This isn’t innovative. What might be somewhat new is that, at least to me, it seems that for a work of art to be “successful” it is far more important to use the chosen symbolic language effectively than to say anything terribly innovative. A novel message presented without artifice would not be as effective as a trite message presented skillfully.

Analysis, Literary Theory, Philosophy, Written by: CameronCameron SummersJune 8, 2022aesthetics, Process aesthetics, Everything Everywhere All At Once, Night in the Woods, Disco Elysium, Cursive, The Ugly Organ, Fight Club, Jacques Lacan, Symbolic Language Comments

Mapping the Vampire Castle: An Analysis of Rhetoric and Concepts (Fisher's Ghosts, 5)

Analyzing this piece is difficult for me: “Exiting the Vampire Castle” was my introduction to Mark Fisher. It seemed brilliant and insightful at the time. Now, it does not for a variety of reasons. I love Fisher’s longer works, but this essay is riddled with problems. The purpose of this piece is not to defend Fisher’s assertions (though I will be doing a bit of that, more due to rhetorical issues with the critiques than anything else,) but to try to recuperate some of what is valuable in the piece itself.

So, now that everyone involved is alienated, let’s get started!