October 10, 2003

The New Catechism of Cliche

Posted by Kieran

Though it can never replace the old one, in what way is a new one needed?

Sorely.

When it is published online what must we read?

The whole thing.

What value do such posts hold for reading?

Much worth.

What sort of insightful are they?

Characteristically.

If we cannot devote the time to the whole piece which paragraph should we read?

The nut graf.

What can be moral?

Clarity.

What else?

Equivalence.

And?

Authority.

What can be even?

The New Republic.

What else?

The New York Times.

And?

Moderate Republicans.

What may the media be?

Mainstream. Liberal. Old.

What may any of these be called?

So.

What are facts?

Plain. Simple. Known.

What is done to facts?

Checking.

What are we fact-checking?

Their asses.

What may blogs get?

Results.

What is this blog not?

Your father’s.

Where are they?

Over at.

Where did we migrate from?

Blogger.

Where did we go?

To hell. (And back.)

What are we on?

Hiatus.

What are we in?

Indeed.

Posted on October 10, 2003 06:09 AM UTC
Comments

Where are we going?

Planet Ten.

When?

Real soon.

Posted by f00m@nB@r · October 10, 2003 06:50 AM

A pint of plain is your only man!

Posted by chris · October 10, 2003 08:09 AM

A pint of plain is your only man!

Posted by chris · October 10, 2003 08:10 AM

Heh.

Posted by Tom Scudder · October 10, 2003 10:40 AM

What des it do an old steam man’s heart to be reminded of the great O’Brien?

Good.

And how would The Brother have sorted out those scoundrels in the Whitehouse?

Well.

Posted by Nabakov · October 10, 2003 01:32 PM

What quote should we quote?

The money quote.

Posted by zaoem · October 10, 2003 02:19 PM

(applause)

Posted by Ted Barlow · October 10, 2003 02:44 PM

This obviously means something to you all but not to me - I’ll have to read it!

Posted by Ian · October 10, 2003 03:00 PM

tedious shit

Posted by herman · October 10, 2003 03:08 PM

Now, now Herman, I’m sure you can come up with a better way of introducing who you are and what you do.

Posted by Nabakov · October 10, 2003 03:14 PM

Shrill, shrill, shrill.

Posted by Kimon · October 10, 2003 07:01 PM
Further catechism:
What, as to the quality of solidity, imperviousness, and firmness, are facts?

Hard.

And as to temperature?

Cold.

With what do facts share this quality of frigidity?

Print.

To what do hard facts belong?

The situation.

And to what does a cold fact belong?

The matter.

What must we do to the hard facts of the situation?

Face up to them.

What does a cold fact frequently still do?

Remain.

And what is notoriously useless as a means of altering the hard facts of the situation?

All the talk in the world.

Is this killing you?

It certainly is.

Posted by S. Baum · October 10, 2003 08:47 PM

I got a blogroll, that’s meta than that
And nothing is meta than this
Is it?

Posted by joe bloggs · October 10, 2003 11:33 PM

Most importantly, however:

How do we begin?

Accepting responsibility as to a minor failing.

At this point, what is said?

That.

Whom may we now freely blame?

The other side.

How many we proceed in that endevour?

Unmercilessly.

Posted by pathos · October 11, 2003 02:45 AM

In what category and file do we place hypocrisy?

Rank.

What are twelve dozen misrepresentations?

Gross.

What’s costly or precious in the headlights?

Deer.

What must be done first, to get a crisis moving?

Budget.

Posted by dipnut · October 11, 2003 10:48 AM

And how would we describe this style of discourse?

Infectious.

Posted by Nabakov · October 11, 2003 11:38 AM

Keats and Chapman will be along shortly, I’m sure.

Posted by nick · October 13, 2003 08:42 PM
Followups

→ UPDATE.
Excerpt: Kieran Healy's been reading Unfogged!...Read more at Unfogged
→ http://www.nielsenhayden.com/electroside/archives/2003_10.html#003770.
Excerpt: The New Catechism of Cliché...Read more at Sidelights
→ Gregg Easterbrook is having a bad month.
Excerpt: Fresh from that thing about them greedy, violence-lovin’ jews (for which he paid a big price), Gregg Easterbrook posts something...Read more at Kieran Healy's Weblog

This discussion has been closed. Thanks to everyone who contributed.