Slog - Comments on The One http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/04/the_one An Imperial Message, a story by Kafka, a writer I generally do not like (if not seen through the conceptual lens of Adorno's negative mimesis, his major novels do not at all appear interesting to me), is a marvelous jewel. In it we see the alien power and shine of the infinite. In a black box must we keep this jewel, and that box must only be opened when we are in the blackness of a black room. Open and let its strange light illuminate the nothingness of space. The Emperor, so a parable runs, has sent a message to... Copyright 2008 Thu, 10 Apr 2008 13:52:12 -0800 Fri, 11 Apr 2008 17:51:20 -0800 http://www.movabletype.org/?v=3.34 http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss Comment by Mr. Poe ...what?

]]> Mr. Poe http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/04/the_one#c995415 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/04/the_one#c995415 Books Thu, 10 Apr 2008 14:08:37 -0800 Comment by chops http://www.collegehumor.com/video:1810572

]]> chops http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/04/the_one#c995429 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/04/the_one#c995429 Books Thu, 10 Apr 2008 14:19:50 -0800 Comment by some dude you do kafka a massive injustice to judge him only on his ability to mimic the imaginary ideal of art.

]]> some dude http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/04/the_one#c995434 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/04/the_one#c995434 Books Thu, 10 Apr 2008 14:21:01 -0800 Comment by Spoogie I think Mr. Poe nailed it.

]]> Spoogie http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/04/the_one#c995470 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/04/the_one#c995470 Books Thu, 10 Apr 2008 14:53:03 -0800 Comment by Bwana Yet another classic Mudede turd shat all over the pages of Slog. Will it never end?

]]> Bwana http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/04/the_one#c995492 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/04/the_one#c995492 Books Thu, 10 Apr 2008 15:18:37 -0800 Comment by kid icarus You people are nuts! This is fucking perfection. Thanks for the post, Charles. This totally made my afternoon.

]]> kid icarus http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/04/the_one#c995561 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/04/the_one#c995561 Books Thu, 10 Apr 2008 15:57:29 -0800 Comment by Moniker duder Red plus purple equals whore.

]]> Moniker duder http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/04/the_one#c995566 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/04/the_one#c995566 Books Thu, 10 Apr 2008 16:00:00 -0800 Comment by Lincolnish I agree with kid icarus. Magnificent. Thanks, Charles.

]]> Lincolnish http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/04/the_one#c995625 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/04/the_one#c995625 Books Thu, 10 Apr 2008 16:54:25 -0800 Comment by Tim Appelo So what does Kafka look like seen through the conceptual lens of Adorno’s negative mimesis?

]]> Tim Appelo http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/04/the_one#c995727 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/04/the_one#c995727 Books Thu, 10 Apr 2008 18:04:05 -0800 Comment by Lesley Hazleton Good question, Tim. But hell, that's a wonderful story. Thanks, Charles, for putting it up, but how can you love this and not the novels? I would have thought Kafka, c'est toi.

]]> Lesley Hazleton http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/04/the_one#c996107 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/04/the_one#c996107 Books Fri, 11 Apr 2008 11:09:29 -0800 Comment by charles mudede hazleton and appelo. first hazleton, I think Borges' said somewhere that a story should only have one miracle or supernatural event. Something like that is at work with stories about the infinite. The best expression of infinity is not large works but small ones. Kafak's novels, like the short piece posted, are about the infinite but they are much too long. the smaller the better.

Appelo, because the novels are much too long, too long about the infinite, it is only through a marxist lens that their value can be seen. this lens sees this long infinity as a negative reflection to the endlessness of the capitalist market and system of exploitation. Each of kafka's novels is a negative of society in the age monopoly capital.

]]> charles mudede http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/04/the_one#c996345 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/04/the_one#c996345 Books Fri, 11 Apr 2008 13:27:27 -0800 Comment by Lesley Hazleton Ha -- Tim, I think I got the better answer!

]]> Lesley Hazleton http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/04/the_one#c996699 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/04/the_one#c996699 Books Fri, 11 Apr 2008 17:51:20 -0800