How to be a cultural imperialist

[fpb]

I am tempted to open this note with a protestation, but that would be to concede that the idiot I am about to describe (though not to name - it would love the attention I am not going to give it) has some remote claim on anything resembling fact or truth. Now, then.

I like the idea of serenades, although in today's world it would be quite impractical to sing up to your beloved's window. Nonetheless, the image works for me at a very deep level. Some of my favourite pieces of music - such as for instance Schubert's Staendchen and De Curtis' Tu ca nun chiagne - are serenades, and I have used them both in fics (http://www.fanfiction.net/secure/story/story_preview.php?storyid=1912039&chapter=1 , and http://fpb.livejournal.com/413735.html) and in an essay (http://fpb.livejournal.com/384498.html) as a central moment of the encounter of man and woman. It may reflect my own lack of success with the opposite sex, that both fics have less-than-happy endings; but anyone who reads anything but a straight (heterosexual) context there is simply not reading what is on the page.

Which is why, of course, the only review I got on the second fic was from some mindless thinks-with-the-crotch who described it as "the gayest thing I ever read."

I felt this was both dishonest - cultural imperialism of the lowest kind, trying to annexate to their own obsessions something that had no more to do with it than Robert Browning's poems to Elizabeth Barrett - and personally offensive, trying to distort my own experience as I had interpreted it in my fics. After a brief exchange, I deleted and banned the poster. Think of it what you like, but I do not want my own experience mangled in the service of someone's sexual obsessions.

Comments

[stigandnasty919.livejournal.com]

I've noticed that the word Gay is undergoing another change of meaning. Certainly among kids it does not always mean homosexual, but rather 'wet' or 'soppy'.

Not having seen the posts could that be what was meant?

[fpb.livejournal.com]

Not unless you take Auden and Allen Ginsberg to be an example of being wet or soppy. And this was no kid.

[stigandnasty919.livejournal.com]

No, wouldn't place either gentleman in the wet and soppy category.

I'm always disappointed when a post like this refers to material that is deleted. My curiosity is always peeked. I understand you not wanting to retain the comments with the fics, but it would be interesting to see them.

(Is that the correct spelling of the work peeked in this context?)

Can't help but agree with Mentalguy, if I was off a mind to try to provoke someone, your name might well come to mind.

[fpb.livejournal.com]

I suspect that the word you might want might be "piqued".

It may sound strange that I do not precisely recall what I did twenty minutes ago, but I think I took a screenacap, and if I did, I'll let you have it.

[stigandnasty919.livejournal.com]

Yes,'piqued' is exactly the right word, had a complete blank there. I'm really quite embarassed by that memory lapse.

Your opinion of gay marriage is something I would like to discuss with you at some stage. Perhaps in a different posting.

I'm interested in understanding the basis of some of the arguments against, for example how exactly does the introduction of gay marriage damage the institution for hetrosexual couples? Do the same objections apply to Civil partnerships as to Marriages?

I'm not trolling, I have a genuine interest in understand the objections. I've heard a lot of rhetoric in the press (from both sides) but very little reasoned argument.

[mentalguy.livejournal.com]

I think you might be giving the poster in question a little too much credit. I have seen the phrase "the gayest thing I ever..." used many times, and never by genuine sexual obsessives (at least not in the ordinary sense). Invariably, the writers are punks and trolls, seeking principally to provoke a strong reaction.

You are certainly right about attention per se, but your public response may still be giving it more satisfaction than it deserves.

[fpb.livejournal.com]

As I answered stigandasty919, the poster in question compared the story to Auden and Allen Ginsberg, two writers with nothing in common except their supposed sexual proclivities.

[mentalguy.livejournal.com]

Ah, unlike stigandnasty919 I didn't mean to suggest that the poster meant anything other than "homosexual" by "gay". I think they meant exactly that.

It's just that I doubt there is even the conviction of proper sexual obsession behind their posts, rather simply a petty desire to provoke you into posting something like the above so that they could laugh at it. From their point of view they wouldn't have meant a word of it, and would see themselves as having tricked you into posting a serious and indignant response.

[fpb.livejournal.com]

I am sorry to inform you that I have just had another homosexualist troll comment, not on this thread, but on that of the essay on serenades to which I linked. It seems the trolls are on the march.

[fishlivejournal.livejournal.com]

of course. unless completely ignored, they gather like vultures.

[fpb.livejournal.com]

Um, strangely enough, I have had no more incidents. Crossing my fingers and knocking on every wooden implement in sight, I may have been wrong.

[mentalguy.livejournal.com]

Sounds like it. If this situation is like my own experiences, the original troll has been circulating your "cultural imperialist" post to their friends as entertainment, and one of them decided to have a go themselves. (I really think could do yourself a favor if you friendlocked it...)

[fpb.livejournal.com]

Actually, there have not been any more posts since then, so I sincerely hope you and I are both wrong.

[mentalguy.livejournal.com]

Well, I'm a cynic. That means I'm seldom wrong. ;)

[fpb.livejournal.com]

And I have experience with this sort of people, and I fully expected the same as you did. However, so far so good.