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Re: [microsound] State of Music



graham millerwrote:

> writing in a unique or unorthodox style does not necessarily imply
> 'ambiguity.' to
> be honest, my stuff is really straight forward and easy to understand. try
> reading
> richard middleton's book on popular music and we can start talking about
> ambiguity.
> or many of the posts here, for that matter. many so-called academics hide
> behind
> verbosity and this crystalline veneer of bullshit disguised as intelligence...
> as
> einstein said, 'things should be made as simple as possible but not simpler.'
> and

Graham I totally agree. Which really was my point about Derrida.  Its not
that theoretical texts should be made simple (this would be severely
limiting), rather they should be rigorous. That is, they should careful,
cover their argument from many different angles, and not be open to
misinterpretation (ambiguity). If a theoretical text can achieve this while
going outside of academic conventions then all the better. This is why I
like Derrida's writing - it is unconventional but never ambiguous. As for
your writing - well, I must say I have not read it so I can't comment. I was
not really referring to your work I'm sorry If you thought I was. I meant it
as a general criticism of a certain type of writing.



> to be honest, i could give a flying fuck who's reading my work. if they
> don't  get it, it's their problem, so long as i'm proud with what i've written
> and i believe in it.

Oh come on, you don't mean that. Each text constructs a certain reader.
There is no universal reader. Even if you write just for yourself you have
constructed a reader which in this case is yourself. If you are writing a
thesis then someone must be reading it, and you must care if they
understand, or are even convinced by your argument (unless the thesis
doesn't have one).

> just like music, baby. nothing moves forward by adhering to convention.
> 

Yes I agree, but as Julian said: "There is something about a mastery of the
conventions which enriches the subversion of them."
> g.
> 
> 
> 
> 
>> 
>> 
>> After all that, texts are always written with a particular reader in mind.
>> Generally a Masters thesis which is expected to present a strong and unique
>> argument in view of a distinct problem, is written for a reader who's
>> reading of it will conform to standard academic (not to mention Anglo
>> Analytic tradition) practice.
> 
> 
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