There's no circumstance in which slapping a person in the face is a learning experience for the recipient. Dahlai Lama or Bishop, it's an act of power and violence passed off as religious enlightenment.
You're so wrong. When prune-y Bishop Schmidt walloped me, it was love. I said, "Disappear your two-incher inside me." I shouted, "Make me your vessel!"
History buffs will recognize that the name of these hats was stolen from the god of early Christianity‘s main competitor-the Mithrans. Our proud and sacred religious history is A LOT more pagan than most give credit for. Mithras was born on Dec 25th. Was part of a Holy Trinity. Was a bringer of light and resurrected, if memory serves. Early Christians met & held rituals underground, just as the earlier Mithrans did. Only problem: Mithras was a volcano god-he drew his power from the underworld if you get my meaning…
I thought it was widely understood that many religious beliefs and traditions are entirely derivated from pagan history of one flavor or another.
It's well established that the guy known as Jesus wasn't born in December, yet there are those who still insist that it's a sacred day!
Notwithstanding all of that, I was glad to see Ukraine celebrating Xmas on 25 December this year, finally giving the finger to the Russian tradition of 7 January.
Be careful Chuck, Milo Yinnapolous had to resign from Breitbart because of a comment he made on a podcast, The Drunken Peasants, stating the reason why he sucks dick well is because he was molested by a Catholic priest. It was a pretty crazy story. Recently, he's become a devout Christian and opened a gay conversion facility. Pray the Gay away.
Yes sir, Sister Theresa slapped me across the face 1st grade - in front of father. Didn't realize till just now she introduced me to minimalism. Maybe that's why I always liked that style of writing (without noting the name)......
The most important lesson that I ever learned from violence is that human beings are unpredictable, volatile, and irrational. Expecting people to be reasonable is terribly naïve.
I thought people processed the world like me, but got many rude awakenings to the fact that my ego does not apply to others. But adapting to that provided useful skills.
I guess the core of what Im talking about is the fact that we need adversity. That shouldn't be in the form of unwarranted violence against children. But we do not do well with easy lives.
Every time I agree with you, my heart swells. Then there’s the anxiety of failing to see that translate into my writing, and that I might never be able to appreciate your forebears the way I admire your distillation of their efforts. Maybe that will come later but for now... I have a lot to learn.
You’re onto something with the induction stuff. I’ve thought about that too, decomposing what it’s good story. I had urged myself to subvert expectations.
Gosh, I so want to be able to write a beautiful sentence like the way Hempel does. Every time I even attempt to put together a sentence remotely close to one of hers, I cringe.
Fantastic post, Chuck. You also play a great butcher.
I have bought Hempel's collection because of your recommendation. Haven't really dove into the book yet but this post makes me hesitate even more. I'm still in the matrix, please don't force that red pill on me! I cannot go back.
Even reading your work has lessened the enjoyment of other works. My favorite short story in Make Something Up is still Knock Knock. It's like listening to a piece of music.
I don't know whether to slap you like a bishop, or admired your meat like a butcher.
The rap with the cane brings satori is another way it is described. I've experienced it before but now you have me thinking about how to do it in my writing.
Chuck, there is a trick that I call “the twist.” It’s either “shock induction” or similar. Sara Gran is a master. You get details that lead you to expect one conclusion, but instead you get something unexpected, that in the shock seems even more honest.
If I can shamelessly quote myself as an example:
“Eddie says my lips bring him back after every escape. Says kissing anyone else feels like kissing the dirty, sticky floor.
Let’s pray Eddie stays long gone.”
It’s a set-up, then slap. The slap not being burnt tongue, but being something unexpected.
Poe. Chaucer. And I keep sucking off The Great Gatsby.
Love me the Miller’s Tale
So minimalism is like getting slapped in the face repeatedly by a bunch of hands you can’t see? I dig it.
Right. Similar to how people reviled early music videos because of the quick cuts and subversion. Welcome to not-Flaubert.
I cite Flaubert because writing folk attribute Modernism to him.
Keep em off balance and you'll keep em interested.
I miss Denis Johnson. Jesus' Son and Nobody Move were both brilliant books.
After workshop-Ryan read 'Jesus's Son' he was transformed. His writing exploded. This past week he slayed it.
There's no circumstance in which slapping a person in the face is a learning experience for the recipient. Dahlai Lama or Bishop, it's an act of power and violence passed off as religious enlightenment.
You're so wrong. When prune-y Bishop Schmidt walloped me, it was love. I said, "Disappear your two-incher inside me." I shouted, "Make me your vessel!"
If memory serves.
I didn't even know that Catholics did this to children. The slapping part, I mean, not the other bit.
Vatican II reduced the slap to a pat, but our Bishop was Old School.
The Bishops must have been awfully disappointed..
So glad I'm not a Catholic. Although I have to admire the craft of the elaborate frocks and hats and slippers worn by the all male leadership teams.
Ha, the nuns did most of the slapping.
Of course they did. It's in their KPIs.
History buffs will recognize that the name of these hats was stolen from the god of early Christianity‘s main competitor-the Mithrans. Our proud and sacred religious history is A LOT more pagan than most give credit for. Mithras was born on Dec 25th. Was part of a Holy Trinity. Was a bringer of light and resurrected, if memory serves. Early Christians met & held rituals underground, just as the earlier Mithrans did. Only problem: Mithras was a volcano god-he drew his power from the underworld if you get my meaning…
I thought it was widely understood that many religious beliefs and traditions are entirely derivated from pagan history of one flavor or another.
It's well established that the guy known as Jesus wasn't born in December, yet there are those who still insist that it's a sacred day!
Notwithstanding all of that, I was glad to see Ukraine celebrating Xmas on 25 December this year, finally giving the finger to the Russian tradition of 7 January.
Be careful Chuck, Milo Yinnapolous had to resign from Breitbart because of a comment he made on a podcast, The Drunken Peasants, stating the reason why he sucks dick well is because he was molested by a Catholic priest. It was a pretty crazy story. Recently, he's become a devout Christian and opened a gay conversion facility. Pray the Gay away.
Right? Only a few years down the road from his Dangerous Faggot Tour.
Yes sir, Sister Theresa slapped me across the face 1st grade - in front of father. Didn't realize till just now she introduced me to minimalism. Maybe that's why I always liked that style of writing (without noting the name)......
The most important lesson that I ever learned from violence is that human beings are unpredictable, volatile, and irrational. Expecting people to be reasonable is terribly naïve.
I wasn't commenting on whether or not people are reasonable, only on the content and context given.
Violence, per se, is a much larger topic.
I was referring to myself. Expect people to be reasonable, people are violent for no reason, loss of naivete.
Even within that context, I don't think it's naive to expect other people to behave reasonably. That's a normal default.
Humans, alas, are a great deal more unhinged, angry, and completely irrational than we like to imagine them to be.
I thought people processed the world like me, but got many rude awakenings to the fact that my ego does not apply to others. But adapting to that provided useful skills.
I guess the core of what Im talking about is the fact that we need adversity. That shouldn't be in the form of unwarranted violence against children. But we do not do well with easy lives.
Every time I agree with you, my heart swells. Then there’s the anxiety of failing to see that translate into my writing, and that I might never be able to appreciate your forebears the way I admire your distillation of their efforts. Maybe that will come later but for now... I have a lot to learn.
Just be aware. You'll see it often Then you can use it. Promise.
You’re onto something with the induction stuff. I’ve thought about that too, decomposing what it’s good story. I had urged myself to subvert expectations.
But anyways, what is Hemingway then? And Carver?
Hemingway = spare late Modernism
Carver = early Minimalism
Love Raymond Carver and love when people bring him up
Agreed!
You introduced me to Hempel, a slap in the face and the best gift ever.
Gosh, I so want to be able to write a beautiful sentence like the way Hempel does. Every time I even attempt to put together a sentence remotely close to one of hers, I cringe.
Fantastic post, Chuck. You also play a great butcher.
I have bought Hempel's collection because of your recommendation. Haven't really dove into the book yet but this post makes me hesitate even more. I'm still in the matrix, please don't force that red pill on me! I cannot go back.
Even reading your work has lessened the enjoyment of other works. My favorite short story in Make Something Up is still Knock Knock. It's like listening to a piece of music.
I don't know whether to slap you like a bishop, or admired your meat like a butcher.
It’s interesting. Even recently I received some negative feedback on being minimalist in my books, but then I have readers who love it.
The rap with the cane brings satori is another way it is described. I've experienced it before but now you have me thinking about how to do it in my writing.
Loved this. Looking forward to further “induction” methods
Chuck, there is a trick that I call “the twist.” It’s either “shock induction” or similar. Sara Gran is a master. You get details that lead you to expect one conclusion, but instead you get something unexpected, that in the shock seems even more honest.
If I can shamelessly quote myself as an example:
“Eddie says my lips bring him back after every escape. Says kissing anyone else feels like kissing the dirty, sticky floor.
Let’s pray Eddie stays long gone.”
It’s a set-up, then slap. The slap not being burnt tongue, but being something unexpected.
From my recently published story in Outcast Press’ Diner Noir Anthology. You can read the rest here: https://open.substack.com/pub/outcastpress/p/help-wanted
Please read, everybody!
😀😀😀
Love this, looking forward for further induction method
Does induction boost traffic for readers?
I hadn't read Amy Hempel's work until I saw your recommendation in Consider This and it was a total revelation.
I started with her collection, Sing to It, and loved it. "Full-Service Shelter" nearly killed me. So good, so devastating.
Hempel sent me an early draft of 'Full-Service Shelter' and I wept.