[NewMusic] pretentious bullshit (was no subject)

Sat Oct 13 00:50:22 PDT 2007

No, clearly you didn't understand that I was suggesting that the word was much more subjective than was previously suggested...

>What part of Sarah's email says that people are using the word "wrong"?
Hmmmm....

well maybe the...
> Talk about a misused word ... 
part....

and no, I don't think you need to dumb things down (I like things to be TOTALLY eggheadded, although I really don't like, probably very much like Sarah, when people overvalue what they are doing, thinking etc...for me the important part of the definition is .... the "expressive of affected, unwarranted, or exaggerated importance, worth, or stature" part...), just that one person's resonable conversation ~MAY~ be another's pretentious bullshit...(and that is PERFECTLY within the dictionary definition of pretentious...) and that it DOESN'T only pertain to 
"a putting up a false front, implying knowledge or expertise that one does not have."

remember that to the person in Sarah's fictitious conversation, the conversation ~COULD~ be somewhat like...

"Oh, they are using language I think is excessive, or discussing things I don't belive are worthy of such notible attention, and I like to think I'm smart and that I know about this subject, but they have gone off the deep end."

and maybe they are correct...I'm just saying that it is MUCH more subjective than what she suggested...

lettuce

----- Original Message ----
From: weasel walter <weaselw at juno.com>
To: newmusic at music.mills.edu
Cc: newmusic at music.mills.edu
Sent: Saturday, October 13, 2007 12:09:51 AM
Subject: Re: [NewMusic] pretentious bullshit (was no subject)

Awesome. You just gave her a slap down for saying almost the exact same
thing as you did. With one notable exception, which ironically fits this
exact situation: that part about people who cry "pretension"...It was the
part in her super long, tiresome, pretentious email that went like: "Oh,
waah, they are using language I don't know, or discussing things I don't
understand or find boring, and I like to think I'm smart and that I know
everything worth knowing." You pretended to read her email, and then
responded like you were responding to something she said.
What part of Sarah's email says that people are using the word "wrong"?
Does your being unpretentious = it's cool that you can't read nuance?
Your response was like some zen koan of pure unadulterated pretension. A
beautiful, amazing, perfect illustration. Thanks.
Does specialization mean pretension? Does everyone need to talk like a
retard to make everyone else happy? If so, then in the interest of fair
play, everyone who plays an instrument should bind their hands and feet,
or at least make an effort to not play as well.
The argument for this would go something like: "Expert musicians, your
playing, which I cannot emulate, is completely pretentious. I hereby make
the judgement that each one of you is individually 'making demands on
one's skill, ability, or means : ambitious', even if what you're doing is
easy for you. For shame! I could go on to make the ridiculous statement
that your skills piss me off, or maybe the equally ridiculous statement
that your skills make me feel not as good about myself."
The solution to these "problems" is for us all to take notes from
Vonnegut's Harrison Bergeron, and then Sarah will finally be shut up, and
Lettuce be satisfied.
martha corey
On Fri, 12 Oct 2007 23:16:34 -0700 (PDT) Ron Lettuce
<letucepry at yahoo.com> writes:
> Sarah Be Wrong AGAIN...HMMM....doesn't have the ring of the lettuce
> be wrong thing...but anyway...
>
> Please see b: and Yeah, they probably are using the word correctly,
> and it's a VERY good blanket word to boot especially when referring
> to unwarranted or exaggerated importance, worth or stature...
>
> 1: characterized by pretension: as a: making usually unjustified or
> excessive claims (as of value or standing) <the pretentious fraud
> who assumes a love of culture that is alien to him — Richard Watts>
> b: expressive of affected, unwarranted, or exaggerated importance,
> worth, or stature <pretentious language> <pretentious houses>2:
> making demands on one's skill, ability, or means : ambitious <the
> pretentious daring of the Green Mountain Boys in crossing the lake —
> American Guide Series: Vermont>
>
> mind you, I'm not calling anyone pretentious...I just have a chip on
> my shoulder about pretentious attitudes...
>
>
> lettuce
>
> ----- Original Message ----
> From: Sarah Lockhart <21grand at 21grand.org>
> To: NewMusic at music.mills.edu
> Sent: Friday, October 12, 2007 7:17:19 PM
> Subject: [NewMusic] pretentious bullshit (was no subject)
>
> Talk about a misused word ... so many of the instances I hear
> someone use
> the word "pretentious" it is the user not the referent that is
> actually
> pretentious.  Most of the time the implication is "Oh, waah, they
> are
> using language I don't know, or discussing things I don't understand
> or
> find boring, and I like to think I'm smart and that I know
> everything
> worth knowing."
>
> On the other hand, I'd be dishonest were I to say pretentiousness
> doesn't
> piss me off. My understanding of the word (and what pisses me off)
> is
> basically putting up a false front, implying knowledge or expertise
> that
> one does not have. This usually entails, the person calling
> "pretentious"
> knowing enough to see through the pretense.
>
> sl
>
>
>
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