Freethought & Rationalism Archive

youngalexander · 04-06-2007, 01:29 AM

What it most reminds me of is this

Similar personal, reflective, declaritive style.

spin · 04-06-2007, 03:22 AM

Code:

A. But I disagree with you. 
 B. I'm not great.
  C. I'm a fraud.
   D. I'm a phony. 
    E. I've put up a facade.
     F. I've a weak will, but I'm stubborn to death.
      G. I'm overly critical, even of myself, a perfectionist
         who'll never become perfect.
       H. I'm overly optimistic, yet at the same time a pessimist
          to the core.
        I. What hope do I have in this world? But I live yet.
         J. And what of faith? Have I none, but what you may think
            to be god I may differ on.
          K. And of love?
           L. Love has pained me before;
            M. it's a trial,
             N. a terrible calamity,
              O. a curse.
              O- It's a blessing as well,
             N- a boon to life,
            M- the reward if cultivated right.
           L- It heals.
          K- That's love.
         J- And while I may not believe what you believe what you
            believe, I believe still.
        I- And these tears I shed every night contain some glimmer
           of hope, that even though I know that to die is to gain,
           perhaps I can still live longer before I go. For what?
       H- In the end, it'll all be gone, but not before my children
          can see the light, assuming I have children at all.
      G- And perhaps, just perhaps I may be exactly what I wish to
         be, the best in my field, and having learned all that I'm
         content with knowing, though I learn more still.
     F- For one day I'll stop being so stubborn, and let the world
        pass me by while I remain steadfast in peace.
    E- So that's the real me,
   D- the true me,
  C- the honest me.
 B- What does it mean to be great?
A- Do we agree?

RED DAVE · 04-06-2007, 03:49 AM

I'm beginning to think that this is a translation. Maybe I'm wrong. The whole thing has a certain vernacular quality:

Quote:

I'm a fraud. I'm a phony. I've put up a facade.

But it's also oddly formal:

Quote:

And these tears I shed every night contain some glimmer of hope, that even though I know that to die is to gain, perhaps I can still live longer before I go. For what?

I was reminded of Kafka. Here's an excerpt from his “Letter to my father”:

Quote:

You asked me recently why I maintain that I am afraid of you. As usual, I was unable to think of any answer to your question, partly for the very reason that I am afraid of you, and partly because an explanation of the grounds for this fear would mean going into far more details than I could even approximately keep in mind while talking. And if I now try to give you an answer in writing, it will still be very incomplete, because, even in writing, this fear and its consequences hamper me in relation to you and because the magnitude of the subject goes far beyond the scope of my memory and power of reasoning.

http://www.kafka-franz.com/KAFKA-letter.htm

If the original is in English, it's kind of odd. I would say mid-19th Century. But that doesn't quite work, which is why I'm suggesting a translation.

RED DAVE

youngalexander · 04-06-2007, 03:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by spin

Code:

A. But I disagree with you?
...
A- Do we agree?

As my bro would say - "You have dribbled a bib full"

RED DAVE · 04-06-2007, 04:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by spin

Code:

A. But I disagree with you. 
 B. I'm not great.
  C. I'm a fraud.
   D. I'm a phony. 
    E. I've put up a facade.
     F. I've a weak will, but I'm stubborn to death.
      G. I'm overly critical, even of myself, a perfectionist
         who'll never become perfect.
       H. I'm overly optimistic, yet at the same time a pessimist
          to the core.
        I. What hope do I have in this world? But I live yet.
         J. And what of faith? Have I none, but what you may think
            to be god I may differ on.
          K. And of love?
           L. Love has pained me before;
            M. it's a trial,
             N. a terrible calamity,
              O. a curse.
              O- It's a blessing as well,
             N- a boon to life,
            M- the reward if cultivated right.
           L- It heals.
          K- That's love.
         J- And while I may not believe what you believe what you
            believe, I believe still.
        I- And these tears I shed every night contain some glimmer
           of hope, that even though I know that to die is to gain,
           perhaps I can still live longer before I go. For what?
       H- In the end, it'll all be gone, but not before my children
          can see the light, assuming I have children at all.
      G- And perhaps, just perhaps I may be exactly what I wish to
         be, the best in my field, and having learned all that I'm
         content with knowing, though I learn more still.
     F- For one day I'll stop being so stubborn, and let the world
        pass me by while I remain steadfast in peace.
    E- So that's the real me,
   D- the true me,
  C- the honest me.
 B- What does it mean to be great?
A- Do we agree?

Brilliant.

RED DAVE

Tharmas · 04-06-2007, 05:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chris Weimer

It's only a short paragraph, meaning that you ought to be able to work your magic instantly.

That's the joke.

Ecrasez L'infame · 04-06-2007, 10:16 AM

OK, we seem to be dividing into two groups of opinions. We all agree the OP is a Joke, we just can't agree whether it's a Hilarious Joke or a Misfiring Joke.

Rick Sumner · 04-06-2007, 10:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chris Weimer

I hate to interrupt such awesome divination, but I'd like to reiterate some things:

You sly devil. It is you!

Gamera · 04-06-2007, 01:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chris Weimer

This is a known work, with a known author, and all its sources are known as well. It's only a short paragraph, meaning that you ought to be able to work your magic instantly. The only context you'll get is that it was in a dialogue. No hints for a while, but if you work as a team and present something, I may just possibly adduce some more context. Have fun!

But I disagree with you. I'm not great. I'm a fraud. I'm a phony. I've put up a facade. I've a weak will, but I'm stubborn to death. I'm overly critical, even of myself, a perfectionist who'll never become perfect. I'm overly optimistic, yet at the same time a pessimist to the core. What hope do I have in this world? But I live yet. And what of faith? Have I none, but what you may think to be god I may differ on. And of love? Love has pained me before; it's a trial, a terrible calamity, a curse. It's a blessing as well, a boon to life, the reward if cultivated right. It heals. That's love. And while I may not believe what you believe what you believe, I believe still. And these tears I shed every night contain some glimmer of hope, that even though I know that to die is to gain, perhaps I can still live longer before I go. For what? In the end, it'll all be gone, but not before my children can see the light, assuming I have children at all. And perhaps, just perhaps I may be exactly what I wish to be, the best in my field, and having learned all that I'm content with knowing, though I learn more still. For one day I'll stop being so stubborn, and let the world pass me by while I remain steadfast in peace. So that's the real me, the true me, the honest me. What does it mean to be great? Do we agree?

Sounds like a fictional rendition of something the Apostle Paul might say.

Is it from Wangerin's or Cannon's novels about Paul?

neilgodfrey · 04-06-2007, 06:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by spin

Code:

A. But I disagree with you. 
 B. I'm not great.
  C. I'm a fraud.
   D. I'm a phony. 
    E. I've put up a facade.
     F. I've a weak will, but I'm stubborn to death.
      G. I'm overly critical, even of myself, a perfectionist
         who'll never become perfect.
       H. I'm overly optimistic, yet at the same time a pessimist
          to the core.
        I. What hope do I have in this world? But I live yet.
         J. And what of faith? Have I none, but what you may think
            to be god I may differ on.
          K. And of love?
           L. Love has pained me before;
            M. it's a trial,
             N. a terrible calamity,
              O. a curse.
              O- It's a blessing as well,
             N- a boon to life,
            M- the reward if cultivated right.
           L- It heals.
          K- That's love.
         J- And while I may not believe what you believe what you
            believe, I believe still.
        I- And these tears I shed every night contain some glimmer
           of hope, that even though I know that to die is to gain,
           perhaps I can still live longer before I go. For what?
       H- In the end, it'll all be gone, but not before my children
          can see the light, assuming I have children at all.
      G- And perhaps, just perhaps I may be exactly what I wish to
         be, the best in my field, and having learned all that I'm
         content with knowing, though I learn more still.
     F- For one day I'll stop being so stubborn, and let the world
        pass me by while I remain steadfast in peace.
    E- So that's the real me,
   D- the true me,
  C- the honest me.
 B- What does it mean to be great?
A- Do we agree?

This is so sophisticated I think it proves that none other than the Holy Ghost -- or a uniquely unique literary genius -- could possibly have written it.

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04-06-2007, 01:29 AM	#51
youngalexander Veteran Member Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Mornington Peninsula Posts: 1,306	What it most reminds me of is this Similar personal, reflective, declaritive style.

04-06-2007, 10:16 AM	#57
Ecrasez L'infame Regular Member Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: London, United States of Europe. Posts: 172	OK, we seem to be dividing into two groups of opinions. We all agree the OP is a Joke, we just can't agree whether it's a Hilarious Joke or a Misfiring Joke.

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