From: k085431@hobbes.kzoo.edu (Jason A. Wold)
Subject: Re: Newsgroup Vandalism
Organization: Kalamazoo College
Date: Mon, 13 Apr 1992 04:28:10 GMT

Cascades and such...

I imagine it has to do with the whole lack of definition that defines
the Postmodern, as it stands..

I mean, the complexity ad absurdum of the whole holistic (as far as
combining disciplines) approach to truth, as well as the questioning of
what we mean by truth (the whole Will to Knowledge thing of Foucault),
often leads to absurdity as a release.  

The same goes with drugs.  Defining the hallucinogenic experience, is
much like the problem phenomenologists are having with defining our
current reality..  are we real, or are we just capitalists, and are the
two synonymous?  Is this question for real, or am I joking?  

If there is no act that is not in some way political, then isn't all
this drivel, be it supported by hoity toity philospher people, or 12
year old goofballs, and on no matter what newsgroup it's on, just people
speaking for the sake of asserting their existence.  And to display
their lack of ability to write a well structured sentence in a pinch.
(on no matter.. etc.)

If cascades of witticism and twisted logic are a symptom of the
Postmodern condition, (as I believe they probably are) it's jsut a bit
of fun isn't it?  I mean, post-tertiary economy and all, people realize
the only service worth having is the one that pleases them, namely
amusement.  Kierkegaard said something like that somewhere.. cure the
boredom.  And THAT's why cascades don't infect groups like
comp.unix.techweenies., because the subscribers to the serious
newsgroups (not to say that anything is more serious than anything
else.. I mean, the fate of our culture is serious indeed, but that's
what makes it so funny.. "We're going to hell in a handbasket!!
HAHAHAHAHAAA"  It's nervous laughter I guess..) are just plain boring,
and don't (to make a blatant stereotypical generalization) have the
imagination to keep such a flow of petty babble going.. their hearts
just aren't into it.  If you want to keep such stuff away, then by all
means, clean the machine of the human frailties and stupidiies.. and
commodify the universe.. make a new Newsgroup
alt.postmodern.serious_discussion.. but that's part of what
Postmodernism is, isn't it?  How do you define what is, and is not
worthwhile, like what's his name, the guy who described it as breaking
the barrier between High Art and Kitsch..  See, it's the sheer weakness
of the arguments..  a non-point of view, can always be over-ridden by
another non point of view.. if you want to get into non-linear things,
the people who are ten times better at it, are the ones who AREN'T the
intellectuals, simply because they are incapable of linear thinking.. I
mean..  AAIIEEee..  you know?  
"serious" newsgroups are immune because everybody either knows what
everyone else is talking about, or feels stupid because they don't.. In
less structured newsgroups, anarchy will break loose, rule with an iron
hand!  Or don't!   It's all the same!  Power..  how silly...

Xref: sparky alt.postmodern:1172 alt.alien.visitors:2438 alt.slack:1334 alt.stupidity:1426 alt.exploding.kibo:126