Mieville's thoughts...

[tumhalad2]

Originally Posted by Nerwen

...which makes it sound like you're talking about some "duty" you believe people have to engage in each and every debate. If you just mean I sounded like I was annoyed at you– well, yes, I was, kind of– but I've already apologised for that. I admit I was out of line.

Why criticise me? If you don't want to engage in this debate, then don't. Why is it so frustrating for you that I've made this post? Who cares if some of these points have been raised before - in that case all the better. Thanks for providing the links, people now have an opportunity to regail themselves of some similar discussions that have gone on in the past. But there are always new people coming to the boards, there's new ground to cover, new thoughts to hear, new ideas to canvass, and new points to be made. Once again, I disagree that Mieville's points have "all been made before". Yes, they are rather generic points in some ways, but that is in itself interesting. If we have a whole lot of threads here, including this one, that all supposedly deal with the same ideas, why not offer some thoughts as to why that is? What is it exactly that unites these commentators? Which ideas do they have in common, and what does Mieville emphasise particularly in the quote above? I suggested above that we scrutinise his points about On Fairy Stories. Is he right in saying that it amounts to a kind of "manifesto" for "conservative" fantasy unwilling to "challenge" us (apparently to Mieville) socially retarded readers? How should Tolkien critics who are generally sympathetic respond? To say the ground is well trod is fine, but to insinuate that all conversation must cease because of this is not, in my opinion.