The Barrow-Downs Discussion Forum - View Single Post - The Tolkien Template - Carrying on the torch of mythology and folklore

littlemanpoet · 11-13-2002, 08:28 AM

I confess. *Raises hand in mixture of shame and pride* I am a snob and a hypocrite. Who ain't in one field or another? Now that that's out of the way, I still agree with Gwaihir by and large.

Child: I still see at least one problem with your support of Shippey's position, which I admittedly am getting second-hand from you. Whereas home-schooling is a minority development amid the educational world, it only overlaps with the minority of youngsters, and oldsters, who aspire to write good fantasy. The latter are an even smaller eclectic bunch of quirky, eccentric and erudite folk. To denounce the entire educational system of our own time seems to overlook the reality that the kinds of people who aspire to write fantasy are precisely the kind who are going to go out of their way to become familiar with mythology, the subjects of the humanities, and much else that more practically leaning folks won't bother with. And the internet makes the old documents readily accessible to these aspiring writers of fantasy - and just happens to make it a lot easier to find each other and encourage each other in becoming better and the craft. So whereas I agree that the golden days of the liberal arts in formal education are behind us, I believe that the new modes of communication available to those who aspire, more than make up for the lack. Hmm - Dungeons and Dragons may have a good influence on this knowledge base, too, derived and second-hand as it is.

I wouldn't mind having "snob" and "hypocrite" delineated or illustrated a little bit - it might help us to clarify our beliefs, thinking, and arguments.

11-13-2002, 08:28 AM	#17
littlemanpoet Itinerant Songster Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: The Edge of Faerie Posts: 7,066	I confess. Raises hand in mixture of shame and pride I am a snob and a hypocrite. Who ain't in one field or another? Now that that's out of the way, I still agree with Gwaihir by and large. Child: I still see at least one problem with your support of Shippey's position, which I admittedly am getting second-hand from you. Whereas home-schooling is a minority development amid the educational world, it only overlaps with the minority of youngsters, and oldsters, who aspire to write good fantasy. The latter are an even smaller eclectic bunch of quirky, eccentric and erudite folk. To denounce the entire educational system of our own time seems to overlook the reality that the kinds of people who aspire to write fantasy are precisely the kind who are going to go out of their way to become familiar with mythology, the subjects of the humanities, and much else that more practically leaning folks won't bother with. And the internet makes the old documents readily accessible to these aspiring writers of fantasy - and just happens to make it a lot easier to find each other and encourage each other in becoming better and the craft. So whereas I agree that the golden days of the liberal arts in formal education are behind us, I believe that the new modes of communication available to those who aspire, more than make up for the lack. Hmm - Dungeons and Dragons may have a good influence on this knowledge base, too, derived and second-hand as it is. I wouldn't mind having "snob" and "hypocrite" delineated or illustrated a little bit - it might help us to clarify our beliefs, thinking, and arguments.