h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

You have made me more angry today than in a long while with your championing of that pompous, misogynist, abject coward, CS Lewis. I'm sorry if I've gone overboard about it. But he should have stuck to children's stories. I like the idea very much of going through the back of the wardrobe to this other magical world.

But I'm afraid if you insist on extolling the virtues of the likes of utter cowards, who live in ivory towers, away from real life, explaining the reasons for the authoritarian aspect of God allowing pain in the world, I will make my views abundantly plain, even harsh. He had a very *cold* childhood, by all accounts, and was unable to mourn the death of his mother.

The intellectual bankruptcy of his analysis of pain and suffering in the world, deserves nothing but contempt.

He wrote 'The Problem of Pain' I discovered, 20 years before his tragic love affair. That should tell you everything you need to know about the worth of that book.

If you ever get round to watching Shadowlands, you'll see that even when it was clear she only had a short time to live, *she* had to teach *him* that it was necessary for her to be able to talk about the *reality* of her dying, and the awful pain of that knowledge.

I hope I haven't hurt you too much with the vehemence of my hostility towards him, on TGD thread, or here. That was not my intention. But I really can't let such things go when you touch such a raw nerve.

Hey, you won't get much argument from me about Lewis! A book I was reading in the 90s, referred to him as "that old misogynist", and I heartily agreed!

But Problem of Pain *is* a good book. In it he freely admits that he lacks personal experience of a lot of anguish, although to say he hadn't experienced any before his marriage (not affair) with Joy Davidman, isn't quite true...

I got the book on Friday, not so I could cite it here at all, but to see what he had to say on the subject, because of the Burma cyclone and the Chinese earthquake. As I've said on the TGD thread, earthquakes scare me witless, and I've experienced more than my share of them!

The term 'natural evil' that Blicky didn't like, simply distinguishes between human-caused pain (war, etc) and things like floods (another thing we have a lot of here), earthquakes, volcanoes (ditto) and the like.
It was mainly what he had to say about the necessity (if we are to live in a world at all!) of earthquakes, tornadoes etc, that I was interested in.

Vicky

I'm not interested in anything he has to say about 'pain'. Earthquakes may scare you witless. But I don't see the relevance of that too thousands of people being buried alive. Have you ever truly thought about what that must be like? Do you really think that nincompoop CS has the first clue about Love and Death when he can't even face his own feelings about something as fundamental as Love?

You're wasting your life on such nonsense. It's so typical that he would write a book with such a title. I bet it's about as good a book as flesh + Blood was a good film, and a certain actor in it has any desirability....

And I don't know what you mean about, 'marriage (not affair)' I do hope that's not some sort of judgementalness. he actually married her a couple of years before she was ill just so she could stay in England. It was sham marriage. It was only when she was riddled with cancer that another ceremony was performed.

I'm getting seriously fed up with your infatuation with this apology for a man with his pretend intellect and zero passion.

Goodnight.

Actually one more thing.

>A book I was reading in the 90s, referred to him as "that old misogynist", and I heartily agreed! <

I'm really starting to realise that you have no opinions of your own about things.

I'm off for a vodka and coke before bed now........

<< But I don't see the relevance of that too thousands of people being buried alive. Have you ever truly thought about what that must be like? >>
Of course I have! Why else do you think I am so scared of earthquakes? I have a very vivid imagination, and as schoolkids we were constantly told about Pompeii and taken by school-teachers to see the Buried Village at Tarawera. (I don't know why our teachers thought that would benefit us, as we were likely to *be* buried if Tarawera went up again... )
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Yes, I think he certainly did at the end. Everyone can learn

<

I have no infatuation with him! I can't stand his misogyny and his jingoism. But that doesn't mean he's all useless!

I am getting very cross at your blanket dismissal. No one, absolutely, is always wrong, even, gasp, SorB or Blicky!

<<A book I was reading in the 90s, referred to him as "that old misogynist", and I heartily agreed! <

I'm really starting to realise that you have no opinions of your own about things>>

If you choose to think that, well, as you wish... I am fed up. Really.

Okay I will try to be calmer about discussing with you more about CS Lewis, if you want? I will listen more to what you say about this book, for you. But I doubt I'll ever agree with you about its real worth as being anything to put one's trust in, for coming to terms with 'pain'.

I lost patience with you yesterday. Sorry.

My problem with him is that he misses out the actual *honest* feelings of real agony of pain, that is, until he loses that woman, Joy, and then he more or less falls apart and gets really angry with those Oxbridge types, who witter on with their dry as dust, theories. In Shadowlands, which clearly means * loads* to me, as well as his personal life, and ways of behaving, it also show him giving his pain 'talks', mostly to women, it seemed in his audiences. What did he have to say to *them*, when he'd more or less excluded them from his life, in any normal way?

You say,

>In it he freely admits that he lacks personal experience of a lot of anguish, although to say he hadn't experienced any before his marriage (not affair) with Joy Davidman, isn't quite true...<

That's bunkum. What is true, is that he wouldn't face the very real and deep feelings of loss in his life, he ran away from them, into his very male and intellectual life, and tried to work everything out using his 'head'. And so he comes up with, The problem of Pain'.

His mother died when he was very young. He finally admits to Joy, just how much he really did suffer about that, what his real feelings were about it. But he'd cut himself off, from experiencing them properly. He emotionally crippled himself, basically.

So that's why I don't have much time for his *explanations* about the full horror and agony of pain, however densely and logically argued. In fact that's what I'd expect from him.

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I just want to tell you, I bought the DVD of Shadowlands tonight. (I had to hunt for it, but I eventually found it at a warehouse-type place, for only $10.00!

I shall watch it a.s.a.p., probably Saturday, and I am really looking forward to it. I'll let you know what I think... probably by email.

Vicky

That's really brilliant Vicky.

Hey, hope you are okay?

I can't tell you how nervous I am about seeing my parents tomorrow. I just know there's going to be argument. Speaking to my mother on the phone today was a nightmare...i can tell she's as nervous as me. That's always a bad sign. Last time I hardly had hardly said anything before she starts crying. So then I get guilty.........

I've sent a reply to that email. I'd appreciate you replying tonight. Thanks.

Oh god......

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I have done... Hey, it'll be okay, or at the least, bearable!

Just remember, you're a good and worthwhile person, and whilst your parents are your parents forever, you are not a child forever! (You're their offspring, but you're an adult, and don't let any imposed guilt get to you!) again!

Vicky

Stuff your worthless hugs.

After reading what you have written tonight on TGD thread, knowing full well I'd read it, when you are well aware of my state of mind, tonight, before their visit, says a lot of things to me.

You are not so very different from her after all.

Kick someone in the teeth when they are most vulnerable. Which bit of the New Covenant does it say that in?

I really did trust you. That's my nature unfortunately.

Please yourself.

I was sincere, but if you don't care, then you don't.

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Oh dear how sad. Didn't cross your mind that's what I think you've done, does it?

Oh whatever you like!

Yikes if you want. My stuff is yikesed, and that's upheld. I yikes the use of my real name, and that isn't. Go figure.

I don't yikes.

Have replied to your email.

Goodnight

Whatever.

I know you won't believe it, and you've thrown my concern back at me, but for tomorrow...

Have sent another email. Shall discuss with you after tomorrow.
Now I'm going to listen to music......


Effers

Hey Vicks, I think you should calm a bit - for your own sake. (And I know I'm no-one to talk about calmness.)

Minus an hour and 10minutes, 'til zero hour They nearly always arrive right on the dot.

And I'm looking forward to you telling me about your impressions of Shadowlands.

Frankly, it's a sodding nightmare... and I am trying to stay away, but that barsteward has put my name in his nick!



It's a good thing they're prompt! and I really hope it goes well - and it could do, you never know!



Shadowlands tomorrow, all things being equal... I'll tell you all!

Vicky

Well, we watched Shadowlands last night, and as Leon said, "It was compelling". I loved it, as you said I would!

I will tell you more by email, but all through, I was thinking of you and hoping your day was going well!

Vicky