The Saint
Ever the critic
Rhona Scullion talks dreams and disapproval
My mistake was sitting in the middle of the lecture theatre, making a quick exit impossible. Literary Theory and Criticism was never going to be a barrel of laughs, lets face it, but normally I would never suffer the duration.
Instead I generally slink out; head bowed in the shame of a clear lack of dedication to my subject, and make my way to the nearest coffee shop until I have to brave my next one. But due to my lapse in judgement on this day I actually followed a far larger proportion of the superfluous words than normal, which incidentally proved that my decision to miss all of the previous lectures were made in good faith.
It only took ten minutes to outline all the reasons why I despise literary criticism. Never in my life had I heard such self-indulgent bilge. Had he written a best seller, contributed to literature in any significant way or created something that people could relate to, escape into or be inspired by? Because who doesnt sit down with a mug of tea on the sofa, a biscuit in one hand and a nice bit of literary criticism in the other?
Yet this need to criticise, to talk down or rubbish whatever or whoever you can, is a hallmark of our society. The idea of fulfilling your potential, even thinking you have any potential at all, is often positively frowned upon. The concept that you should settle for whatever you are lucky enough to be granted doesnt belong in our time yet permeates it to all degrees.
There are so many more opportunities nowadays, yet we are often not seriously encouraged to embrace them. The world is your oyster. The sky is your limit. You can do anything if you put your mind to it. These are the phrases we are fed until we actually start mentioning things we might like to do, go to or see, and then suddenly the mantra changes. Their reply is: why? Why do you want to go there? Why do you want to do that? Why is this not good enough for you?
The fact is; it is good enough. But dreams arent made from that. They are the stuff of sheer idealism, which we should help to indulge as far as it will go. After all, why shouldnt we aim for the best that we can get instead of settling for the easiest option? There shouldnt be a stigma attached to reaching for the stars.
If you ask people what makes them different or special, wouldnt they answer with their achievements and accomplished dreams? Of course both of these are subjective terms and relative to the individual, yet that is all the more reason to celebrate them. They are what you believe will make you happy, either by making money, an impression or a legacy. However, most people, no matter how unrealistic, dream of something that will make a difference be it to society or a specific person.
Yet sitting in that lecture hall (with as I recall a bit of a hangover) I was at a loss as to who could possibly benefit from the supposed knowledge that was assaulting my ears. There was no method of improvement offered. Indeed the hypocrisy of his statement that those he criticised were far more intelligent than him, seemed a bit lacking in sincerity as he proposed that the concept of their work was not their own.
My final thought concerning the matter then, was that if his dream had been to criticise the result of other peoples, well, he must have been one sad child.
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