He was arguing with what he took ‘to be the official English culture.’… Read the rest
All entries by this author
Cult Studs Textbooks Reviewed
Jun 2nd, 2005 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Cultural studies often called academic in-joke irrelevant to anyone else.… Read the rest
No Exit
Jun 2nd, 2005 12:01 am | By Ophelia BensonAnd speaking of writing and thinking – as we so often are, one way or another – here is a good article on the subject. Unfortunate that it was first published in the Weekly Standard, but sometimes things fall out that way. It is republished in Theory’s Empire.
… Read the rest…bad academic writing nowadays has become something worse than an aesthetic offense…Academic writing in our own time, however, exhibits a disregard, not merely for style, but for truth. Once upon a time, no matter how badly they wrote, scholars imagined that they were contributing to knowledge. But no longer. Much of the scholarship now published in the humanities—primarily in English and comparative literature, but increasingly in history, musicology, art history,
Surely Two Choices is Enough
Jun 1st, 2005 11:08 pm | By Ophelia BensonLet’s test our writing skills, shall we? Let’s write an essay on one of these questions:
“Is it more important to follow the rules exactly or to base your actions on how other people may be affected?”
”Are people motivated to achieve by personal satisfaction rather than by money or fame?”
Okay let’s not. Let’s instead curl a lip at the stupid impoverished vacuous questions, and do something else instead. For instance we could wonder why those are the only possibilities on offer, and why the terms are so undefined, in fact meaningless. ‘More important’ – to whom, when, where, in what context? What ‘rules’? Rules pertaining to what? Football? Taking an aptitude test? Morality? If the latter, what rules … Read the rest
New SAT Question Relies on False Dichotomies
Jun 1st, 2005 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Best strategy is to accept facile premise then try to sell it.… Read the rest
Homosexuality Taboo Throughout Moslem World
Jun 1st, 2005 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
On the West Bank and Gaza gays face imprisonment and torture.… Read the rest
Why Could Democrats Not Save the Estate Tax?
Jun 1st, 2005 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Because they kept moving the goalposts rightwards.… Read the rest
Why Did Dickens and Andersen Friendship Sour?
Jun 1st, 2005 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Probably because Andersen kept eating all the toast.… Read the rest
Hitchens, Greer on Start the Week [audio]
Jun 1st, 2005 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Hitchens talks of Galloway and LFIQ debate.… Read the rest
Aftermath of AUT Boycott Vote
Jun 1st, 2005 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Sue Blackwell and Steven Rose say fight is not over.… Read the rest
Frat Boys
Jun 1st, 2005 1:40 am | By Ophelia BensonWe’ve been discussing the personal argumenative habits of Hitchens in comments lately, so this seems like a highly relevant item. Also hilarious, also interesting. I mean to say – if he takes such obvious pleasure in publicly fighting with his brother, it’s hardly surprising that he fights with other people too, is it. My only claim is that whatever rude remarks he makes at the dinner table, they’re not likely to be secret or underhanded – on the contrary, the chances are excellent that he’s just made them on tv or in the Guardian, and will do it again but with more embellishments tomorrow.
His brother knows that, at least, even if not everyone else does:
… Read the restYou should have
I Already Knew That
Jun 1st, 2005 12:10 am | By Ophelia BensonWell, yes. To say the least. And about time too.
With the publication of his fifth collection of essays, it is time to acknowledge that Christopher Hitchens, as well as an exceptional political polemicist, is also one of the best literary and cultural critics of the past 20 years…It is time to take Christopher Hitchens seriously.
Well past time, actually. To pick just one example among many, one we have mentioned recently, he makes Joseph Epstein look a very pale flat unsparkling essayist indeed. He puts a good many overpraised current essayists in the shade. So well done David Herman for saying so. Some dreary enforcer shouted at Amardeep Singh for daring to say a good word for Hitchens … Read the rest
Yank Tourists Asking Stupid Questions in Abbey
May 31st, 2005 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Information sheets correct factual errors in DaVinci Code.… Read the rest
Catholic Church Urges Magic on Students
May 31st, 2005 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Asks them to wear wristbands calling on dead pope John Paul II to help with exams. … Read the rest
Hitchens Brothers Go At It
May 31st, 2005 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Peter talks bollocks about religion, Christopher doesn’t.… Read the rest
Hay Highlights
May 31st, 2005 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Hitchens everywhere, Raymond Tallis, Simon Singh, Timothy Garton Ash.… Read the rest
Ayaan Hirsi Ali Has Conveyed Her Message
May 31st, 2005 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
There are atrocities performed in the name of culture and religion.… Read the rest
Respect and Communalism
May 31st, 2005 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Jane Ashworth reports on the Bethnal Green and Bow election.… Read the rest
LFIQ Invites Hitchens and Galloway to Debate
May 31st, 2005 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Hitchens has accepted Labour Friends of Iraq’s offer, Galloway is considering.… Read the rest
Legislation or Judicial Ruling?
May 30th, 2005 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Left debates whether to go for majority opinion or constitutional protection.… Read the rest