(November 7, 2018 at 4:47 am)Belaqua Wrote: See, if someone said to me, "literature is banal," I would respond, sure, some of it is banal, but some of it isn't.
If that person said, "when I say the word 'literature' I am only referring to the work of Dan Brown," I would find that odd. Because "literature" in fact refers to more than that. That person has intentionally limited his definition to the most banal writer, in order to make his judgment.
I feel like our conversation is going more like this-
vulcanlogician: Dan Brown is banal.
Belaqua: What are you referring to when you say "Dan Brown"?
vulcanlogician: I mean the stuff Dan Brown writes. He is a shitty writer.
Belaqua: Really? What have you read by Dan Brown?
vulcanlogician: I read The Da Vinci Code and the other two books after that that he wrote in the series. I think they are uninspired drivel.
Belaqua: And you make sweeping judgements about him based on that? He wrote other books that you haven't even read! Furthermore, he wrote a speech in his sophomore year of college that was quite inspiring! He wrote a cheesy love poem to his high school sweetheart that playfully exposes his tender heart! Why aren't you taking any of that into account?
vulcanlogician: When I say Dan Brown, I'm talking about his published novels. When most people talk about Dan Brown's prowess as an author, that is what they are referring to. That other stuff you mentioned seems out of the way. Even Dan Brown enthusiasts are generally unfamiliar with the stuff you are talking about.
Belaqua: It's not Dan Brown's fault that his fans are to foolish to read his cheesy love poem! Your criticism of Dan Brown is a generalization. I need you to frame your statement like this: "Dan Brown is X." Now tell me what X is.
vulcanlogician: X= a shitty writer.
Belaqua: But Dan Brown is more than that. He was born in such-a-such town, he did charitable work for various organizations. To simply call him "a shitty writer" ignores all of those other things. Why are you not taking that other stuff into account?
vulcanlogician: I dunno... synecdoche?
