Things I learned in Cultural Studies...

No one seems to be able to define what "cultural studies" is. Really, this isn't a major problem unless every exploration of culture in its myriad modes of interpretation becomes a defense of an academic field that has yet to be clearly defined. This happens a lot when scholars write on video games or comics books. They feel the need to spend so much time defending the act of analyzing the work that the analysis becomes secondary.

Speaking of defensive, apparently the only way to critique something is to shit upon it and then remark that you are surprised at your own ability to remain even-handed and neutral when discussing something so clearly abhorrent. It's a good thing I don't ding when my bullshit meter goes off. I don't think the class noticed my involuntary twitching.

The problem I am running into with this class is that the class (the people in the room, not the subject being taught..though perhaps this class is indicative of the larger field) isn't willing to participate in the critique. They don't want to make note of their own vested (economic and otherwise) interest in elevating a particular definition of culture and the means by which we perpetuate it. Who better than English masters' candidates to determine merit in a work (ok, perhaps the tenured PhD.s who have assigned us to read what they determine has merit...) It's asinine to assume that our interest is all "sweetness and light" to quote tonight's reading. Of course we think that reading is paramount and that reading poetry has benefits beyond paltry, utilitarian enterprises like making money or watching TV. We want to make money reading poetry and then telling why its paramount and beneficial to do so. It doesn't demean our purpose to admit it either.

I fundamentally disagree with the pursuit of perfection. Maybe that worked for Matthew Arnold. Maybe that's how he got around to writing "Dover Beach." Me, I like total fuckin' chaos. Perfection breeds a falsified sense of the sacredNo one seems to be able to define what "cultural studies" is. Really, this isn't a major problem unless every exploration of culture in its myriad modes of interpretation becomes a defense of an academic field that has yet to be clearly defined. This happens a lot when scholars write on video games or comics books. They feel the need to spend so much time defending the act of analyzing the work that the analysis becomes secondary.

Also, "historicismality" is not a word. It's not going to be a word because it sounds like shit and means nothing. And you said signifier when you meant signified. The utterance means nothing.

I don't want anything I do to be so sacrosanct I can't deconstruct it. I don't want to sit in a classroom completely unaware (more to the point unwilling to consider) that I am actively engaged in the activity I deride.

(on a semi-related note, if I think of nothing else I might write my course paper on whether Raymond Williams would tweet.)