Edwin "Bud" Shrake on Women

I'm a reader.  I enjoy fiction, particularly classics and most American Literature.  From time to time, I'll post and perhaps comment on particular stories I've read that somehow resonate or provide thought-provoking commentary.  Up first, is Bud Shrake's stirring commentary about women in his 1964 under-acclaimed novel But Not For Love.  If you haven't read this, it's definitely a must read and highly recommended. 

The character Ben Carpenter, who is going through a divorce, says:

I want about the same thing ever man wants," Ben said.  "What I want is a woman who's an extension of myself.  Somebody who doesn't give me a hard time and who thinks I'm great.  I want a woman that I can feel like it's you and me against the world, baby, and screw all them people out there.  I don't want a lover.  I'm all burnt out on that.  I want something better.  A companion.  A partner.  A helper.  I don't know what you'd call it.  Somebody who won't argue about ever damned thing and act like she's having a rotten time.  That's all I want.  But where you gonna find a woman like that?  They quit making 'em about fifty years ago. 

You could probably find one," she said.  "But I don't know if you'd like it."

"Are you serious?  Ever woman says she's one of those and they all think they mean it for a while.  But it doesn't take long for them to decide their man ain't the king but is some kind of semiarticulate fool that's supposed to go to the PTA meetings and keep his mouth shut and not insist on too much lovemaking or any dirty stuff in bed and keep his eyes off other women and be a humble cowardly father who pays all the bills and hurries home from work so the television can blast his brains out and the kids can jump up and down on him and he can carry out the garbage and cut the grass and trim the petunias.  He's got to be home so his loving wife will have a target to bounce her complaints off of and can tell him what an utter disappointment he's turned out to be and ask him what's happened to their perfect burning love.  Love.  Piss on it."

Forgive the Lack of Activity

Please forgive the lack of constant activity on my blog while I still come to grips with the fact that I'm actually blogging.  See, the most difficult aspect of becoming a blogger, at least as far as I'm concerned, is coming to the realization that what I have to say may actually appeal to someone out there.  Once I'm able to reconcile this internal conflict, I'll be a more active blogger...or I'll just scoot on off (or remain, depending on your perspective) into obscurity.  I'm trying, people, I really am, and I also have lots to say.  I'm just not sure whether any of it is important enough to publish for the universe.  I'm also trying to determine just the route I want to take with this blog.  I have an idea, as I've previously mentioned, but I'm also trying to ascertain whether a mixture of fiction, perhaps some alleghorical statement, essay format, or some combination of all the aforementioned is the best avenue. 

So forgive me while I battle with myself.  I'll try to come to some conclusions soon.

Why Am I Joining the World of Bloggers?

Fair question, indeed.  Part of me finds blogging to be a small part of the problem our country is facing, allowing unqualified persons to spout information and opinions without any sort of truth or veracity in a world that seems to look exclusively to Snopes.com for validation of their opinions or blatant falsehoods.  So I hate to exacerbate the problem but feel we need a forum to point out the unintelligble arguments from those who seem to garner the most attention.  I also realize I set myself up for extreme criticism for some of the opinions I may render.  That's OK.  As long as the argument is a logical one, it's not beyond me to admit when I'm wrong.  However, as MLK surmised in his Letter From Birmingham Jail, if you're not a reasonable person with a reasonable argument, though you have a right to your opinion, you don't have a right to be taken seriously.  So, if you disagree with something I post, I encourage you to come at me, hit me with your best shot, but just do so logically, not emotionally. 


Living in a culture of extreme narcissism--where politicians from both parties (the ones that matter anyway) promote family values while running off to exotic locales with their mistresses, where parents don't parent because they're too focused on their own selfish desires, where corrupt police maliciously abuse their powers, or incompetent teachers unjudiciously give debilitating grades to students because of personality conflicts, where job seekers intentionally fabricate their experiences and accomplishments, and sports franchise owners intentionally lie to their fanbases, where legislators strike back-room deals with colleagues and sell their votes on legislation they know little, if anything, about but that has far-reaching implications that can cripple an industry (all is fair game here)--this blog is for those of us who are tired of the baselessness and ignorance American pop culture is cultivating.  This site is an attempt to expose phonies for what they are and hopefully also will provide a basis for intellectual discourse in a world or at least country that doesn't seem to value it as much as it once did. 

Articles I find interesting, perhaps included with personal commentary, can be found here. And if nobody but myself reads this blog, that's fine too. It will be therapeutic, at least in some small regard, for me.  If I offend, I apologize.  If it's warranted, perhaps not so much.