In Honor of John Reece: Biblical Philologist

[Scrawly]

Hi Robrecht,

>I think the motivation is simply not to take oneself too seriously, to have a little fun, kick back, and relax. <

While I can agree with not taking oneself too seriously, I can say that I know and use many of the words in the spoof and didn't learn them having fun or kicking back or relaxing. I learned them from taking study serious and burning the midnight oil . . . . A great philosopher (Martin Heidegger) said that using words in that way demeans the sanctify of language and dumbs down the memesphere. . . . Of course I realize that by speaking against such silliness I'm swimming against the current of current affairs and the lack of seriousness that's become the serious past-time and prime-time of the current world order.


XR

Shhhh...Shhhhhh Sh-Sh-Sh-Sh-Sh

[robrecht]

Hi Robrecht,

>I think the motivation is simply not to take oneself too seriously, to have a little fun, kick back, and relax. <

While I can agree with not taking oneself too seriously, I can say that I know and use many of the words in the spoof and didn't learn them having fun or kicking back or relaxing. I learned them from taking study serious and burning the midnight oil . . . . A great philosopher (Martin Heidegger) said that using words in that way demeans the sanctify of language and dumbs down the memesphere. . . . Of course I realize that by speaking against such silliness I'm swimming against the current of current affairs and the lack of seriousness that's become the serious past-time and prime-time of the current world order.


XR

Nowhere did I say that one should learn these words in any other way than your serious study. I would like to see this quote from Heidegger about dumbing down the memesphere. I suspect you are taking liberties with his words. As for demeaning the sanctity of academic discourse, I think Heidegger himself is an example of how this can be done in a very serious and real way in his enthusiastic support of Adolf Hitler and the Nazi party, which, to his credit, he eventually regretted after the war.