Small Streams

The Jed Clampett Test

New arrival to the Pittsburgh blogging scene, Pinky, recently posted about a visit by literary critic/lawyer Stanley Fish. An interesting write up, and it made me think about things that I barely understand, especially literary criticism.

I also thought about the realm of literary criticism when I saw an article on technology by Anne Galloway. Galloway posted an abstract of a paper she would be giving. I almost got what she was saying about the relationship of technologies to our everyday life. Then I was laid low by the following:

This is most troublesome when we consider the sometimes fine line between the liberating potential of the carnivalesque and the oppressive tactics of the spectacular—to name just two recurring themes in our myths of pervasive computing.

I don't get what she's saying. I might get what she's saying. Maybe I should get what she's saying.

How to judge and whether to trust literary critics, fast-talkers, intellectuals, and rhetoriticians made me think of one of my favorite characters, the Beverly Hillbillies' Jed Clampett. Jed had a load of common sense and mother wit, and never let things get by him.

Literary critics sometimes remind me of Phil Silvers' character Honest John Shifty Shafer trying to put one by Jed.

If Jed needed to know something, he'd find out. He was hardly ever bamboozled by fast talkers, socialites, and big city bankers. When I hear a literary critic talk I sometimes wonder if they, like Shifty Shafer, would pass the Jed Clampett test.

Remember this is the Jed Clampett test, not the . . .

Granny test - she'd fill Stanley Fish's yankee behind with buck shot (or perhaps the rock salt with which Jed replaced the buckshot) before he could begin his rhetoric-in';

Jethro test - It wouldn't take Jethro too long to become a deconstructionist along with being a short order cook/brain surgeon/secret agent;

Elly Mae test - Disappointed they aren't literary critters;

Milburn Drysdale - No money in the humanities;

Miss Jane Hathaway - Maybe she'd understand it, but she sure wouldn't be able to explain it to Jed.

I tend to think if it were worth understanding, Jed would understand it. He'd furrow his brow, use a down-home metaphor, and a light would come to his eyes. "Displacing the terms of opposition -- the dickens you say."

Posted by mastr at September 20, 2006 12:05 PM