(no subject)
it's funny when people misread RAW, the original anti-Da-Vinci-Code-style conspiracy theory writer, as "another da vinci code lecture." Helps to realize that RAW wrote Illuminatus! in the seventies, about the sixties, and there was no talk of da vinci codes at the time. He wrote several volumes (esp. the Cosmic Trigger trilogy) of informed and amusing conspiracy theory which had the overall effect not of convincing idiots and selling millions, but rather of demonstrating the absurdity, incoherence, and even incomprehensibility of sombunall conspiracy theorist belief. I'm sure he's laughing from beyond Chapel Perilous at the irony.
if you like Da Vinci code and and believe in the theories, this will provide much historical background and context, from the point of view of a very learned literary novelist and critic, as well as a scientifically-trained skeptic.
If you hate the Da Vinci code because it is based on shoddy history, this will provide much entertainment as he's basically laughing at the absurdity of the urgency with which people rush to interpretation of these murky historical mysteries, based as they are on so few details--however suggestive. RAW is hip to postmodern problems of interpretation and especially perceptual psychology, but is also generous in charitably interpreting conspiracy theories based on the power of the suggestions that weird historical facts can lead us to. It's a valuable study in human psychology, not just some conspiracy trip he's laying on you. don't believe a word he says cuz that's the last thing he'd want you to do.
if you like Da Vinci code and and believe in the theories, this will provide much historical background and context, from the point of view of a very learned literary novelist and critic, as well as a scientifically-trained skeptic.
If you hate the Da Vinci code because it is based on shoddy history, this will provide much entertainment as he's basically laughing at the absurdity of the urgency with which people rush to interpretation of these murky historical mysteries, based as they are on so few details--however suggestive. RAW is hip to postmodern problems of interpretation and especially perceptual psychology, but is also generous in charitably interpreting conspiracy theories based on the power of the suggestions that weird historical facts can lead us to. It's a valuable study in human psychology, not just some conspiracy trip he's laying on you. don't believe a word he says cuz that's the last thing he'd want you to do.