Rust, straw man, & Jonas
The Urth list — 1 messages, 1 voices, 01 Jun 1999
https://urth.darkrealm.vip/thread/urth/1654

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Roy C. Lackey — 01 Jun 1999, 05:43

On Sat, 8 May 1999 18:35:44 +0200, Potto opined:

> > Congratulations to Nigel Price: very interesting and even graceful
> > input on the religious issue. A welcome change from this increasingly
> > rusty topic of the iron men; shouldn't we move on to other threads,
> > like whether Severian's guild cloak is made from tussah, chenille, or
> > silk?<<

    After weeks of exhaustive research, consisting of spirited discourse
with the denizens living in and around the dumpster behind Barnes&Noble, it
is my considered opinion that Sev's cloak was made from the same material as
Superman's cape -- which is apropos for comic-book heroes (read: "graphic
novel"). Of course, as a Man of Steel, Mr. Kent doubtless is subject to the
same processes of oxidation as more humble iron men. <g>

> > On Sat, 8 May 1999 23:45:07, William Ansley wrote:
> > Am I missing the point of this list? No, I realize that putting Wolfe's
> > words through the wringer is a large part of the point (and the fun) of
> > this discussion group. But I do get weary, from time to time, of someone
> > making some outrageous claim about one of Wolfe's works and justifying it
> > by saying "Wolfe would never have mentioned (or repeated) so trivial a
> > point if it didn't mean that I am right and everyone else is wrong." Or,
> > "The fact that Wolfe never mentions this means that I am right and everyone
> > else is wrong." (I should have said above: "every paragraph, phrase, word,
> > letter and bit of punctuation Wolfe puts *or doesn't put* on paper is of
> > cosmic significance.")

Am I aware that I am setting up a straw man here? Perhaps I am, but I think
some posts on this list have come perilously close to my examples.<<

    I have reread every post I have ever made to this list and have NEVER
claimed " ... that I am right and everyone else is wrong" , whether based on
what Wolfe did or didn't include in the text, or any other criteria. Nor,
for that mater, can I recall anyone else who has.

> > On Wed, 26 May 1999 13:29:21, Robert Borski wrote:
> > For isn't Jonas, a former servitor of the Hierodules, from Yesod? ... This
> > would allow for Jonas/Sidero to have crashed in the future ...<<

    Just like that. <g> Without preamble or explication you have put Jonas
on Tzad's ship (how else would he get to Yesod?) and equated him with
Sidero. And no one says a word about it! I didn't go that far in my "iron
men" posts, yet was pilloried! Is it my keyboard, or what? <g>

Roy

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