I was tuned into the idea of a personal canon by Ben McEvoy who created the Hardcore Literature Book Club. I had been familiar with Harold Bloom's Western Canon and American Canon bit had not made the connection to having a personal canon. Looking forward to joining the discussion here.
This was actually my second appreciative reading, which must mean it qualifies as a peripheral bit of canonical lore now!
What's the solution to the devastation of attention and love and connection that has occurred? are there practices with which we can re-experiment - printing, meeting, performing? Throwing personal computing devices into wishing wells?
As an easily led person, I've been thinking about the bits of the personal canon that reflect past relationships, and the need to assert control of one's tastes again. And relatedly, what is the role of crude philistinism that might add a sort of personal flamboyance? What if the stuff of "gulity pleasure" is key to the "personal" aspects of canon formation; precisely the stuff that allowing someone else's judgment in on the process is sure to crush?
All big questions and good ones. I can only answer for myself, but I think that ultimately it's all about intentionality and honest engagement and deep reading. And with regard to the guilty pleasure thing, I think that since a personal canon develops over time, that those are likely to come and go. We all have them, and that's fine. But what do we keep coming back to over a period of many years? But that's also why I think that we need a sense of humility with regard to our personal canons, even if we feel strongly about them: they will change and evolve.
I was tuned into the idea of a personal canon by Ben McEvoy who created the Hardcore Literature Book Club. I had been familiar with Harold Bloom's Western Canon and American Canon bit had not made the connection to having a personal canon. Looking forward to joining the discussion here.
Thanks! Good to have you on board!
Such a great concept. Happy to support your effort!
Thanks, Kate! So pleased you're enjoying PCF.
This was actually my second appreciative reading, which must mean it qualifies as a peripheral bit of canonical lore now!
What's the solution to the devastation of attention and love and connection that has occurred? are there practices with which we can re-experiment - printing, meeting, performing? Throwing personal computing devices into wishing wells?
As an easily led person, I've been thinking about the bits of the personal canon that reflect past relationships, and the need to assert control of one's tastes again. And relatedly, what is the role of crude philistinism that might add a sort of personal flamboyance? What if the stuff of "gulity pleasure" is key to the "personal" aspects of canon formation; precisely the stuff that allowing someone else's judgment in on the process is sure to crush?
All big questions and good ones. I can only answer for myself, but I think that ultimately it's all about intentionality and honest engagement and deep reading. And with regard to the guilty pleasure thing, I think that since a personal canon develops over time, that those are likely to come and go. We all have them, and that's fine. But what do we keep coming back to over a period of many years? But that's also why I think that we need a sense of humility with regard to our personal canons, even if we feel strongly about them: they will change and evolve.