I empathize with your plight regarding speaking and teaching engagements.
The U.S. Military learned two things during the Vietnam "war".
1-Get an all-volunteer army.
2-Don't let the press know what you're doing.
I've only read 2 books about Vietnam, "A Rumor of War" by Phil Caputo and "Memoirs of a Viet Cong" by Truong Nhu Tang. Learned more in those 2 books than 20 Vietnam movies.
Howard Stern has become Corporate. Can't remember if he was on the "Ellen" show before or after she had the wife (Laura) of War Criminal Bush on her show ?
Stern is a big proponent of vaccinations.
Back in the mid-sixties, residing in Buffalo, NY, the family living upstairs from us had just bought a Color TV. We went up there and stared at the NBC Peacock for 20 minutes lol.
From personal experience, I can say that there is something tragic about the musician, who must constantly listen to music as part of studying his craft. For just as you say, by listening to music regularly, we become inured to its wonder. And of course, the wonder of experiencing music is the very thing that inspires a person to become a musician in the first place. The seed of the musician's love of music must be offered up as a sort of sacrifice.
"So far, I’ve recounted my avoidance of television, the car and recorded music. All three are escapist tools that allow you to transcend bodily limitations. With TV and canned tunes, you’re instantly transported somewhere else, a magical operation."
To tell the truth, this (in part, at least) describes what books do for me, and I'm not just talking about pulp fiction and other trash. Reading the greats can transport you into an entirely different universe (and no cord needed, either!).
"Canceled as an author, I’m writing for maybe 600 people, whom I deeply appreciate, don’t get me wrong, but it’s still a tiny coterie, akin to, say, The Badminton Association For Left Handed Albinos in Glasgow, Montana."
Do you really consider yourself "cancelled"? I still see your books for sale on line. I also checked your page in Wikipedia, and it doesn't contain any of the common and usual smears associated with those having "unacceptable" views. In any case, 600 is a respectable following, about 595 more than I could attract even if I tried!
Hi Just Plain Bill, I lost two publishers, Seven Stories and Chax, so I'm definitely canceled. My Wikipedia page has been cleaned up by somebody, so the slanderous lies are gone. I had a 500-page Collected Poems ready to go to the printer, then Chax canceled the book. I was supposed to have a book of poems translated into Danish, but haven't heard from the translator in more than three years. Most of my literary friends have stopped talking to me.
Hi Just Plain Bill, I used to be invited to teach or talk all over, with my last job at the University of Leipzig in Germany. I taught at UPenn and was a visiting writer at UC Berkeley. Then everything stopped, at least in the US. The Australians didn't quite get the memo, so a university over there flew me to Macau to give talks and readings in 2019 at a festival it organized. It was a fluke. Before I was canceled, I was invited to Singapore, Germany and Iceland. I was on Icelandic television. I think the Japanese still like me. The Japanese version of my Postcards from the End of America got serious coverage in major newspapers. In the US, only the Washington Post reviewed it, to say that it sucks. I'm telling you all this to give you a better idea of what this scene is like.
Ah, yes, I remember now that you wrote something awhile back about Chax dropping you. So sorry to hear about all that. Have you considered publishing them yourself, or do your sales depend too much on the promotion a publisher would provide?
I disagree that we do not have an impact. We do, even if limited. The problem is that it's still too little. Also, the other problem is, most people are really dumb. They just cannot recognize that they are being scammed. Or perhaps it's as Mark Twain said, something to the lines of "it is easier to be fooled than to accept that you have been fooled". People don't want to appear as fools who have been tricked, even if they were.
Linh
I empathize with your plight regarding speaking and teaching engagements.
The U.S. Military learned two things during the Vietnam "war".
1-Get an all-volunteer army.
2-Don't let the press know what you're doing.
I've only read 2 books about Vietnam, "A Rumor of War" by Phil Caputo and "Memoirs of a Viet Cong" by Truong Nhu Tang. Learned more in those 2 books than 20 Vietnam movies.
Howard Stern has become Corporate. Can't remember if he was on the "Ellen" show before or after she had the wife (Laura) of War Criminal Bush on her show ?
Stern is a big proponent of vaccinations.
Back in the mid-sixties, residing in Buffalo, NY, the family living upstairs from us had just bought a Color TV. We went up there and stared at the NBC Peacock for 20 minutes lol.
Mary Ann > Ginger
Bill
Linh, this is one of my favorites pieces of yours. I've read it over several times already. Thank you for writing.
That's the reason Ukraine is suffering...
Selensky performing this ugly display of western values.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q03bxr2s8Zs
From personal experience, I can say that there is something tragic about the musician, who must constantly listen to music as part of studying his craft. For just as you say, by listening to music regularly, we become inured to its wonder. And of course, the wonder of experiencing music is the very thing that inspires a person to become a musician in the first place. The seed of the musician's love of music must be offered up as a sort of sacrifice.
Glad I found this blog.
Spencer Brown
"So far, I’ve recounted my avoidance of television, the car and recorded music. All three are escapist tools that allow you to transcend bodily limitations. With TV and canned tunes, you’re instantly transported somewhere else, a magical operation."
To tell the truth, this (in part, at least) describes what books do for me, and I'm not just talking about pulp fiction and other trash. Reading the greats can transport you into an entirely different universe (and no cord needed, either!).
"Canceled as an author, I’m writing for maybe 600 people, whom I deeply appreciate, don’t get me wrong, but it’s still a tiny coterie, akin to, say, The Badminton Association For Left Handed Albinos in Glasgow, Montana."
Do you really consider yourself "cancelled"? I still see your books for sale on line. I also checked your page in Wikipedia, and it doesn't contain any of the common and usual smears associated with those having "unacceptable" views. In any case, 600 is a respectable following, about 595 more than I could attract even if I tried!
Hi Just Plain Bill, I lost two publishers, Seven Stories and Chax, so I'm definitely canceled. My Wikipedia page has been cleaned up by somebody, so the slanderous lies are gone. I had a 500-page Collected Poems ready to go to the printer, then Chax canceled the book. I was supposed to have a book of poems translated into Danish, but haven't heard from the translator in more than three years. Most of my literary friends have stopped talking to me.
My Obscured Americans manuscript was under consideration at Seven Stories Press, and that's canceled.
Hi Just Plain Bill, I used to be invited to teach or talk all over, with my last job at the University of Leipzig in Germany. I taught at UPenn and was a visiting writer at UC Berkeley. Then everything stopped, at least in the US. The Australians didn't quite get the memo, so a university over there flew me to Macau to give talks and readings in 2019 at a festival it organized. It was a fluke. Before I was canceled, I was invited to Singapore, Germany and Iceland. I was on Icelandic television. I think the Japanese still like me. The Japanese version of my Postcards from the End of America got serious coverage in major newspapers. In the US, only the Washington Post reviewed it, to say that it sucks. I'm telling you all this to give you a better idea of what this scene is like.
Ah, yes, I remember now that you wrote something awhile back about Chax dropping you. So sorry to hear about all that. Have you considered publishing them yourself, or do your sales depend too much on the promotion a publisher would provide?
I'm just focusing on writing for now, especially with many urgent issues to address.
I disagree that we do not have an impact. We do, even if limited. The problem is that it's still too little. Also, the other problem is, most people are really dumb. They just cannot recognize that they are being scammed. Or perhaps it's as Mark Twain said, something to the lines of "it is easier to be fooled than to accept that you have been fooled". People don't want to appear as fools who have been tricked, even if they were.
Another great one! Can't wait till we strap a monitor to our faces and immerse fully in the metaverse lol