Golf Club Atlas
GolfClubAtlas.com => Golf Course Architecture => Topic started by: Mike Hendren on August 12, 2010, 09:40:14 AM
-
Reread Lewis' wonderful Screwtape Letters on the plane Tuesday. For those unfamiliar with the book it is a series of letters written by a devil named Screwtape to a novice nephew charged with corrupting an Englishman's soul. As such the "Enemy" is God. Screwtape writes:
If a man can’t be cured of churchgoing, the next best thing is to send him all over the neighborhood looking for the church that “suits” him until he becomes a taster or connoisseur of churches. The reasons are obvious. In the first place the parochial organisation should always be attacked, because, being a unity of place and not of likings, it brings people of different classes and psychology together in the kind of unity the Enemy desires. The congregational principle, on the other hand, makes each church into a kind of club, and finally, if all goes well, into a coterie or faction. In the second place, the search for a “suitable” church makes the man a critic where the Enemy wants him to be a pupil.”
Given the recurring self examination of our collective belly-button, often phrased as "Has GCA jumped the shark?" I find the last sentence above insightful. Many of us came to this web-site as pupils and after either brief or lengthy paritipation now fashion ourselves critics. That's not a bad thing - quite frankly it's a ton of fun and after all there's very little downside to being absolutely wrong. Personally, I enjoy a good argument that doesn't lead to a night on the couch. However, just because one is a critic doesn't make him or her an expert.
I've learned an awful lot about golf course architecture in my 8 or 9 years on this site from a number of people. Without naming names you know who you are and I can't thank you enough. For those sage mentors who are no longer participating but perhaps look in on occasion, we could use your tutelage. Please return.
Kindest regards,
Mike
-
Thanks for lesson preacher.
I have always wondered why I loathed feeling like a critic. Mr.Lewis clearly understood. Although, I am grateful that I have gained the modicum of information and knowledge to attempt critiques.
-
Brilliant connection. There is a whole developing sociology of online discussion groups. And since these involve groups of PEOPLE all sorts of wondrous and horrible things are bound to happen.
'...and after all there's very little downside to being absolutely wrong. Personally, I enjoy a good argument that doesn't lead to a night on the couch.' Insightful and hilarious!
-
Michael,
Perelandra...
-
Interesting analogy. Lewis is one of the greatest thinkers of all time and I enjoy reading his books.
-
Mike, Phil - "Till we have Faces", written just bit before Joy Davidman died (and with her help), and not too long before Lewis' own death. An exploration of the Eros and Psyche myth, and a mature work - light on rhetoric and deep in heart and human feeling.
Two ways to have a club/coterie - one is to welcome IN those who have similar interests; the other is to keep OUT a lot other people. The former is about communicating; the latter is about exclusivity. As long as the intention here is the former, it'll be okay -- not to everyone's liking, but okay.
Peter
-
Peter,
As Opie's friend Johnny Paul once explained to Sherrif Taylor "it ain't a club unless you can keep someone out."
Mike
-
To borrow from an infamous poster:
One man might say that it's good to be a student and not a critic. Another man might say that 'student' is just another name for insipid, infantilized sheep.
I think Lewis is overrated. Brilliant, but overrated. And no that's not a particularly informed opinion.
-
I don't care for Lewis much. A little too much religous allegory in his writings for this poster.
But you make a good point Mike.
-
I don't care for Lewis much. A little too much religous allegory in his writings for this poster.
But you make a good point Mike.
Well, when you spend half your life as a lay theologian and Christian apologist, it tends to have some spill over......
-
8) where does that put the bloggers?