Not actually Santa Claus, actually the Hog Father, but some people
always get the two confused. Anyway, another thread brought up
a similar issue and made a claim about quality writing ...
.
The Hog Father is, well it's somewhat hard to explain to adults who
get all reductionist about things, want them stamped and certified
by the bureau of weights and measures, and want to see a voter
ID before a Hog Father buys a pint of brandy, although the Hog Father
ought never have to buy his own brandy, and if he did, a single pint
won't do.
.
But onwards, the Hog Father is what some call an anthropomorphic personification, of the hope that young children feel as Hogswatch
Eve approaches in the midst of winter, perhaps this year they'll get
that new bike, with the bell, and the tassels for the girls, and those
funny beads on the spokes that run up and down when you're going
slow but all spin out when you are going fast. Or some kids just
want an extra helping of gruel, but the point is that they do a great
deal of hoping ahead of time, every year.
.
Now to really tell the story I have to defer to PTerry who in the distant past I'm told made an occasional visit to this obscure corner of the
tubes. But what I first need to do is to introduce Death. You may think
you know Death, you might even imagine something like a skeletal
grim reaper with a scythe sharper than a vorpal blade from D&D,
and you would be fairly close because Death is also an anthropomorphic personification. But Death is also a bit ineffable. An odd thing about Death, when he speaks, it's all uppercase. It's not that he's shouting,
or is clumsy about CAPSLOCK. Fact is, he tends to whisper, but without
the sound, so many don't seem to hear him until it's too late. So why
the uppercase? It's an ineffable thing is best I can say. That and a
bit of gravitas.
.
More intro is needed but won't suffice, nevertheless, before I quote
from the works of PTerry I'll introduce Susan. It's not easy being
Susan but then being human and being Death's granddaughter isn't
supposed to be easy so it kinda all works out.
.
Anyway, scene, Susan, our heroine, has saved the day and helped
restore belief in the Hogfather, but she remains skeptical.
* * * * *
“All right," said Susan. "I'm not stupid. You're saying humans need... fantasies to make life bearable."
.
REALLY? AS IF IT WAS SOME KIND OF PINK PILL? NO. HUMANS
NEED FANTASY TO BE HUMAN. TO BE THE PLACE WHERE THE
FALLING ANGEL MEETS THE RISING APE.
.
"Tooth fairies? Hogfathers? Little—"
.
YES. AS PRACTICE. YOU HAVE TO START OUT LEARNING TO BELIEVE
THE LITTLE LIES.
.
"So we can believe the big ones?"
.
YES. JUSTICE. MERCY. DUTY. THAT SORT OF THING.
.
"They're not the same at all!"
.
YOU THINK SO? THEN TAKE THE UNIVERSE AND GRIND IT DOWN
TO THE FINEST POWDER AND SIEVE IT THROUGH THE FINEST SIEVE
AND THEN SHOW ME ONE ATOM OF JUSTICE, ONE MOLECULE
OF MERCY. AND YET—Death waved a hand. AND YET YOU ACT
AS IF THERE IS SOME IDEAL ORDER IN THE WORLD, AS IF THERE
IS SOME...SOME RIGHTNESS IN THE UNIVERSE BY WHICH IT
MAY BE JUDGED.
.
"Yes, but people have got to believe that, or what's the point—"
.
MY POINT EXACTLY.”
.
* * * *
Not actually Santa Claus, actually the Hog Father, but some people
always get the two confused. Anyway, another thread brought up
a similar issue and made a claim about quality writing ...
.
The Hog Father is, well it's somewhat hard to explain to adults who
get all reductionist about things, want them stamped and certified
by the bureau of weights and measures, and want to see a voter
ID before a Hog Father buys a pint of brandy, although the Hog Father
ought never have to buy his own brandy, and if he did, a single pint
won't do.
.
But onwards, the Hog Father is what some call an anthropomorphic personification, of the hope that young children feel as Hogswatch
Eve approaches in the midst of winter, perhaps this year they'll get
that new bike, with the bell, and the tassels for the girls, and those
funny beads on the spokes that run up and down when you're going
slow but all spin out when you are going fast. Or some kids just
want an extra helping of gruel, but the point is that they do a great
deal of hoping ahead of time, every year.
.
Now to really tell the story I have to defer to PTerry who in the distant past I'm told made an occasional visit to this obscure corner of the
tubes. But what I first need to do is to introduce Death. You may think
you know Death, you might even imagine something like a skeletal
grim reaper with a scythe sharper than a vorpal blade from D&D,
and you would be fairly close because Death is also an anthropomorphic personification. But Death is also a bit ineffable. An odd thing about Death, when he speaks, it's all uppercase. It's not that he's shouting,
or is clumsy about CAPSLOCK. Fact is, he tends to whisper, but without
the sound, so many don't seem to hear him until it's too late. So why
the uppercase? It's an ineffable thing is best I can say. That and a
bit of gravitas.
.
More intro is needed but won't suffice, nevertheless, before I quote
from the works of PTerry I'll introduce Susan. It's not easy being
Susan but then being human and being Death's granddaughter isn't
supposed to be easy so it kinda all works out.
.
Anyway, scene, Susan, our heroine, has saved the day and helped
restore belief in the Hogfather, but she remains skeptical.
* * * * *
“All right," said Susan. "I'm not stupid. You're saying humans need... fantasies to make life bearable."
.
REALLY? AS IF IT WAS SOME KIND OF PINK PILL? NO. HUMANS
NEED FANTASY TO BE HUMAN. TO BE THE PLACE WHERE THE
FALLING ANGEL MEETS THE RISING APE.
.
"Tooth fairies? Hogfathers? Little—"
.
YES. AS PRACTICE. YOU HAVE TO START OUT LEARNING TO BELIEVE
THE LITTLE LIES.
.
"So we can believe the big ones?"
.
YES. JUSTICE. MERCY. DUTY. THAT SORT OF THING.
.
"They're not the same at all!"
.
YOU THINK SO? THEN TAKE THE UNIVERSE AND GRIND IT DOWN
TO THE FINEST POWDER AND SIEVE IT THROUGH THE FINEST SIEVE
AND THEN SHOW ME ONE ATOM OF JUSTICE, ONE MOLECULE
OF MERCY. AND YET—Death waved a hand. AND YET YOU ACT
AS IF THERE IS SOME IDEAL ORDER IN THE WORLD, AS IF THERE
IS SOME...SOME RIGHTNESS IN THE UNIVERSE BY WHICH IT
MAY BE JUDGED.
.
"Yes, but people have got to believe that, or what's the point—"
.
MY POINT EXACTLY.”
.
* * * *
--Terry Pratchett, The Hogfather.
On Friday, August 4, 2023 at 1:01:03 PM UTC+1, Lawyer Daggett wrote:
Not actually Santa Claus, actually the Hog Father, but some people
always get the two confused. Anyway, another thread brought up
a similar issue and made a claim about quality writing ...
.
The Hog Father is, well it's somewhat hard to explain to adults who
get all reductionist about things, want them stamped and certified
by the bureau of weights and measures, and want to see a voter
ID before a Hog Father buys a pint of brandy, although the Hog Father ought never have to buy his own brandy, and if he did, a single pint
won't do.
.
But onwards, the Hog Father is what some call an anthropomorphic personification, of the hope that young children feel as Hogswatch
Eve approaches in the midst of winter, perhaps this year they'll get
that new bike, with the bell, and the tassels for the girls, and those funny beads on the spokes that run up and down when you're going
slow but all spin out when you are going fast. Or some kids just
want an extra helping of gruel, but the point is that they do a great
deal of hoping ahead of time, every year.
.
Now to really tell the story I have to defer to PTerry who in the distant past I'm told made an occasional visit to this obscure corner of the tubes. But what I first need to do is to introduce Death. You may think you know Death, you might even imagine something like a skeletal
grim reaper with a scythe sharper than a vorpal blade from D&D,
and you would be fairly close because Death is also an anthropomorphic personification. But Death is also a bit ineffable. An odd thing about Death, when he speaks, it's all uppercase. It's not that he's shouting,
or is clumsy about CAPSLOCK. Fact is, he tends to whisper, but without
the sound, so many don't seem to hear him until it's too late. So why
the uppercase? It's an ineffable thing is best I can say. That and a
bit of gravitas.
.
More intro is needed but won't suffice, nevertheless, before I quote
from the works of PTerry I'll introduce Susan. It's not easy being
Susan but then being human and being Death's granddaughter isn't
supposed to be easy so it kinda all works out.
.
Anyway, scene, Susan, our heroine, has saved the day and helped
restore belief in the Hogfather, but she remains skeptical.
* * * * *
“All right," said Susan. "I'm not stupid. You're saying humans need... fantasies to make life bearable."I'm missing him so much... Have you seen the 2 series of Good Omens? Of course just
.
REALLY? AS IF IT WAS SOME KIND OF PINK PILL? NO. HUMANS
NEED FANTASY TO BE HUMAN. TO BE THE PLACE WHERE THE
FALLING ANGEL MEETS THE RISING APE.
.
"Tooth fairies? Hogfathers? Little—"
.
YES. AS PRACTICE. YOU HAVE TO START OUT LEARNING TO BELIEVE
THE LITTLE LIES.
.
"So we can believe the big ones?"
.
YES. JUSTICE. MERCY. DUTY. THAT SORT OF THING.
.
"They're not the same at all!"
.
YOU THINK SO? THEN TAKE THE UNIVERSE AND GRIND IT DOWN
TO THE FINEST POWDER AND SIEVE IT THROUGH THE FINEST SIEVE
AND THEN SHOW ME ONE ATOM OF JUSTICE, ONE MOLECULE
OF MERCY. AND YET—Death waved a hand. AND YET YOU ACT
AS IF THERE IS SOME IDEAL ORDER IN THE WORLD, AS IF THERE
IS SOME...SOME RIGHTNESS IN THE UNIVERSE BY WHICH IT
MAY BE JUDGED.
.
"Yes, but people have got to believe that, or what's the point—"
.
MY POINT EXACTLY.”
.
* * * *
--Terry Pratchett, The Hogfather.
based on the notes that he and Neil had done, but still really good
On Saturday, August 5, 2023 at 3:56:03 AM UTC-4, Burkhard wrote:
On Friday, August 4, 2023 at 1:01:03 PM UTC+1, Lawyer Daggett wrote:
Not actually Santa Claus, actually the Hog Father, but some people always get the two confused. Anyway, another thread brought up
a similar issue and made a claim about quality writing ...
.
The Hog Father is, well it's somewhat hard to explain to adults who
get all reductionist about things, want them stamped and certified
by the bureau of weights and measures, and want to see a voter
ID before a Hog Father buys a pint of brandy, although the Hog Father ought never have to buy his own brandy, and if he did, a single pint won't do.
.
But onwards, the Hog Father is what some call an anthropomorphic personification, of the hope that young children feel as Hogswatch
Eve approaches in the midst of winter, perhaps this year they'll get that new bike, with the bell, and the tassels for the girls, and those funny beads on the spokes that run up and down when you're going
slow but all spin out when you are going fast. Or some kids just
want an extra helping of gruel, but the point is that they do a great deal of hoping ahead of time, every year.
.
Now to really tell the story I have to defer to PTerry who in the distant
past I'm told made an occasional visit to this obscure corner of the tubes. But what I first need to do is to introduce Death. You may think you know Death, you might even imagine something like a skeletal
grim reaper with a scythe sharper than a vorpal blade from D&D,
and you would be fairly close because Death is also an anthropomorphic personification. But Death is also a bit ineffable. An odd thing about Death, when he speaks, it's all uppercase. It's not that he's shouting, or is clumsy about CAPSLOCK. Fact is, he tends to whisper, but without the sound, so many don't seem to hear him until it's too late. So why the uppercase? It's an ineffable thing is best I can say. That and a
bit of gravitas.
.
More intro is needed but won't suffice, nevertheless, before I quote from the works of PTerry I'll introduce Susan. It's not easy being
Susan but then being human and being Death's granddaughter isn't supposed to be easy so it kinda all works out.
.
Anyway, scene, Susan, our heroine, has saved the day and helped
restore belief in the Hogfather, but she remains skeptical.
* * * * *
Was it the duel mentions of ineffable that inspired that switch? I wondered about that but once the idea occurred to me to play at a comparison to the Hogfather the whole thing mostly wrote itself, and it wrote ineffable twice, who am I to second guess that which writes itself? Besides which, I fancy“All right," said Susan. "I'm not stupid. You're saying humans need... fantasies to make life bearable."I'm missing him so much... Have you seen the 2 series of Good Omens? Of course just
.
REALLY? AS IF IT WAS SOME KIND OF PINK PILL? NO. HUMANS
NEED FANTASY TO BE HUMAN. TO BE THE PLACE WHERE THE
FALLING ANGEL MEETS THE RISING APE.
.
"Tooth fairies? Hogfathers? Little—"
.
YES. AS PRACTICE. YOU HAVE TO START OUT LEARNING TO BELIEVE
THE LITTLE LIES.
.
"So we can believe the big ones?"
.
YES. JUSTICE. MERCY. DUTY. THAT SORT OF THING.
.
"They're not the same at all!"
.
YOU THINK SO? THEN TAKE THE UNIVERSE AND GRIND IT DOWN
TO THE FINEST POWDER AND SIEVE IT THROUGH THE FINEST SIEVE
AND THEN SHOW ME ONE ATOM OF JUSTICE, ONE MOLECULE
OF MERCY. AND YET—Death waved a hand. AND YET YOU ACT
AS IF THERE IS SOME IDEAL ORDER IN THE WORLD, AS IF THERE
IS SOME...SOME RIGHTNESS IN THE UNIVERSE BY WHICH IT
MAY BE JUDGED.
.
"Yes, but people have got to believe that, or what's the point—"
.
MY POINT EXACTLY.”
.
* * * *
--Terry Pratchett, The Hogfather.
based on the notes that he and Neil had done, but still really good
it did a fair job of it even if I feel a bit used.
But now that you've offered the switch I'm wondering about a small diversion regards talking to plants. Do you think our mutual 'friend' does, Crowley style?
On Saturday, August 5, 2023 at 5:06:04 PM UTC+1, Lawyer Daggett wrote:
On Saturday, August 5, 2023 at 3:56:03 AM UTC-4, Burkhard wrote:
On Friday, August 4, 2023 at 1:01:03 PM UTC+1, Lawyer Daggett wrote:
Not actually Santa Claus, actually the Hog Father, but some people always get the two confused. Anyway, another thread brought up
a similar issue and made a claim about quality writing ...
.
The Hog Father is, well it's somewhat hard to explain to adults who get all reductionist about things, want them stamped and certified
by the bureau of weights and measures, and want to see a voter
ID before a Hog Father buys a pint of brandy, although the Hog Father ought never have to buy his own brandy, and if he did, a single pint won't do.
.
But onwards, the Hog Father is what some call an anthropomorphic personification, of the hope that young children feel as Hogswatch
Eve approaches in the midst of winter, perhaps this year they'll get that new bike, with the bell, and the tassels for the girls, and those funny beads on the spokes that run up and down when you're going
slow but all spin out when you are going fast. Or some kids just
want an extra helping of gruel, but the point is that they do a great deal of hoping ahead of time, every year.
.
Now to really tell the story I have to defer to PTerry who in the distant
past I'm told made an occasional visit to this obscure corner of the tubes. But what I first need to do is to introduce Death. You may think
you know Death, you might even imagine something like a skeletal
grim reaper with a scythe sharper than a vorpal blade from D&D,
and you would be fairly close because Death is also an anthropomorphic personification. But Death is also a bit ineffable. An odd thing about Death, when he speaks, it's all uppercase. It's not that he's shouting,
or is clumsy about CAPSLOCK. Fact is, he tends to whisper, but without the sound, so many don't seem to hear him until it's too late. So why the uppercase? It's an ineffable thing is best I can say. That and a bit of gravitas.
.
More intro is needed but won't suffice, nevertheless, before I quote from the works of PTerry I'll introduce Susan. It's not easy being Susan but then being human and being Death's granddaughter isn't supposed to be easy so it kinda all works out.
.
Anyway, scene, Susan, our heroine, has saved the day and helped restore belief in the Hogfather, but she remains skeptical.
* * * * *
Was it the duel mentions of ineffable that inspired that switch? I wondered“All right," said Susan. "I'm not stupid. You're saying humans need...I'm missing him so much... Have you seen the 2 series of Good Omens? Of course just
fantasies to make life bearable."
.
REALLY? AS IF IT WAS SOME KIND OF PINK PILL? NO. HUMANS
NEED FANTASY TO BE HUMAN. TO BE THE PLACE WHERE THE
FALLING ANGEL MEETS THE RISING APE.
.
"Tooth fairies? Hogfathers? Little—"
.
YES. AS PRACTICE. YOU HAVE TO START OUT LEARNING TO BELIEVE
THE LITTLE LIES.
.
"So we can believe the big ones?"
.
YES. JUSTICE. MERCY. DUTY. THAT SORT OF THING.
.
"They're not the same at all!"
.
YOU THINK SO? THEN TAKE THE UNIVERSE AND GRIND IT DOWN
TO THE FINEST POWDER AND SIEVE IT THROUGH THE FINEST SIEVE
AND THEN SHOW ME ONE ATOM OF JUSTICE, ONE MOLECULE
OF MERCY. AND YET—Death waved a hand. AND YET YOU ACT
AS IF THERE IS SOME IDEAL ORDER IN THE WORLD, AS IF THERE
IS SOME...SOME RIGHTNESS IN THE UNIVERSE BY WHICH IT
MAY BE JUDGED.
.
"Yes, but people have got to believe that, or what's the point—"
.
MY POINT EXACTLY.”
.
* * * *
--Terry Pratchett, The Hogfather.
based on the notes that he and Neil had done, but still really good
about that but once the idea occurred to me to play at a comparison to the Hogfather the whole thing mostly wrote itself, and it wrote ineffable twice,
who am I to second guess that which writes itself? Besides which, I fancy it did a fair job of it even if I feel a bit used.
But now that you've offered the switch I'm wondering about a small diversionThat will be an image difficult to get our of my head, though in my headmovie,
regards talking to plants. Do you think our mutual 'friend' does, Crowley style?
it's not exactly shouting that he does, something that isn't any less....lethal
but with the opposite effect :o)
"Ineffable" may have contributed, but it was a more haphazard chain-link from
anthropomorphic personification by TP to American Gods by Gaiman, one of my favs, and from there to their joint book. I'm philosophically speaking a Meinongian,
I love the underlying idea, and happily argue that the Gods (and related entities)
exist, are very real and nonetheless also man-made.
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