On The Matters of Papistry

[PhuturePriest]

I have an established blog with nearly 500 views in the past few months. I am somewhat less sarcastic in it, and try to portray the facade that I'm not a sociopath.

The voices in my head say it's worth checking out.

http://onthemattersofpapistry.blogspot.com/

(Warning: I do talk about porn in several posts, but not in graphic detail.)

[Era Might]

You have a lot to learn young grasshopper, but you're cool. Keep writing.

[PhuturePriest]

This is more for the bystanders who go on Phatmass than anyone else, really. Phatmassers are more than welcome to read it, but I feel that you can't objectively read someone's works if you know them too well. You have preconceived notions of who they are, what they're like, and their authority on such matters that it greatly diminishes your ability to appreciate their work. I would never be able to appreciate anything written by my sister, not because it's not good, but because I simply know her too well and the biases of "this is my sister who said this" would overpower my ability to read it objectively. Since senior Phatmassers still view me as a 14 year old fetus, I don't have any expectations of them being able to read my blog posts in any other light than that of their baby brother vainly attempting to put words together, which is perfectly understandable.

I guess what I'm saying is that I'm not expecting many Phatmassers to like it because most of you have gotten too comfortable with me to really appreciate it objectively. There's a legitimacy that is inherent to writings by a person you don't know. The legitimacy due mystery, if you will.

[Era Might]

I don't think any writing can be appreciated objectively, unless it's a piece of technical writing, in which case who cares about it anyway? The more objective your writing becomes, the less I care about it. You of all people are the one who can appreciate your sister's writing in the way that matters most, because you know more than anyone whether it is true and real, whether it is something that came out of this actual person, or something that came out of a person trying to do what "writers" supposedly do. I was struck by your description of a soldier coming home and kissing his wife, as opposed to two teenagers making out. It's a good point as far as it goes...but it doesn't go very far, because there's a whole lot more to the story, both for the soldier and his wife, and the two teenagers. What you describe on the surface is just an idea, a nice idea of honest love, but what else goes on in those 4 minds? Homer's Odyssey is pretty much about the scene you describe, a soldier trying to get home to his wife. His arrival is a lot more complicated that we can imagine.

Anyway, I take your writing seriously, not because it's objectively great or true, but because it's subjectively you. 

[PhuturePriest]

I don't think any writing can be appreciated objectively, unless it's a piece of technical writing, in which case who cares about it anyway? The more objective your writing becomes, the less I care about it. You of all people are the one who can appreciate your sister's writing in the way that matters most, because you know more than anyone whether it is true and real, whether it is something that came out of this actual person, or something that came out of a person trying to do what "writers" supposedly do. I was struck by your description of a soldier coming home and kissing his wife, as opposed to two teenagers making out. It's a good point as far as it goes...but it doesn't go very far, because there's a whole lot more to the story, both for the soldier and his wife, and the two teenagers. What you describe on the surface is just an idea, a nice idea of honest love, but what else goes on in those 4 minds? Homer's Odyssey is pretty much about the scene you describe, a soldier trying to get home to his wife. His arrival is a lot more complicated that we can imagine.

Anyway, I take your writing seriously, not because it's objectively great or true, but because it's subjectively you. 

​I wrote that particular post quite a while ago, and I'm aware there are some major issues with it. I wrote it in a hurry and posted it before doing some major editing, unlike my newest blog post. There was quite a bit of writing, editing, adding, correcting, etc. I read the one you mention and reviewed it about twenty minutes ago, in fact, and I find some parts of it problematic, some parts of it too shallow, and a few parts good, but not fleshed out in the way they should be. I intend on editing it after I complete my next post "Out with the New, In with the Old".

And I don't know, maybe my family is just weird. We're not comfortable reading each other's writings because it seems far too personal and awkward. You're more than welcome to read my blog and even critique posts if you'd like, though. Nihil helped me with the latest one (it was his suggestion to add a paragraph from Libertas, in fact), but I could always use someone else to critique the writing aspect of it.

[Era Might]

What are you trying to get out of your blog writing? Just curious.

[PhuturePriest]

What are you trying to get out of your blog writing? Just curious.

​There's not really anything I'm attempting to "get out of it", really. I've always enjoyed writing and have a natural gift for it, and I just want to write about things I'm passionate about. I've always just written about things I wanted to write about, even when I was young. I remember when I was 11 and began writing McDonalds terrorist conspiracy theories, simply because I loved writing and wanted to write about something. With this it's much more purposeful, though. I like writing, I like educating, and I like sharing my opinion. A blog is just the perfect fit for me.

[Not The Philosopher]

I don't really find that your relationship with the writer matters all that much - I mean, yeah, if I were reading my father's memoirs on child rearing it might be a little weird. But I've never had much trouble forming an opinion about stuff that friends/family have given me to read, and people who know me seem to be able to do the same for stuff I've written.

[PhuturePriest]

I don't really find that your relationship with the writer matters all that much - I mean, yeah, if I were reading my father's memoirs on child rearing it might be a little weird. But I've never had much trouble forming an opinion about stuff that friends/family have given me to read, and people who know me seem to be able to do the same for stuff I've written.

​Hm. My family is just weird, then. My sister once had to make a speech, and she wouldn't even let us look at it as she was writing it, and she was quite adamant that we not be there when she made the speech. I would be much the same. If I ever had to do a talk or speech, I would be completely unable to do it if my family were there.

Should I ever be ordained, my first Mass will be very interesting.

[Era Might]

Your first confession too.

Edited April 24, 2015 by Era Might

[PhuturePriest]

Your first confession too.

​I don't have to hear my family's confession unless they are dying or in mortal danger. My sister has made it abundantly clear that she will never, ever, ever go to me for confession unless she's dying. Her husband is quite excited about the idea, however, which I have no problem with.

[Gabriela]

Every time I see the title of this thread I read, "On the Matters of the Papastry".

We need more papastry.