The two Ghost in the Shell movies are replete with theological and philosophical quotes, especially the second one. Assuming this is reflective of the manga upon which they are based, it makes me wonder if the creator intended his title to be as subtly ironic as it ended up. Seeing as the phrase 'ghost in the shell' originated (by Gilbert Ryle) as a derogatory term for the idea of ethereal souls running our worldly bodies, but the point of the series seems to be that souls do in fact exist--and that they can be generated synthetically and transferred, allowing for the classic cyberpunk theme of man and machine, or internet and Real Life being no different. Anyway, it's just a little something that pops into my head every now and then.
Prose and verse are generally accepted as distinct writing formats with their own rules, styles, and grammars. Though their borders are somewhat vague, they have come to be seen as something of a dichotomy in the eyes of the general public. There are, however, at least 3 other popular approaches to writing as exhibited in picture-books, comicbooks, and plays. Though sometimes given short shrift, these styles are accepted as literature. They are included in libraries, book stores, and academic study. Most importantly, they are read. In the general case, there is clearly writing being done in the creation of any one of these. But what of the wordless comic or silent play? Should we consider scripts written, but fully realized plays, comics, and picture-books, to be performance, art, or some other kind of non-literature? These worries of theory are kinks to be worked out, surely, but they are not of immediate practical concern to the writer...
'It' being the post, I presume. That's actually the third time this entry got hit. I wonder why.
ReplyDeleteOkay, that was weird. Sorry, Matth.
ReplyDelete