http://www.thelandofunlikeness.com/2007/08/20/harry-potter-and-christianity-part-1-the-word-is-a-virus/ Catholic Anglican Reflections on Theology and Culture Fri, 26 Feb 2010 21:20:23 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 http://www.thelandofunlikeness.com/2007/08/20/harry-potter-and-christianity-part-1-the-word-is-a-virus/comment-page-1/#comment-257 Lana Pilogrusa Wed, 22 Aug 2007 17:32:15 +0000 http://thelandofunlikeness.com/2007/08/20/harry-potter-and-christianity-part-1-the-word-is-a-virus/#comment-257 This is very interesting and makes me want to try reading Burroughs again, or at least try diving into various parts of Naked Lunch and reading according to the cut-up logic this text embodies. Does Burroughs explicitly posit the thesis that written language precedes spoken language, or has this thesis been teased out of his writing by good readers? I wouldn't mind hearing more about the virus symbolism as well. Viral meaning contagious and constantly mutating? Viral meaning an endless possibility for re-writing using the same letters put in different sequences? Viral meaning that the biological mechanisms of the host--our cells and everything that makes us ourselves--are invaded because they're essential to the reproduction and proliferation of the word? This is very interesting and makes me want to try reading Burroughs again, or at least try diving into various parts of Naked Lunch and reading according to the cut-up logic this text embodies. Does Burroughs explicitly posit the thesis that written language precedes spoken language, or has this thesis been teased out of his writing by good readers? I wouldn’t mind hearing more about the virus symbolism as well. Viral meaning contagious and constantly mutating? Viral meaning an endless possibility for re-writing using the same letters put in different sequences? Viral meaning that the biological mechanisms of the host–our cells and everything that makes us ourselves–are invaded because they’re essential to the reproduction and proliferation of the word?

]]> http://www.thelandofunlikeness.com/2007/08/20/harry-potter-and-christianity-part-1-the-word-is-a-virus/comment-page-1/#comment-256 Janet Leslie Blumberg Wed, 22 Aug 2007 04:29:00 +0000 http://thelandofunlikeness.com/2007/08/20/harry-potter-and-christianity-part-1-the-word-is-a-virus/#comment-256 Okay, a virus?? Please say more about Burroughs saying the word is a virus. Whay would he -- being who he was -- say THAT? It sounds rather like Dawkins' much maligned and greatly loathed "meme," which replicates itself in the mind the way genes in nature replicate biological entities. Actually the meme idea doesn't bother me, as long as it isn't taken as the fundamental or only way language works. Okay, a virus?? Please say more about Burroughs saying the word is a virus. Whay would he — being who he was — say THAT?
It sounds rather like Dawkins’ much maligned and greatly loathed “meme,” which replicates itself in the mind the way genes in nature replicate biological entities. Actually the meme idea doesn’t bother me, as long as it isn’t taken as the fundamental or only way language works.

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