In one final preparatory effort for SBL next week, I made a visit this weekend to the research library at Notre Dame to fill in some footnotes. ... and I got that same sinking feeling I'll be bombarded with next weekend.
Who can keep up with all the thoughts on all the things that people are thinking through! And of course the practical question, why are we all doing this? Why would I want to contribute yet another book to this massive pile of mostly idiosyncratic studies?
Don't get me wrong. I'll keep writing, reading, and buying. But I feel guilty expecting anyone to buy any of it. Most of it is a strange, self-perpetuating game between universities, professors, and publishers. Only a few studies truly advance the discussion. The rest contribute to the massive footnotes. A solid biblioblog could easily be more valuable than half the twelfth floor of the Hesburgh library.
Don't get me wrong. I love it! But it depresses me. My first reaction is always depression. My second reaction is always, I should write novels and do the rest for free on my blog. My third reaction is to go back to my day job.
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5 comments:
If I could manage getting a permanent cot in the Hesburgh library, I think true happiness wouldn't be very far away! :-).
I would encourage you to act upon responses 2 and 3. Superb ideas.
What?! You put footnotes into your papers?
Precisely my response when attending CBA a few years ago. nd precisely my later choices too!
Wim has alomost said the exact same thing concerning science... he minimizes the enthusiasm of scientists who get so excited about a "blip on a line"!
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