The Agony and the Ecstasy of Steve Jobs- Page 5

[PalJoey]

Posted: 3/23/12 at 6:35pm

Not at all. I agree completely with everything he says, including what he didn't say about mimetic ethics.

[Gaveston2]

Posted: 3/23/12 at 6:39pm

Glad to hear it, joey, but in fact, the entire statement concerns "mimetic ethics."

If the Greek word bothers you so much, I'll try to avoid it. The problem, however, is that the English equivalents "imitation" and "representation" have so many other meanings that confusion almost inevitably results--which is why many translations of Aristotle and Plato simply use the Greek.

[PalJoey]

Posted: 3/23/12 at 8:02pm

Alfred Uhry once quoted Frank Loesser as saying "Never use a two-bit word when a nickel word will do."

And Arthur Laurents used to say to writers who used too many words: "Anything that's good is better shorter."

They are both golden rules of writing.

[EricMontreal22]

Posted: 3/23/12 at 10:17pm

Daisy was interviewed for about twenty minutes on today's CBC radio program Q--he comes off as very well spoken http://www.cbc.ca/q/episodes/

[Gaveston2]

Posted: 3/24/12 at 2:03am

joey, your argument about use of the vernacular would carry more weight if you or anyone else failed to understand me. The word "mimesis" has exactly six letters, fewer than "imitation" or "representation".

We've been discussing this topic for several days and I varied my vocabulary a bit. Variety is also considered a hallmark of good writing. So is precision; I've already explained why my word choice was in fact more precise than "everyday" equivalents.

And why, exactly, do you feel a need to critique my posts anyway? Disagree with what I say, sure, but the stylistic quibbles seem petty.

[PalJoey]

Posted: 3/24/12 at 8:50am

Well, as Noel Coward said, "Don't quibble, Sibyl."

[FindingNamo]

Posted: 3/24/12 at 12:13pm

I'll be having mimesis with brunch.

[Gaveston2]

Posted: 3/24/12 at 4:38pm

Why must you use a fancy-pants word like "brunch", namo?

This is America, goddamn it! Where the truth is the truth and a lie is a lie, and we eat breakfast, lunch and supper!