Visit Deferred

A day off from mystery shopping as we wind down towards the end of another month. I have a visit in Broadstairs to do but will do so tomorrow now.

Also it seems much colder and windier. I feel it might rai as well.

ALso updated my wish_list campaign. Please look or share.

Arabesque

Yep, glad i did not go out today as it is raining and as being short on funds the best policy was to stay in today. So i am doing some reading, and later on, some DVD watching.

Meanwhile, a lovely piece of classical music by Claude Debussy called Arabesque.

Enjoy!

Book 24 - James B. South, William Irvin (editors) "Buffy The Vampire Slayer & Philosophy"

James B. South, William Irvin (editors) "Buffy The Vampire Slayer & Philosophy" (Open Court)





An academic collection of essays and articles which applies philosophical theory to the popular television show, Buffy the Vampire Slayer.

This book is not for the casual fan. The concepts and themes are on a high intellectual level. Discussions are in-depth and thought-provoking, but those looking for a deeper understanding of the show will be rewarded. Some essays will cause you to question your enjoyment of the show and some will challenge you to re-think your conception of your favorite characters. One in particular that got me thinking was Karl Schudt's "Also Spach Faith" which looks at the Nietzschean conception of happiness as it could be applied to Faith's behavior on both Buffy and Angel.

The oft taken for granted concept that Buffy is a feminist hero is also called into question by several authors, holding up a lens to ways in which Buffy reinforces patriarchal society even while kicking all that ass. Plus, far from being as subversive as most believe it to be, the show actually panders to typical Christian morality, even casting Buffy as a Christ-like savior in Season 5's "The Gift".

The editors should be applauded for including treatments which are critical of the show as well as those which praise it. However, die-hard "Joss can do no wrong" fans might become nonplussed after a comprehensive study of the text. Also, it is recommended that the reader does not attempt to devour the text in a protracted amount of time. A careful reading of each essay followed by some exploration into the concepts presented would be ideal. An entire collegiate class could be taught just using this as a textbook. Quite impressive.

If your a fan of the show, and I am, this book is great for deeper insightful studies into the Buffyverse.