From mboxrd@z Thu Jan 1 00:00:00 1970 From: Detlef Steuer Subject: [OT] Re: unicorn Date: Sat, 28 Feb 2009 13:18:06 +0100 Message-ID: <20090228131806.2d69134d@rechenknecht.site> References: <49A5BF02.1090400@rk-f.me> <874oyggml6.fsf@gnu.org> <56DD71CD-D7DD-4639-80D1-2888472DA7E8@uva.nl> <87ljrru3vc.fsf@rosslaird.info> Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Return-path: Received: from mailman by lists.gnu.org with tmda-scanned (Exim 4.43) id 1LdO98-0003Ci-TO for emacs-orgmode@gnu.org; Sat, 28 Feb 2009 07:18:23 -0500 Received: from exim by lists.gnu.org with spam-scanned (Exim 4.43) id 1LdO94-0003Bf-FM for emacs-orgmode@gnu.org; Sat, 28 Feb 2009 07:18:20 -0500 Received: from [199.232.76.173] (port=59364 helo=monty-python.gnu.org) by lists.gnu.org with esmtp (Exim 4.43) id 1LdO93-0003BQ-2n for emacs-orgmode@gnu.org; Sat, 28 Feb 2009 07:18:17 -0500 Received: from main.gmane.org ([80.91.229.2]:39763 helo=ciao.gmane.org) by monty-python.gnu.org with esmtps (TLS-1.0:RSA_AES_256_CBC_SHA1:32) (Exim 4.60) (envelope-from ) id 1LdO92-0000LP-J6 for emacs-orgmode@gnu.org; Sat, 28 Feb 2009 07:18:16 -0500 Received: from list by ciao.gmane.org with local (Exim 4.43) id 1LdO8s-0002Rn-Vq for emacs-orgmode@gnu.org; Sat, 28 Feb 2009 12:18:06 +0000 Received: from e176072252.adsl.alicedsl.de ([85.176.72.252]) by main.gmane.org with esmtp (Gmexim 0.1 (Debian)) id 1AlnuQ-0007hv-00 for ; Sat, 28 Feb 2009 12:18:06 +0000 Received: from detlef.steuer by e176072252.adsl.alicedsl.de with local (Gmexim 0.1 (Debian)) id 1AlnuQ-0007hv-00 for ; Sat, 28 Feb 2009 12:18:06 +0000 List-Id: "General discussions about Org-mode." List-Unsubscribe: , List-Archive: List-Post: List-Help: List-Subscribe: , Sender: emacs-orgmode-bounces+geo-emacs-orgmode=m.gmane.org@gnu.org Errors-To: emacs-orgmode-bounces+geo-emacs-orgmode=m.gmane.org@gnu.org To: emacs-orgmode@gnu.org > > I teach several courses in mythology at my university (it's my area of > concentration), and I feel inclined to say that the unicorn, as a > mythological animal, does not have any type of queer of emasculating > connotation in myth. In fact, it is sometimes quite a masculine animal > that is related to the stag in the grail quest (the stag stabs, with his > antler, the inner thigh of the grail knight, thus showing the stag's > greater masculinity). These animals are symbols of divinity, > essentially, of the fusion of purity and power. They don't really have a > sexual connotation other than the idea of generative power (like the > bull). Queer is a new idea in myth; it's about fifty years old. Myth > itself, on the other hand, is about 70,000 years old. So, the > application of queer terminology to mythological items such as unicorns > is a modern practice which has no real impact on ancient myths and myth > items such as the unicorn. In a thousand years we will still have myths > of the unicorn, but the idea of queer will probably have evolved into > something else (it already is evolving into something else...). > > As to the question of whether or not unicorns still exist (see org FAQ), > this falls within the same domain as the question of whether Atlantis > exists. The answer (as much as there can be one) is that they do exist, > as mythological items that Carl Jung called "archetypal;" they are > essential to, and foundational of, human nature. They will always be a > part of human culture, and exist timelessly in that sense whether or not > they exist in fact. > > I can hardly ever contribute anything useful to this list. Today is an > exception. Thank you very much! Posts like these convince me, that org-mode is a very nice and capable filter to find people who are worth listening to. Carsten, you started building a tool and what you've got is a real interdisciplinary fan group! Nice weekend to all of you Detlef -- Wisely, and slow. They stumble that run fast. - Shakespeare