Olive Craner's Politics.
- Thread starter luka
- Start date
-
- Tags
- bring back the rajavi cult british law firms in north korea burchill on diana condoleeza rice dagestan gulnara karimova hersh on kissinger hitch on clinton insurrectionary anarchism it'll be like penman on jacko lukashenka lives! mailer on marilyn miller on greece neocon strategies only better quasi-fascist scooter libby shawcross on cambodia something of the night the aliyev clan the communist party of wales the mahfouz scandal the mek yulia tymoshenko
craner
Beast of Burden
I would like to say, stung by Luke's critique, that this thing I wrote in 2004 stands up to the test of time.
craner
Beast of Burden
The essay on British law firms in North Korea is proving harder to write than I anticipated, but I am chasing Michael Hay for an interview. The Communist Party of Wales don't do anything, which makes them hard to infilterate, but I'm trying. The Aliyevs are on the radar, have no fear; particularly the fit, corrupt daughters.
craner
Beast of Burden
Why do I bother writing this stuff? Certainly not for adoration, or publication. I gave up on both long ago. I can't write to pitch, and I have tried. I have never needed to be liked, particularly; I have some residual self-confidence. It can only be because:
1) I really enjoy writing, for the sake of it.
2) To show off. That's what writing is. And I am vain.
3) To organise my own thoughts. To create a narrative out of random events, and understand the whole world, which I have always been interested in and wanted to be involved in.
4) To write things I want to read. This is the most arrogant part, actually. The web has nearly made writers obsolete. I'll give another example: my young cousin is studying to become a photographer. He is very good. But in this day and age of digital photos and Photoshop and Iphone apps, who isn't? Well, there is a unique artistry that remains. Now, I am not trying to be a professional writer, but I make the effort (for myself at least) when nobody has written an article or review I would want to read. I think, fuck it then, I'll write it myself. I get some inspiration when I read the boring and/or uniformed rubbish I see published. If no one else will write it, I will.
Now then: 5) Not being timid or scared of your name or ideas. Loads of people are, but to quote Adam Ant, ridicule is nothing to be scared of. Writing gets harder the more you know, the better you become and the better you read (and the better writers you read). I'm at that point, now. I find it harder to write now than I did in 2003, and yet the ideas are bursting out of my head. I'm carrying on because of points 1, 2, 3 and 4. It's a hobby, but without it, I couldn't exist.
I HAVE TO WRITE.
I have 10 readers, at most, but it doesn't really matter, now. I make it public, because that's part of the point, and the game. My cousin will make a living, I'm sure; and his own photos, the art he does, may not be famous, or even different, but there will, I am sure, be a care, a reason, an expertise, that sets his pictures apart. I am not humble about this. I have always been a swash-buckler with words, and never afraid of making a fool of myself.
1) I really enjoy writing, for the sake of it.
2) To show off. That's what writing is. And I am vain.
3) To organise my own thoughts. To create a narrative out of random events, and understand the whole world, which I have always been interested in and wanted to be involved in.
4) To write things I want to read. This is the most arrogant part, actually. The web has nearly made writers obsolete. I'll give another example: my young cousin is studying to become a photographer. He is very good. But in this day and age of digital photos and Photoshop and Iphone apps, who isn't? Well, there is a unique artistry that remains. Now, I am not trying to be a professional writer, but I make the effort (for myself at least) when nobody has written an article or review I would want to read. I think, fuck it then, I'll write it myself. I get some inspiration when I read the boring and/or uniformed rubbish I see published. If no one else will write it, I will.
Now then: 5) Not being timid or scared of your name or ideas. Loads of people are, but to quote Adam Ant, ridicule is nothing to be scared of. Writing gets harder the more you know, the better you become and the better you read (and the better writers you read). I'm at that point, now. I find it harder to write now than I did in 2003, and yet the ideas are bursting out of my head. I'm carrying on because of points 1, 2, 3 and 4. It's a hobby, but without it, I couldn't exist.
I HAVE TO WRITE.
I have 10 readers, at most, but it doesn't really matter, now. I make it public, because that's part of the point, and the game. My cousin will make a living, I'm sure; and his own photos, the art he does, may not be famous, or even different, but there will, I am sure, be a care, a reason, an expertise, that sets his pictures apart. I am not humble about this. I have always been a swash-buckler with words, and never afraid of making a fool of myself.
bruno
est malade
i identify with this. i'm not a writer, but almost in parallel to you i've made it a mission to dominate writing as a means of conveying my thoughts as clearly as possible.
in the process i've lost my voice at times, i have second doubts about commas whereas before i just carried on or did things more intuitively. when my english writing finally does seem effortless i find i've neglected my expression in spanish/french and the cycle continues.
the other issue is one of cultural distance, different rhythms (when i'm awake you're asleep, when it's winter here it's summer there) that is evident in messageboards and affects the perception of things.
the one good thing to come out of this process has been to be more economical with words, the result is less artful, but more concise/honest (i think).
to return to your declaration of 'i will write', this seems to me very sane. it's important to keep writing, and you do that very well. even if you don't, you should do it. we'll all be dead soon anyway, and so will the opinions of others. fuck them.
baboon2004
Darned cockwombles.
pretty much true with all creative endeavour. if you're doing it to be loved by others, you're never going to be loved enough. all about the process, not the result/adoration.
craner
Beast of Burden
Quite.
This is almost exactly what has happened to me; you've described it with uncanny precision. It's what Luke alluded to earlier in this thread, I think, when he was describing what a dreadful writer I am. Less art, more clarity. I am always trying to find a balance, though, and seeking that one thing: elegance.
craner
Beast of Burden
bruno
est malade
nice.
you know, you could always write thrillers on the side under a pseudonym like oliver du pont, or david avebury, it could be a creative challenge. you certainly have the material for it.
or write cablemaster, a series loosely based on the state department cables where the central character is a smart twelve year-old kid (with moderate hacking skills) who becomes an unwitting witness and participant to history. his parents are diplomats, every episode is a different country/event, something like that. this would let you explore geo/political themes from the morally upright vision of a child and in the process deal with your own ambiguities, and crucially present this to a wider audience. it could have illustrations, or be a choose your own adventure-type book with different outcomes, etc.
you know, you could always write thrillers on the side under a pseudonym like oliver du pont, or david avebury, it could be a creative challenge. you certainly have the material for it.
or write cablemaster, a series loosely based on the state department cables where the central character is a smart twelve year-old kid (with moderate hacking skills) who becomes an unwitting witness and participant to history. his parents are diplomats, every episode is a different country/event, something like that. this would let you explore geo/political themes from the morally upright vision of a child and in the process deal with your own ambiguities, and crucially present this to a wider audience. it could have illustrations, or be a choose your own adventure-type book with different outcomes, etc.
craner
Beast of Burden
craner
Beast of Burden
The third and final part of my Rice eulogy, in which I talk about Africa and India.
So, now, I'll see you all in a few weeks with the wonderful Aliyev family, who are currently preparing to host the Eurovision song contest.
So, now, I'll see you all in a few weeks with the wonderful Aliyev family, who are currently preparing to host the Eurovision song contest.
craner
Beast of Burden
As the Eurovision caravan arrives in Baku, here is my dissection of the Aliyev kleptocracy.
Caspian Kitsch
Caspian Kitsch
Last edited:
Patrick Swayze
I'm trying to shut up
pipeline realpolitik..... desires and the reality they have created
Patrick Swayze
I'm trying to shut up
my two favourite bits^