What would a new apocalypse look like? Apocalyptic was a common genre in ancient times. We read Revelation today and think, "how weird and unusual." Back then a reader might have thought, "not this shit again." What do you need for an apocalyptic? you need beasts: dragons, chimeras, goats, bulls, sphinxes; you need visions: women clothed with the sun, women running through the desert, etc; you need fire and smoke; you need angels and trumpets and bowls and scrolls. Repeat the phrase, "then I saw ..." Remember this: a vote or two going the other way and our bibles end with the Shepherd of Hermas: a wonderful apocalypse that begins with an episode of voyeurism: "I saw her bathing in the river."
Showing posts with label primrose. Show all posts
Showing posts with label primrose. Show all posts
Sunday, May 13, 2007
The primrose path
What would a new apocalypse look like? Apocalyptic was a common genre in ancient times. We read Revelation today and think, "how weird and unusual." Back then a reader might have thought, "not this shit again." What do you need for an apocalyptic? you need beasts: dragons, chimeras, goats, bulls, sphinxes; you need visions: women clothed with the sun, women running through the desert, etc; you need fire and smoke; you need angels and trumpets and bowls and scrolls. Repeat the phrase, "then I saw ..." Remember this: a vote or two going the other way and our bibles end with the Shepherd of Hermas: a wonderful apocalypse that begins with an episode of voyeurism: "I saw her bathing in the river."
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