3 ms·
if the great humanities works are so easily "confused and misunderstood" maybe they weren't that great to begin with? Isn't clarity the first priority if you wr
by digler999 10y ago
if the great humanities works are so easily "confused and misunderstood" maybe they weren't that great to begin with? Isn't clarity the first priority if you write anything, much less a novel ?
- philippoi 10y agoSome things are written to be clear only within the proper context and with the reader's ability to see into them. I remember being blown away at learning the political context of the early modern English literature cannon in college by a really talented and dedicated professor. It was clear from that experience how much otherwise illegal/treasonous critique authors could get away with publishing just by being sufficiently obscure. On the other hand, I also think there are simply things that aren't well conveyed without relying on advanced techniques, whether the field in question is food, sport, art, etc. There is some value to esoteric works. Naturally, not as many people will appreciate them. This is potentially reflected in the original article: sure, such non-obvious skill-sets can be applied to great effect by certain individuals, but what causes that "creative" application? It's certainly not answered in the original piece, among other dangling questions not really addressed at all.