(no subject)

[swatkat]

Delving into things from the colonial era is, very often, nothing but an extended exercise in masochism. You run into passages like 'The European races are characterised by activity. The Asiatic races are characterised by indolence' (paraphrasing), and you nod, and maybe make note of it, and move on.

Can you blame me for writing porn in the library? My favourite notebook now has pages of Very Important Notes interspersed with porn in a variety of fandoms. (Note to self: do not give it to anyone. Ever.)

Comments

[lotesse]

All of my notebooks are like that, my hand to heaven - class notes interspersed with longhand fannish meta or porn. The porn tends to be in cursive, because I figure it's harder for people to read at a glance.

[swatkat]

My handwriting is horribly legible (except when I'm asleep, but that's a different matter altogether). Hiding them is the only solution.

[lotesse]

My print is, too - but thankfully my cursive is almost absurdly small and obscure.

It does kind of crack me up that we're at once compelled to do this and that we're so careful to hide it. But often I find that porning helps me think better! It clears my mind, or engages it, or something. I can't imagine giving the practice up.

[artisan447]

LOL! My car is full of notes frantically scribbled at light changes. It's always a bit of an adventure in seek-and-hide when someone needs to sit in the passsenger seat. ;)

[swatkat]

In the *car*? That's new. Don't you get distracted?

[artisan447]

Well, I'm not *writing* while I'm driving. I have this ridiculous thing of turning sticky bits of stories I'm writing over and over in my head until the progression, or the phrasing, or even the goddamn punctuation is just exactly right (yes, my stupid brain occassionally gets stuck on *comma placement*). And of course it always clicks perfectly into place when I'm driving. So I write it down, smile happily and keep driving. :)

[dhobikikutti]

Citation? I am thinking of a sekrit project involving some of the more appalling statements of the kind you just provided.

[swatkat]

The Bengal Magazine, some 1875 issue (I have to check), edited by Reverend Lal Behari De. This is just a paraphrase, though - I don't have the exact quote right now. And the article is anonymous. It's actually a spirited argument against British opium policies in China, but unfortunately the 'indolence' of us 'Asiatic' races is a plot point. There are places where it's rather hilarious, such as the place where the author appears to believe that beer is the national drink of the British because it spurs them to greater activity.

[jaybee65]

the author appears to believe that beer is the national drink of the British because it spurs them to greater activity.

AHAHAHAHAHAHA....Oh God. I'm both laughing and cringing here.