[lit-ideas] Re: Concerning the struggle to abolish first names (3)
- From: "Mike Geary" <atlas@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: <lit-ideas@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Wed, 4 Aug 2004 00:46:30 -0500
I am very curious George where this is going. I hope phatic knows and will
continue posting. I find it fascinating.
Geary
----- Original Message -----
From: "phatic" <phatic@xxxxxxxxxx>
To: <lit-ideas@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Tuesday, August 03, 2004 12:44 PM
Subject: [lit-ideas] Concerning the struggle to abolish first names (3)
> Georg Johannesen:
> CONCERNING THE STRUGGLE TO ABOLISH FIRST NAMES
> _A contribution to the word class struggle as a Norwegian love story_
>
> 3. The break-down. A marriage history
>
> Then I met Liv, whom I fell for. She had quite a first name. She made
> me live, to be silly. It was no end to the number of stale
> compliments I gave her with inspiration in her enormous first name.
> (Use your imagination: Alive, Lively, Live-in, and many other ugly
> and funny things which could amuse a simple soul as my wife's.)
>
> But she called me Georg.
>
> She said it often, particularly when she wanted to address me or in
> some other way try to get my attention.
>
> - Georg, she said.
>
> Or:
>
> - Look here, Georg!
>
> With the word "here", she referred to herself. But it was on her, or
> in her direction, she wanted me to see when she said "look-here". It
> took me a while to see through her. But then I saw everything.
>
> - Come, Georg, she said and grabbed my arm.
>
> Met a friend, i.e. party member, so I said:
>
> - You, meet my wife.
>
> Or more formally:
>
> - May I introduce my spouse? It is Mrs. Misses. She has kept her
> maiden name from the time she was called Miss Misses. She finds it so
> radical, you see, husband or wife, Mrs....?
>
> Naturally she would respond:
>
> - Stop it, Georg!
>
> Typical, isn't it? She wanted me to capitulate. She wouldn't accept
> that I was N.N. who never gave in. She didn't understand that I
> consisted in acquiring new cover names, such as Leif or Hoo and Hush.
> No, my wife wouldn't be in the phone directory, she wanted a
> permanent residence, and when we had a son, she honestly wanted to
> call him Georg. As in Jr.
>
> But then I called a halt to it. I threatened to sever all contact
> with her. I loved her. But while I loved her, I would say:
>
> - Well, if that's how you want it, I might as well break off my only
> connection to you!
>
> - Stop it, she cried and seemed to want to continue, but from then on
> we only practiced 69. And only in the dark.
>
> On 2 Aug 2004 at 18:54, phatic wrote:
>
> > 1. Introduction
> >
> > For many years I tried to have first names banned.
> >
> > I saw the use of first names as a Heathen-Christian practice or mal-
> > practice, founded on word-magic and mystical thinking, thus pure
> > idealism. The use of first names gave fertile soil for conspiracies
> > between persons who had mutual knowledge of their names. First names
> > gave a false sense of self. People one could expect more from, left
> > names and addresses as if they lived in a safe society. Thus, the use
> > of first names was corrupting, confusing and weakened the survival
> > instinct. I struggled against first names for political reasons: I
> > wanted to survive the 20th century!
> >
> > With the passing of years, my trust in my fellow people has increased
> > steadily. Today I see no reason, consequently, to conduct my struggle
> > alone, but rather to come out in the open in Windows* and ask for
> > support from readers who share my basic outlook.
> >
> > Thus, my name is Georg Johannesen.
> >
> > I expect a series of anonymous mails.
> >
> > 2. Before
> >
> > Before I used to say:
> >
> > - Call me Johannesen.
> >
> > If I met new people, I would mumble:
> >
> > - J-o-a-s-n.
> >
> > People thought I said Johannesen, Johansen, Hansen, Johnsen, Jensen and
> > so on.
> >
> > I was often misheard, but always misunderstood. When I mumbled my last
> > name, people thought I was modest and socially insecure. People didn't
> > understand how audacious I was. I was probably socially insecure, but
> > in my own way. I'll always manage, I thought. But what about them? I
> > trusted me, but not them, to put it simply.
> >
> > I knew who I was. I didn't want to say what my name was, because then
> > they would have a hold on me. I wasn't for sale. I wasn't corrupt. And
> > I knew that people continued to be naive enough to say their name
> > aloud, memorize it and remember what I, for instance, was called.
> >
> > _Note:_
> >
> > For a while, I thought of calling myself "I", as a first name, and
> > "We" as last name. Then I would introduce myself thus, loudly and
> > clearly:
> >
> > ITISIWEGOODDAYYOUYOU.
> >
> > My friends found it moderately funny. But I didn't get a bank loan.
> >
> > [* Georg Johannesen, 'Om kampen mot bruk av fornavn', _Vinduet_ 1,
> > 1972. Translated by T E Fjeld.]
>
> --
> phatic@xxxxxxxxxx
> http://phatic.blogspot.com
>
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