Saturday 12 December 2015

Flaxen talking bollocks, once again......


Nihilism: a belief in the pointless of existence; the absence of truth; the absence of reason.

Mayhap, tis the handmaiden of decadence and the Herald of societal catastrophe. Nihilism lends a helping hand or at least, places the hammer in our hands; I do not subscribe to this view.

Nihilism is often envisaged as a modern preoccupation, but this is not the case. As a notion, nihilism has an ancient pedigree although the word only became 'current' during the 19th century. The concept of nihilism was known to the ancient Greeks and peculiarly to the 'Sceptics', an influential school in ancient Greek philosophy. At its extreme, scepticism denies the possibility of the acquisition of knowledge or truth and thus hints at the modern concept of epistemological nihilism. At its worst, it invites solipsism.

Shakespeare had an opinion on everything. The Bard had a knack of posing society's conundrums in a pleasing manner. His approach is often askew but his insight is penetrating, nonetheless. Here is his take on nihilism, although he would not have considered it as such, in wondrous and lyrical form.

Out, out, brief candle!
Life's but a walking shadow, a poor player
That struts and frets his hour upon the stage
And then is heard no more; it is a tale
Told by an idiot, full of sound and fury,
Signifying nothing.

Macbeth

Of the modern philosophers, nihilism is more often associated with Friederich Nietzsche. He departs from a cold rational appreciation of the concept and characteristically injects an emotionally charged corrosive. Indeed, if men stop believing in god, in society, in morality and finally themselves, the cohesive forces binding society become fractured as men longer care. Not only is the world a cruel illusion and intrinsically meaningless, but it is a 'world' that demands to be set afire. Once man has killed ‘God’ he goes on to kill himself, with baleful satisfaction. For Nietzsche, nihilism is the introduction of a societal abrasive and is viewed, ultimately, as a cleansing force in Western society. Various sages of the early 20th century conjured and concurred with this appreciation and added their own twist, at will.  

Perhaps we should not worry, too much. I am of the belief that nihilism is the preoccupation of the comfortable, Western intellectual. If we believe that civilisations evolve, then nihilism is a natural consequence amongst the 'thinking classes'. To my mind, nihilism is always going to raise its nobbly head in any society which rises above the savage. This is why the Mohammedan has no concept of nihilism except in deed. When a certain class of society acquires wealth and education they ponder upon the known and more importantly, the unknown, more than is good for them. The man tilling the field or sweating on the production line contemplates nihilism, not at all; well not in any coherent way, at least. Nihilism is a concept of the intelligentsia and mostly of the literary intelligentsia, at that. The liberal intellectual minority rarely influences society. When do clever men make effective politicians except when they are autocratic tyrants- Caesar, anyone? The clear answer is that, generally, they don't. Stupid men, with an ideology and a gun, do better. Have you ever read Plato's, 'Republic' and understood it? Plato would make fascists of us all.

Reflection on society is a diversion for the intellectual elite as they sip latte's in trendy neighbourhoods. Nihilism, as a concept and a diversion, is a beautiful fiction, a mere symptom of intellectual malaise. Long may it reign and not impose on us simple folk. Let us not be led astray by the abstract. If we want to consider the factors leading to the ultimate collapse of Western Civilisation, and by this I mean European Civilisation, we should be looking toward practical economics and politics. All else is mere commentary and sophistry.

Having said that, quixotically, I confess as a natural inclination, I'm drawn to nihilism. This goes against the intellectual grain according to my very extensive and rational scientific education. I suspect I'm not a typical scientist and I'm happy to embrace irrational concepts as long as I recognise them as such. This is not the thought of a clear head but of a racing heart. In my quieter moments, I have known darkness and despair. Tis my own, 'Black Dog'....... 




    

49 comments:

  1. I just read this to my partner, and although we had to google a few words (unusual for him as he is a bit of a brainiac , but not for me I am the dunce in our relationship) we thoroughly enjoyed this piece and after the Googling it all made perfect sense, prior to the googling 99% made sense. A very thought provoking and entertaining article from left field thank you :)>

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  2. I would agree with Kath, other than to grumble that having done all the chores to SWMBO's decree, I switched my brain off (both cells) and ventured onto your blog when I should have known that you do not produce intellectual bubblegum. Drat! I'm now having to think some more. Curse you, Flaxen Saxon:- can a man not be left in a stupor once in a while?

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    1. Ted, now maybe you can see quantification of my recent comment to you,I have recently lost all interest in making any comment anywhere that used to be a pleasant, fun or interesting read. As you know at my age and with my past history I avoid the confrontational and contemptuous. During my long life I have had enough of the arrogant, aggressive and rude. Finding it tiresome. In my experience it is easy to be contemptuous when you know nothing but think you know it all. Ahhh how I wish I thought I was clever. Funny genuinely clever people feel no need to brag about their brilliance, nor any need to undermine and attack others of whom they know nothing whatsoever. I love a smiley face :D

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    7. Okay, it seems I am still in error. The Mexicans in question are actually Hollywood Movie Stars and she doesn't pay them, they pay her. I think we are now getting close to the reality of the situation.

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  3. I imagine the above toadying dullards had to research the word, among countless others no doubt, 'quixotically'.
    Kwix
    or
    Key?
    Innit?

    And I too can employ baseball metaphors: "A very thought provoking and entertaining article from right field thank you." Unfortunately, even in the interests of mocking the less intellectually endowed, I cannot bring myself to use punctuation happy faces. Apologies.


    Speaking of Quixote, The Tutor wrote some pretty poetry for me, entitled Erotica Dulcinea. I found it quite humourous, but The Tutor maintains that women by the score cannot wait to drop their drawers for him when he reads it to them. Go figure. White women! Meh!

    http://sterculianrhetoric.blogspot.ca/2007/07/erotica-dulcinea.html

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    1. Actually, sweet child, I didn't need to research - and I'm sure Kath didn't either. You do very well (for one so young) in using big grown-up words - and giving the impression that you understand them. No mean achievement for a youngster!

      There is however, more to being a polemicist (I suggest you Google it) than stamping your little foot, metaphorically sticking your tongue out at the grown-ups, and generally shouting "Hey! Everybody! Lookit me! Lookit me!".

      Nevertheless, a promising - if somewhat unsophisticated - start.

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    2. "......There is however, more to being a polemicist.........."

      You're telling me! I thought it would be easy to do, but on my first attempt at the Hercules(No Handed Chopper) move, I slipped and got rug burn on the old Mons Veneris.

      I don't deal in metaphor. I live in simile. Like for instance, my Performance Art Sheela Na Gig gets all the attention from grown-ups I can possibly stand.

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    3. Perhaps they (the grown-ups, that is) are wondering if you were placed above a door or a window, you would successfully ward off evil spirits.

      If you could, you could be invaluable in the weeks prior to an election...

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    4. Perched upon a bust of Pallas just above a chamber door?
      Perched? Alas! A fucking bore.
      Quoth the VD, "Nevermore."

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    5. SR is, by her own admission, an Asian woman. Could be young, could be old, there's no telling from her English-as-a-foreign-language gibberings, facile and pointless as they are. She also calls herself VD, which, with unconcious irony is not referring to a disease, but a toothed vagina.
      Unfortunately like so many trolls, her witterings are turning up on lots of good sites, which are not improved by the comments she expresses.
      Please go away and grow up, or grow old, learn proper English and then attempt to make intelligent comments which add to the points under discussion, rather than debasing them. Thank you.

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    6. I also call myself:

      Aquarians Love To Fuck - ALT-F
      and
      Pudenda Non Grata - PNG

      Do you, Ed P have the authority to make this request of me on the blog of another? And even if that Saxon cunt were to grant you such, why would I have to both go away AND grow up, or grow old? I should think simply going away would suit your sensitivities, why would you care what happens next?
      And would you be so kind as to enlighten me regarding how it is, exactly, I am not rendering the Queen's English properly?

      Now as far as my witterings(sic) are concerned, you are indeed quite correct, they are both pointless and facile. Regarding these 'lots of good sites' upon which I am reputed to be 'turning up', I can imagine how the content of the comments I express would not 'improve' them, but am I meant to?
      Query?
      This sentence fragment of yours,

      "......her witterings(sic) are turning up on lots of good sites...."

      Is this an example of proper English you request that I should learn? Since when has a phrasal verb, 'turning up' been considered proper English(1)? And wouldn't the phrase 'lots of good sites' be more properly formatted as, 'many good sites'? Is the word 'witterings' actually a word? It does not appear in my OED. Perhaps it is a vulgar vernacular heard only within earshot of Bow Bells? Informal dialect? Argot reflective of your Class?
      I would like to take the liberty to rewrite your sentence fragment.
      To wit:

      .......her vile word salads are appearing on many good sites....

      Reads much better, Innit?
      And as for the 'troll' epithet?
      What do Ibsen, Grieg and Gynt have to do with anything?
      I do not troll, my voice is terrible. I do not trawl either, at least not here or at the fine establishment of one, Dioclese. Both of these cunts have known me for two or more years. At what point do I cease becoming a Trawl and become one in the 'Community'?



      (1) In fact, it is a phrasal verb which ends in a preposition. Now we all know that ending a sentence, or anything for that matter, in a preposition is something up with which Sir Winston and I will not put. Innit?


      Dont't fuck with me little man, I'll eviscerate you. Ask Saxon about that which I am capable.

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    7. Please to notice I did not 're-arsehole you with a claw hammer' as Dioclese would say regarding your curious spelling of the word 'unconscious' and your use of the wonderfully creative neologism 'gibberings'. Regarding the latter, I am aware how one can change a verb (gibber) into a noun by the addition of the suffix '-ing' (gibbering). In this particular case, I am not altogether sure you can now pluralize this resultant noun with the further suffixing of an 's'. Or is the word, gibberings to be treated now as a noun which takes a singular agreement like the words 'checkers' or 'billiards'? Has the suffixing of the 's' to the noun 'gibbering' lost its plural connotation altogether and is now to be understood like the words, 'preggers' or 'starkers' or 'bonkers'?
      I would like some help on this from you, an obvious native speaker of The Queen's English.

      Innit?

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  4. Blecch. I'm not reading this shit. I don't even like the looks of this place.

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  5. Here's a song for you, though. Liven things up around here...http://youtu.be/DfwJA0f0UTg

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  6. Here's a song for you, though. Liven things up around here...http://youtu.be/DfwJA0f0UTg

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  7. I liked receiving his naked selfies in the post. It was like an anatomical "Where's Wally(Waldo)" challenge! Very entertaining!

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    1. His Pat Benatar tramp stamp creeped me out. Who tattoos "Hit Me With Your Best Shot" above their anus?!

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  8. Jesus. This comment thingy is even more fuct than yours, ALT-F.

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  9. I noticed that.
    So far it has only duplicated one of your comments. And none of mine.
    I hate you!

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  10. I bet sex was out of the question after that.

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  11. You know, in another century, New Orleans watering holes uaed to have troughs under the bar so men like Flaxen could just pee in place without having to leave their barstool.

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    1. Would you like to buy my extra "a"? I think you need it somewhere, genius.

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    2. As an independent arbiter - you're both cunts - Leslie's error is typographical and Saxon's error is a phonetic misspelling based on the mispronunciation of the word 'porcelain'.
      Both of you have mongrel pedigrees - stones, glass houses; kettles, black

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    3. I have never been able to spell; a succession of poor schools whilst young. My phonetic spelling used to drive my teachers wild. There must be a 'window', when young, for proper spellification to take hold. Also I think fast and I write fast- plenty of room for errorrrrr. Thank Woden for spell check. American spelling is just fuct, by the way. Just another aspect of American Imperialism. Nothing wrong with Imperialism, but I like the British version, that's all. At least we got to use the bayonet.

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  12. I'm lying naked in the dark thinking nihilistic thoughts.

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  13. Ladies contain yourself. There is a piece of the Saxon for ya all. As for me sending you piccys of my naked bod- you wish. Huh, 'Playgirl' you ain't. Hey 'Firepie', just send me your email address and you get the big show. Send me your real address and enter hell. Didn't I tell ya, I've had a shave. The picture is not current. Shit, it is not even me. I'm much prettier in real life, but mean. Really mean as only a poor boy brought up in the slums can be. You can take the boy out of Tipton......I'm sure you get the message. Just because I'm middle-class these days, folk think I'm mellow. This aint't the case. I haven't changed, I've just learnt some fancy words, that's all. M, as for the poem- I'm going to use it. Everything helps these days. And there was me a thinking that you girls had something to say, rather than expose your sassy adolescent asses at my place. If you want to engage in banal banter do so at Ms place. That said, you do entertain me. I must be one, sad, twisted, fuck. You girls play nice or at least talk dirty to me.

    PS: I do have a tattoo by the way. It is a T34/85 tank. You giggly girls are going to have to look that one up. A fine tank, by the way but not over engineered and not designed for comfort. I had it strategically placed to take attention from my third nipple. I like it, the extra nipple, that is.

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    2. "In my quieter moments, I have known darkness and despair."

      I believe you.

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    3. ".......rather than expose your sassy adolescent asses at my place......"

      I cannot speak for Leslie, but as far as sassy adolescent asses go, mine is among some of the best. Innit?

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    4. Isn't an extra nipple reputed to be for the purposes of suckling Lucifer?

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    5. Only if it is on the 'Milk Line'. The Tutor has a superfluous third nipple as well, but it is a rare one not on the milk line. It is situated, on the coronal plane, just lateral left of the sternum.

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    6. I bow to your superior knowledge:- I didn't know that Old Nick was so particular.

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    7. Particular?
      For fuck's sake, why would anyone suckle on a teat not connected to a battery of cuboidal cells? Even on a human male, vestigial cuboidal cells are present, but only in connexion to teats found on the milk line. Please, do some research, don't bow to anything of mine.

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    8. I do research, but only that which interests me, or is important to me, or has some value to me. I have neither the time nor the inclination to spend on mere peripherals or that which is ephemeral to my life.

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