[lit-ideas] Re: Walls and such
- From: David Ritchie <ritchierd@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: lit-ideas@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Sun, 3 Apr 2011 19:03:11 -0700
On Apr 3, 2011, at 2:44 PM, Torgeir Fjeld wrote:
> "I can't recall," phatic said, "if it was Kafka, or Borges writing about
> Kafka, or Foucault writing about Borges writing about Kafka, who described
> the construction of the Great Wall of China as a piecemeal, non-linear and
> apparently whimsical, organic, and even illogical thing."
>
> "Ok," said I.
>
> "But is a wall something you build to keep something in or out?"
>
I like this.
I hate the fact that even the "aaaargh, fixed" version of my piece wasn't
fixed. I need to teach the border collie basic copy editing skills. Or I
should get a more competent copy editor to teach the border collie...?
Our wall is not a border wall, it's a retaining wall, designed to allow gravel
undisturbed repose. The wall is designed to keep new quantities of three
quarter minus from sliding down a slippery slope. That slope has a steep cast,
greater than what landscape architects call the "angle of repose." Thus the
wall has nothing whatsoever to do with European immigration and a history of
caste issues. It squares everything in the reposing category.
David Ritchie,
being totally clear in
Portland, Oregon
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