Ferguson v. Mishra: Mishra FTW
Connoisseurs of literary feuds will be aware that Niall Ferguson and Pankag Mishra have been feuding it up in the pages on the London Review of Books, both men clearly under the impression that the elephants are fighting, the mice are trembling, and that they are the elephants, not the mice. Mishra made a few snotty allusions to Ferguson's "bluster about the white man's burden;" Ferguson demanded an apology for "Mishra's highly offensive and defamatory allegation of racism;” Mishra wrote something to the effect that Ferguson didn't even have the conviction to be a proper racist, he was merely a celebrity-hungry panderer; and then Ferguson threatened to sue.
What a blunder. What was he thinking? A writer who can't win by writing is like a boxer who can't win by boxing. A shame, too, because I was until that point on his side.
Here's my idea of a perfect response to a bad review.
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Apr '11
Re: Ferguson v. Mishra: Mishra FTW
Ferguson is a counter-puncher not a boxer. Mishra landed a bunch of jabs, but nothing to leave a mark. Mishra does the rope-a-dope. Ferguson doesn't even feint with rhetoric, he's keeps the lead up and lands straight logical hits.
Who wins depends on the scoring. If rhetorical flourishes alone would get good points, then Mishra would win. That contest is less like boxing and more like ice dancing. The costume affects the judging. It's more an effeminate game than manly sport.
Nov '11
Re: Ferguson v. Mishra: Mishra FTW
I must say I empathize with Ferguson. It's sad that anyone (white) who acknowledges the tremendous contributions Western society has made to the world in the past few centuries is implied to be a racist. The definition of racism seems to have broadened beyond all meaning.
Mar '11
Re: Ferguson v. Mishra: Mishra FTW
"Academic politics is the most vicious and bitter form of politics, because the stakes are so low." -- Wallace Stanley Sayre
Literary conflict is like that too, but when they do it in public, we can all watch and enjoy.
I like butter on my popcorn.
And lest any think that we techies are immune to such falderal, I offer the computer Holy Wars.
Jan '11
Re: Ferguson v. Mishra: Mishra FTW
Much ado about nothing.
But the John Romano letter is worth studying for it's use of language, logic, the art of persuasion, and the development of argument.
Many thanks Ms. Berlinski for introducing me to it. I will learn from that that letter.
Mar '11
Re: Ferguson v. Mishra: Mishra FTW
Anon: Much ado about nothing.
But the John Romano letter is worth studying for it's use of language, logic, the art of persuasion, and the development of argument.
Many thanks Ms. Berlinski for introducing me to it. I will learn from that that letter. · Dec 1 at 6:01am
I thought maybe she meant the "Oh, wow" response from Joan Didion.
Apr '11
Re: Ferguson v. Mishra: Mishra FTW
I'm obviously a rube because I've never read Joan Didion, but I think I hate her now.
Apr '11
Re: Ferguson v. Mishra: Mishra FTW
Not being one of the cool kids hip to the various interwebs acronyms, I've been puzzled (and somewhat alarmed) by "FTW" appearing increasingly frequently on my nieces' Facebook pages. When Claire used it, I was forced to look it up. I was relieved to see it stands for "for the win," because my only previous experience with it was at FireJoeMorgan, and that's not its meaning there.