t read the whole article.
karen said,
September 29, 2013 at 7:16 pm
You know- that’s not how i interpreted the article at all, mockT. It seems that someone asked him the question– or brought these facts to the attention of the media(& i may be wrong– i forget why he was interviewed in the 1st place) and he answered honestly why he taught what he taught.
He says he tells students beforehand that if they are looking for women writers– it’s taught down the hall. I took a Women’s Lit class & loved it; i don’t know what class he teaches: Literature. Period. Anyway- as a woman, i wasn’t bothered by his reading preferences. He likes mens’ men. Macho hombres. Etc. Maybe he’s got latent sexual tendencies or just appreciates these minds…
“My guess: Notoriety and–as you aptly point out–controversy [for controversy’s sake]”…………………………. or that.
mockturtle said,
September 30, 2013 at 12:17 pm
Interesting, too, that he would choose Virginia Woolf as his token female author who was decidedly not straight.
SM_Icepick said,
October 1, 2013 at 10:13 am
I guess he just digs writers who dig chicks.
mockturtle said,
October 1, 2013 at 10:36 am
There ya go! :-)
I guess we didn’t address your ‘what if’, though, did we? I liked your Chekhov remark! :-D It would be fun to develop this with other authors [a la MAD Magazine]. My imagination is currently in the doldrums.
Melinda said,
October 1, 2013 at 3:23 pm
This feminazi would pay for a class in Roth. He’s my honorary sarcastic uncle.
But this guy? It sounds like a gimmick to get himself some publicity. It seems that if you’re not pissing off great numbers of people these days, you’re a wimp. And then Hemingway would punch you in the mouth.
karen said,
October 2, 2013 at 6:57 pm
O/T = since the gov’t is shut down now– are we all anarchists?
karen said,
October 3, 2013 at 4:51 pm
Macho men abound:
“Need health insurance? The Obama administration has you covered. Simply dial 1-800-FUCKYO to reach the next available health-care provider.
Far from being a mistype, that’s the official number that Health and Human Services wants Americans to dial when seeking health care. [LINK]”
Intentional or not, as Instapundit would say, “We’re in the very best of hands.”
– See more at: http://www.thegatewaypundit.com/#sthash.OQqQ1DOs.dpuf
karen said,
October 6, 2013 at 4:32 pm
Because i am just a lage pain in everyone’s butt(i thought the ‘ was supposed to go after the ~s~)…
Regime Spends Money to Close Park That Costs It No Money as …
regator.com/p/…/regime_spends_money_to_close_park_that_costs/
15 hours ago – You know it costs money to let people stand near an outdoor wall. … Leftist Tantrum Shutdown Theater: Obama closes the oceans, per Purple …
i sincerely hope that the link works. Via Ace of Spades!!!!!!
karen said,
October 6, 2013 at 4:34 pm
~sigh~
IIIIICCCCCCCCCCCEEEEEEEE????!!!!
Exclamations due to Starbucks Italian, not Crown Royal:0)
karen said,
October 8, 2013 at 7:43 pm
http://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2013/10/obama-follows-through-on-promise-arrests-vietnam-vets-at-war-memorial-for-trespassing-video/
So, i finished the last of my McBride books– very long reading, this last.
The ending- though- makes up for the tedious task of the 1st 400pgs.
The rest: i’m depressed. It’s a depressing time of gov’t for me-
Icepick said,
October 8, 2013 at 7:50 pm
We’re getting the government we deserve, good and hard.
karen said,
October 9, 2013 at 7:35 am
Walked into our Country store yesterday and asked the owner why he wasn’t listening to the ~Big Man~ giving a presser on nPR- he said: “i sure hope he doesn’t give in to those idiots!” to which i laughed and said, “i feel exactly the opposite.”
i would make a shitty poker player. I’d’ve caved after 2days of this shutting down of monuments, memorials and barricades of turnoffs and rest areas. It seems so petty and childish. I read(Instapundit, maybe?)that we were going to be shown how helpless we are w/out the support of the gov’t through this shutdown, but really what we are seeing is how sadistic our gov’t can be when people don’t go along quietly w/what the ~big boys~ decide is best.
I personally think that the young pubs should probably give up/give in-and let the dems have exactly what they want. Yup, not a poker player. Want this healthcare system for all– go for it. That’s what we deserve. Didn’t want CEO mitt Romney? Fine…too squishy- too moderate- too rich. Fine.
“We’re getting the government we deserve, good and hard.”
If there is anyone who believes that Obama truly cares for the American people- watch his face. He only cares about winning. What a hero. Therapy dogs, really? Really?
karen said,
October 9, 2013 at 7:38 am
Btw– remember the whole ~scalpel vs machete~ analogy or however it went?
Obama ain’t no surgeon.
karen said,
October 9, 2013 at 7:50 am
http://dailycaller.com/2013/10/08/tea-party-radiologist-to-primary-kansas-republican-for-senate-seat/
I think this is cool.
This fella is much closer to a true surgeon:0)
Who knew?
karen said,
October 9, 2013 at 4:20 pm
I’m sorry to be such a griping bitch today, but…
http://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2013/10/msnbc-host-chris-hayes-the-constitution-is-the-problem-video/
I just seem to be really reactionary these days.