What is POSHLOST?

Kinbote · 08-13-2005, 10:22 PM

Corny trash, vulgar clicehs, Philistinism in all its phases, imitations of imitations, bogus profundities, crude, moronic and dishonest pseudo-literature - these are obvious examples. Now, if we want to pin down poshlost in contemporary writing we must look for it in Freudian symbolism, moth-eaten mythologies, social comment, humanistic messages, political allegories, overconcern with class or race, and the journalistic generalities we all know.

Poshlost speaks to such concepts as "America is no better than Russia" or "We all share in Germany's guilt."

The flowers of poshlost bloom in such phrases and terms as "the moment of truth," "charisma," "existential" (used seriously), "dialogue," (as applied to political talks between nations), and "vocabulary" (as applied to a dauber).

Listing in one breath Auschwitz, Hiroshima, and Vietnam is seditious poshlost.

Belonging to a very select club (which sports ONE Jewish name - that of the treasurer) is genteel poshlost.

Hack reviews are frequently poshlost, but it also lurks in certain highbrow essays. Poshlost calls Mr. Blank a great poet, and Mr. Bluff a great novelist.

One of poshlost's favorite breeding places has always been the Art Exhibition; there it is produced by so-called sculptors working with the tools of wreckers, building crankshaft cretins of stainless steel, zen stereos, polystyrene stink-birds, objects trouves in latrines, cannon balls, canned balls. There we admire the gabinetti wallpatterns of so-called abstract artists, Freudian surrealism, roric smudges, and Rorschach blots - all of it as corny in its own right as the academic "September Morns" and "Florentine Flowergirls" of half a century ago.

The list is long, and, of course, everybody has his bete noire, his black pet, in the series. Mine is that airline ad: the snack served by an obsequious wench to a young couple - she eyeing ecstatically the cucumber canape, he admiring wistfully the hostess. And, of course, Death in Venice. You see the range.

--Vladimir Nabokov, Strong Opinions, spacing inserted by yours truly for ease of perusal. Discuss. Or don't. Whatever!

Saxton · 08-13-2005, 11:03 PM

I just read Lolita. It was OK.

08-13-2005, 10:22 PM	#1
Kinbote Banish plump Jack. Join Date: May 2002 Location: The fucking sewer, from which I crawled Posts: 5,412	What is POSHLOST? Corny trash, vulgar clicehs, Philistinism in all its phases, imitations of imitations, bogus profundities, crude, moronic and dishonest pseudo-literature - these are obvious examples. Now, if we want to pin down poshlost in contemporary writing we must look for it in Freudian symbolism, moth-eaten mythologies, social comment, humanistic messages, political allegories, overconcern with class or race, and the journalistic generalities we all know. Poshlost speaks to such concepts as "America is no better than Russia" or "We all share in Germany's guilt." The flowers of poshlost bloom in such phrases and terms as "the moment of truth," "charisma," "existential" (used seriously), "dialogue," (as applied to political talks between nations), and "vocabulary" (as applied to a dauber). Listing in one breath Auschwitz, Hiroshima, and Vietnam is seditious poshlost. Belonging to a very select club (which sports ONE Jewish name - that of the treasurer) is genteel poshlost. Hack reviews are frequently poshlost, but it also lurks in certain highbrow essays. Poshlost calls Mr. Blank a great poet, and Mr. Bluff a great novelist. One of poshlost's favorite breeding places has always been the Art Exhibition; there it is produced by so-called sculptors working with the tools of wreckers, building crankshaft cretins of stainless steel, zen stereos, polystyrene stink-birds, objects trouves in latrines, cannon balls, canned balls. There we admire the gabinetti wallpatterns of so-called abstract artists, Freudian surrealism, roric smudges, and Rorschach blots - all of it as corny in its own right as the academic "September Morns" and "Florentine Flowergirls" of half a century ago. The list is long, and, of course, everybody has his bete noire, his black pet, in the series. Mine is that airline ad: the snack served by an obsequious wench to a young couple - she eyeing ecstatically the cucumber canape, he admiring wistfully the hostess. And, of course, Death in Venice. You see the range. --Vladimir Nabokov, Strong Opinions, spacing inserted by yours truly for ease of perusal. Discuss. Or don't. Whatever! __________________ I have protracted my work till most of those whom I wished to please, have sunk into the grave, and success and miscarriage are empty sounds. I therefore dismiss it with frigid tranquility, having little to fear or hope from censure or from praise.

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08-13-2005, 11:03 PM	#2
Saxton Need A Hand? Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: The Last Homely House In The West Posts: 835	I just read Lolita. It was OK.