[lit-ideas] Re: Amis Antithesis
- From: "Lawrence Helm" <lawrencehelm@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: <lit-ideas@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Sun, 17 Sep 2006 21:45:20 -0700
Mike,
As to Pankaj Misra's article, this is all Leftist-party-line stuff I read a
long time ago -- regurgitated simplistic stuff -- a waste of time to read --
at least for me. I've actually been reading some cutting-edge theories
recently (Olivier Roy, James Bowman, Gilles Kepel for example); scholars
thinking through the issues and voicing their own opinions -- and don't
bother saying I'm reading stuff I agree with because I don't agree for the
most part with two of those three authors and have serious doubts about the
third but they are fascinating to read.
I don't know what you mean about taking orders, but think of my focus this
way: I have always wanted more time to study as well as write. I had a
good deal of free time in aerospace but now I'm unfettered. I have a good
pension and 401 and can afford to buy all the books I want, and I have the
health and leisure to read them. My ambition is to know. I'm not a member
of any group. I'm not an activist. Even a cursory familiarity with what
I've been reading should show you I've been reading widely. Yes, I've
eliminated the rereading of the Leftist point of view (which says to you,
Irene, Andreas, Simon, etc that I am missing the one true truth), but I have
studied it. I am not terribly interested in revisiting it because it was
the failed view of Edward Said and John Esposito (both of whom I've read) --
the view that failed to anticipate Militant Islam. But I have been seeking
out various points of view, even the viewpoint of the Islamists themselves.
Lawrence
-----Original Message-----
From: lit-ideas-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:lit-ideas-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx]
On Behalf Of Mike Geary
Sent: Sunday, September 17, 2006 7:18 PM
To: lit-ideas@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [lit-ideas] Re: Amis Antithesis
LH:
>>And this one too, sent out without comment????? What is it? A nervous
>>twitch? Hitting the reply/send instead of "delete"? One too many Jack
>>Daniels? Banging the keyboard in frustration and accidentally sending
>>these uncommented upon messages to Lit-Ideas? <<
No, not Jack Daniels unfortunately, just some interruptions and a badly
aimed cursor.
I must say, I was surprised at your response to Pankaj Mishra's article. I
found it spot on and your response to it jejune. But you probably won't be
surprised at my response either. I don't see any sense in arguing it as I
suspect you're too deeply mired in your My Country Right Or Wrong
simplicities to understand anything but an order from a superior. Alas,
that's your life. Just thought you should know that Pankaj and Simon aren't
alone.
Mike Geary
Memphis
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