Alright folks, apparently there are some out there that want to nominate me for the 3 Quark Prize. Frances Madeson (hopefully she won’t hate me for posting this) contacted me about this yesterday, asking what post I would suggest, and being terribly embarrassed and suspecting her of being the impish, comic, wise, artistic, New Yawker, Jewess (I’m only a crypto or Sephardic Jew Francis… Family name is Andejar on my mother’s side… They took us all during the Inquisition and made us Catholics), brat that she is, I couldn’t bear to respond. Truth be told, I pretty much think that all I write is, as I told her when I finally could bear to respond, so much detritus, flotsam, and shite. I want to get away from it as quickly as I can. Moreover, the posts I like and am proud of are the ones that always get the least attention (this speaks to my point made to my friend Pete or Deontologist, that one’s writing is as much an object to the author as it is to the reader). Nonetheless, simply earning the admiration of folks like Madeson is an honor in itself. At any rate, if any readers have suggestions, send them her way or the way of Paul. I clean my hand of this, especially given that the contest is decided by Daniel Dennett insuring that I don’t have a snowball’s chance in hell of placing. Nonetheless, even as I’m deeply embarrassed and humbled, I am also extremely grateful and honored. As is obvious from the manic and obsessive manner in which I post, the blog and blogosphere is tremendously important to me. I am, as it were, full of libido when it comes to this medium. What I want, above all, is to preserve things and send them out into the world, getting others to read the things I have found valuable and exciting so that, in my lonely life, I might have others to talk with or, more aptly, play with.
As a sort of ironic autobiographical caveat, Larval Subjects began one drunken night over Spring break a few years ago when I was infected by the disease of the minotaur. I had read a post by a Deleuzian that was denouncing Lacan and started to write a lengthy response to their post (I had just discovered blogs), when I noticed they hadn’t posted anything for a year. Wanting to preserve my remarks, I started a blog instead, making that post my first diary. As time passed, blogging fundamentally transformed my thought process, curing me of minotaurishness and making me a much uglier beast. In this medium it was no longer possible to play the role of the minotaur defending the “correct” reading of other philosophers. Rather, I was forced to engage with others from entirely different backgrounds with entirely different sets of concerns. Gradually the academic game of mastering a thinker disappeared, I arrived at peace at my institutional place in life or rank, and began to do something else. What that other thing is, I don’t know.
August 27, 2009 at 6:54 am
What that other thing is, I don’t know.
‘the parliament of things?’ ‘Speaking – as in ‘parlance.’
‘It’s all good.’ (Bob D.).
August 27, 2009 at 11:39 am
I’d like to go with “Speculative Realism and the Unheimlich” as I think it will be stimulating for the first-tier judges and help secure you a place in the finals. It’s an honor to nominate you Levi. Plus it’s always more of a charge to have a horse in the race and your refreshing modesty aside, you’re a thoroughbred.
August 27, 2009 at 12:00 pm
Well even if you don’t win we will at least have brought you some new readers. I nominated the interviews for this reason alone. I highly doubt the blogs in our orbit fit the bill but any publicity and all that.
August 27, 2009 at 2:39 pm
So odd. I’ve tried to post my nomination twice now at 3QD and it isn’t taking. Can’t think why that should be. Anyway, I’ve forwarded my nomination via e-mail to three of the editors/judges so hopefully we’ll see it there soon.
August 27, 2009 at 3:30 pm
“. . . a kind of involuntary memoir. . . ”
recently, Object Oriented Ontology and Scientific Naturalism – just for mr. dennett, and of course, to aid confusion, as it did for myself.
August 27, 2009 at 6:16 pm
The nomination is posted on 3QD. At the end of the first long list of comments there’s a More Comments link. If you click on that, you’ll see it.
August 27, 2009 at 6:47 pm
Levi,
Your blog is great! The discussions here have completely flipped my perspective on metaphysics, and sent me veering into other worlds I didn’t even know existed, namely Deleuze, Latour, and Harman-on-Latour.
I like your way of posting, too. Posts are largely self-contained objects that retain rigor without referencing some huge technical lexicon that drives people away.
What I’m trying to say is, when it comes to the SR/O-OO/O-OP milieu, you practice what you preach.
August 28, 2009 at 11:36 am
Dillon,
i nominated the same post as well, for the same reason:)
I agree with Paul, this contest will be useful for visibility, of your blog and of the whole ‘SR network’.
To be honest, I have the feeling that this kind of philosophical line will not exactly be Dennett’s cup of tea, and I would not be surprised to see some cog-sci related blogposts in the first places (or maybe something in the ‘science vs religion’ sector, given his recent fervent activity with the ‘four horsemen’ [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9DKhc1pcDFM]).
Still, after the 31st the nominations will be visible to all, open to voting, and that will surely bring lots of new readers.