Jebus, but we're in for a world of trouble. I think one of the signs of the apocalypse is when instructors of dangeral studies revive moribund blogs. We're obviously in a cultural meltdown of epic proportions.
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The educational system failed him...
I'm back, too.
Well, I'm trying to revive my award winning interblog, but, to be honest, making all these preparations for the End Times is a lot more work than I figured.
-RPTH
Respectfully, who is this guy and just why should I care?
He's a literary critic... I certainly hope he was joking about the bailout... Although I too think it's a crock of shit, but I don't pick and choose quotes supporting my idea, rather, I use the entire publication and cite conclusions, not talking points.
I just squealed a little bit inside. I'm so excited Berube is back blogging again. There was a noticeable hole in the literate fraction of the internet left by his departure, and I'm ecstatic he's back. Thanks for posting this - I removed him from my blogroll and I wouldn't have noticed his return.
I need some context here because it looks to me like Berube is just rambling--is he making a point? Why is he so bad? Rambling happens every day. Have you guys ever read CNN?
Berube's return has decreased the overall intelligence on the internet by a small but significant amount.
(Actually, I've never heard of him, but I couldn't resist the opportunity to steal a Terry Pratchett line.)
He used to blog quite a bit on what American culture was doing to people and things such as that. While I think we do need some outspoken critics of culture, I don't think we have much respect for them... They can be like the new version of preachers when we get rid of religion.
@ #8
You mean he's constantly diagnosing cultural problems and saying how bad American culture is for everyone? Something along those lines? I'm a literary critic myself--albeit a grad student--and I always get nervous when Lit. Crit. is dismissed out of hand, but I can understand skepticism in the face of proselytizing. I've heard his name before, but I've never read his stuff. I get the sense that he's a marginal figure.
Trust me on this one, people: Bérub&é is sharp and applies a nice scalpel to the right. You have to read him carefully, though, because he does write like a goddamned smarty-pants English professor. That's part of his charm.
Aww, c'mon... give me a hint. Moribund... is he a fatalist obsessed with end times or is his blog rhetoric archaic and obsolete? What?
SO, he's a dystopic social critic!! & you like him. I erroneously inferred he was a crank.
I think you have to read his blog carefully. He seems to throw very subtle satire and sarcasm in unexpected places, and sometimes you can miss it.
The guy had a very popular blog for a while -- one of the top academic blogs. He abruptly called it quits, except for some guest writing here and there, and now he's reviving it.
Another hint. Two words to keep in mind when reading Bérubé: "arch" and "wry". Maybe that will help.
Man, but the blogosphere is harsh and fickle. Fella goes away for a few years, and everyone forgets.
PZ @ #10,
I didn't initially see your post as sarcastic, so I wasn't sure of your take on Berube.
My ignorance increases daily: having spent some time on various edges, I thought I knew a little bit about danger, but had no idea it was a subject of specialized academic interest.
(reminded of day's chore list, picks up chainsaw and wanders off...)
His site doesn't have an RSS-Feed?? Or did I miss something ...
Neither did I. My joke was misplaced.
It took a bit of googling for me to figure out what dangeral meant. So Berube is cool for inventing his own word? I owe all the idioglossia patients I used to help treat a big apology for not taking them more seriously.
PZ wrote: "We're obviously in a cultural meltdown of epic proportions."
I understand that excuse #2 that the Republicans used concerning the failure of the bailout bill -- after their 'hurt feelings' argument -- was angst over the return of Bérubé.
Well, two years ago the only blog I read was Badscience (and the neverending homepage of Jimmy Johnson, but that only got blogified this year).
We are all giant nuclear fireball now.
Dystopian? Moi? I take umbrage, sir, and I demand satisfaction.
Besides, this should be a happy time! Let's not bicker and argue about 'oo killed 'oo.
We are all giant nuclear fireball now.
Somebody set us up the bomb?
Fella goes away for a few years, and everyone forgets.
publish or perish.
No you are moribund, Stross is dystopian.
Fella goes away for a few years, and everyone forgets.
Years? Hell, I stopped for a couple weeks to move a few hundred miles, and people still refer to me in the past tense.
I'm never sure whether it's wistful or thankful past tense, but there you go.
I feel a great disturbance in the force.
And he channels Michael Palin. What's not to like?
Hey, I remember Beruby Beroobe Barubee that guy! Hockey, right? And The Beatles? Derrida, Foucalt, et al.? Wasn't there, like, a big Show Trial, or something? It didn't make any sense, and it was about that other guy who used to blog...Clerk? Clark? something...
Berube's smarter, better read, more literate, funnier, more acerbic, and more often right than 99.5% of the blogosphere...
Hey, he's at Penn State and he's dangerous. Maybe this is the guy to desecrate the Koran someone was looking for in yesterday's thread.
His posts about his son Jamie are some of the best ever to appear anywhere on the internet. For them alone, I adore the man.
Sven, you're remembering it wrong. Derrida and Foucault were not in the Beatles. You're thinking of the Velvet Underground. Hope that helps.
Michael's spectral, not marginal. See Derrida's _White Light, Blank Sheet_ (Stanford University Press, 1992).
Right, right...thanks Chris. I alwyas get my Sixties Supergroups confused. Coincidentally, I was just listening to Jonathan Richman and the Postmodern Lovers in my car.
p.s. Colin, that was funny.
Hmmm...OK.
Dickens's (Charlie, that Pommie bloke) motto was 'why use one word when ten will suffice.'
Bérubé seems to have taken that to heart.
"I teach American literature and cultural studies at Penn State University. And I am very dangerous. Boo."
zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz...
Thanks, PZ, for directing us to this guy's blog. Bérubé manages to churn out one absolutely priceless post after another. And for once, gosh darnit!, he's from that academic demarcation line's dreaded other side! That's totally awesome.
^_^J.