And Then Some News

And Then Some News

We  have been busy updating our look on Edgar E. Willis' web site.  It has a cleaner smoother look, and is easier to navigate.  Pop over and check it out.  Just click the link at the top of our home page.  While your there be sure to watch Edgar's videos on How to be Funny on Purpose - An Anatomy of Humor and Civilian in an Ill-fitting Uniform: A Memoir of World War II.  You can also read the first chapter of his book Civilian in an Ill-fitting Uniform. I guarantee it is worth the look.

Thursday's And Then Some Essay preview:

Thursday’s essay is called, "Through words, you become the architect of your own reality."  The main problem with catchwords, buzzphrases, and quickie concepts is that they are simply a form of entertainment that anyone can perform.  They connect people instantly and can keep conversations bobbing with humor and liveliness, but they work against taking ourselves seriously.  They are accessible, but they reveal no depth.   They are easy to understand, easygoing, and pleasant, but there is no substance attached to them.   Pop language is fun, useful, and free in the same way that advertising-supported media is fun, useful, and “free,” but there are obvious trade-offs, and the most important one is thought replacement. 

Through words, you become the architect of your own reality
by Richard L. Weaver II

Excerpt:
If you are like me you are feeling immersed (submerged?) in a world of popular catchwords, buzzphrases, and quickie concepts that Americans seem unable to communicate without using.  This verbal kudzu tells more about how we think than we think.   There is no doubt that many of these words and phrases—when used in the proper context—pack rhetorical oomph and social punch, but, as Savan notes, “today’s pop talk projects a personality that has mastered the simulation of conversation.  It’s a sort of air guitar for the lips, seeking not so much communication as a confirmation that...hey, we’re cool (pp. 10-11).”

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