Do We Even Exist?

[yellowish haze]

Quote Originally Posted by albie

He is a depressed person. Fact. Depression skews logic: especially opinions concerning outlook on life and humanity in general. Fact.

Albie,
Ligotti's philosophy shows us that we should not take for granted any kind of knowledge or science, including psychiatry. Hence such argumentation is simply inappropriate.
BTW, what makes you think TL doesn't read these threads? The fact that I don't post to RCMB doesn't mean I don't read it...;)

EDIT: smiley added. Yes I'm in favour of those smilies.

Quote Originally Posted by Nemonymous

Quote Originally Posted by albie And if the many stories of his that I've read and the many black interviews he's given don't indicate the true man then...well...that's hardly my fault. yes, that's not your fault, if true. And it doesn't matter either way, I suggest. What may be your fault is inferring things from art to its artist. For example, perhaps one should treat public-posited interviews by any artist as a possible performance. Read the Ligotti texts. If you enjoy them, say so and, if appropriate, say why. If you don't enjoy them, do the same. But, whichever you feel, there's no need and no evidence* to say that the author of them is one thing or another. *i.e evidence that is relevant to evaluating the text.

I think treating a man's own words about his life and mind as possibly art and therefore lies is a bit odd. But then this is Ligotti.

Why would he lie? (yes, a lie, an exaggeration. Not a "performance". )

No evidence that the author is one thing or another?

So you are saying he MIGHT be mad.

Does he lie about taking medication? About being depressed?

Quote Originally Posted by yellowish haze

Quote Originally Posted by albie He is a depressed person. Fact. Depression skews logic: especially opinions concerning outlook on life and humanity in general. Fact. Albie, Ligotti's philosophy shows us that we should not take for granted any kind of knowledge or science, including psychiatry. Hence such argumentation is simply inappropriate. BTW, what makes you think TL doesn't read these threads? The fact that I don't post to RCMB doesn't mean I don't read it...;) EDIT: smiley added. Yes I'm in favour of those smilies.

Ligotti's philosophy shows us.

That's a pretty creepy start to a sentence. Do you guard his temple?

This is what I'm talking about. His philosophy is all about the fact we are going to die so how can we enjoy living knowing that. He's extended that line to any possible heaven that may exist by flatly saying he can't imagine a world that wouldn't be just as bad as this.

Sounds like BS to me. Maybe that guy above was right. ;)

Can YOU imagine a better life than being Thomas Ligotti? I think I can do a bit better. No, he has to take that line because he's a depressed person. Or he's lying to support his argument.

To say that pleasure does not exist, as he seems to be saying, is outright nonsense.

And if he does read this then he should respond.

It would be a first.

Ramsey Campbell talks to us all the time. He even said he liked one of my stories.

[yellowish haze]

He even said he liked one of my stories.

I know. I think everyone already knows, Albie.

[al_Alamm]

I didn't up until now

[Odalisque]

Quote Originally Posted by al_Alamm

I didn't up until now

And now?

[al_Alamm]

I know it and don't really care about it
Useless knowledge that shall soon be forgotten

[Nemonymous]

Albie, to answer your points, I only need to repeat the first part of my previous post below. Nothing there about lies. Only about artists and art in general. Some performances are heartfelt and 'lived', as with some actors such as Olivier.


What may be your fault is inferring things from art to its artist. For example, perhaps one should treat public-posited interviews by any artist as a possible performance.

Relating to the second half of what I said (shown below), do you enjoy Ligotti's fiction, value it? Or not?


Read the Ligotti texts. If you enjoy them, say so and, if appropriate, say why. If you don't enjoy them, do the same. But, whichever you feel, there's no need and no evidence* to say that the author of them is one thing or another.
*i.e evidence that is relevant to evaluating the text.

[Viva June]

Quote Originally Posted by albie

He is a depressed person. Fact. Depression skews logic: especially opinions concerning outlook on life and humanity in general. Fact. Hence his philosophy on life is questionable.

It certainly is, but not for that reason.

[Nemonymous]

I don't think we need to answer Albie in the same terms as he is addressing us.
It is interesting that he chooses this thread in particular as his choice of battleground.
My own points in answer to his points actually do take into account the thread title he has chosen. This is to what the Intentional Fallacy is relevant. He is mixing up the sculpture with the sculptor.
What I am more interested in is whether he rates Ligotti's fiction as fiction. Surely that is the only relevant point.

I think it is great literature. That is the only ground from which I use my lance.