It depends on the strictures governing one's mode of exegesis. In the "whack shit" school, the eso- and exoteric meanings need not relate at all, except when seen through the prism of the eponymous whack shit. Either you get it, or you don't. The whack shit experience is mystical and doesn't translate well into public discourse.
My mom says our family motto is "Nothing in Moderation." It bears a surprising resemblance to the motto of the Bagthorpes ("If a thing's worth doing, it's worth overdoing"), but I think that they were discovered independently.
My maternal grandfather had a crest--not sure why since he was an historian but remarkably unantiquarian and not snobby--for his family. It reads "vera sequor." It's not a bad motto.
18, I'm only half kidding. That's his phrase for corruption in politics, religion, business, etc., things he enjoys complaining about. But cream gravy, yeah, breakfast fixture.
we're not going to stop talking about grotesque sex acts.
Posted by text | Link to this comment | 10-12-05 3:15 PM
1803 is old New Orleanian. In New England that's arriviste. Don't they have any old French upper class snobs there?
Posted by bostoniangirl | Link to this comment | 10-12-05 3:19 PM
I saw that, and have considered adopting it as my own. I certainly live by it.
Posted by LizardBreath | Link to this comment | 10-12-05 3:21 PM
Really, unless the reprimands come to be as severe as the tasks are arduous, the motto will endure with only minor revisions.
Posted by Standpipe Bridgeplate | Link to this comment | 10-12-05 3:34 PM
This is closely related to, it is easier to get forgiveness than permission.
Posted by slolernr | Link to this comment | 10-12-05 3:37 PM
Really, unless the reprimands come to be as severe as the tasks are arduous, the motto will endure with only minor revisions.
ATM
Posted by Tia | Link to this comment | 10-12-05 3:37 PM
There oughta've been a law
The slacker lobby really dropped the ball on that one. Surprise, surprise.
Posted by Standpipe Bridgeplate | Link to this comment | 10-12-05 3:37 PM
This would be why pot isn't legal?
"Oh man, what'd I do with those petitions?"
Posted by LizardBreath | Link to this comment | 10-12-05 3:41 PM
Hey look, the motto is an acrostic. The hidden text's relation to the text text is ambiguous, unfortunately.
Posted by Standpipe Bridgeplate | Link to this comment | 10-12-05 3:52 PM
Maybe not so unfortunate. Without ambiguity, exegetes would have to work a lot harder—an obvious lose.
Posted by Standpipe Bridgeplate | Link to this comment | 10-12-05 3:54 PM
I'm assuming that the more cut-and-dry a text is, the harder it is to draw out its esoteric meaning. I could be wrong about that.
Posted by Standpipe Bridgeplate | Link to this comment | 10-12-05 4:03 PM
It depends on the strictures governing one's mode of exegesis. In the "whack shit" school, the eso- and exoteric meanings need not relate at all, except when seen through the prism of the eponymous whack shit. Either you get it, or you don't. The whack shit experience is mystical and doesn't translate well into public discourse.
Posted by Standpipe Bridgeplate | Link to this comment | 10-12-05 4:08 PM
I should be allowed to think.
Posted by Standpipe Bridgeplate | Link to this comment | 10-12-05 4:22 PM
However!
Posted by Standpipe Bridgeplate | Link to this comment | 10-12-05 4:25 PM
Come to think of it my own family motto is, "Less Would Do."
But that's actually a more complicated and devious statement than it would appear, contra 11.
Posted by ac | Link to this comment | 10-12-05 4:26 PM
My mom says our family motto is "Nothing in Moderation." It bears a surprising resemblance to the motto of the Bagthorpes ("If a thing's worth doing, it's worth overdoing"), but I think that they were discovered independently.
Posted by Matt Weiner | Link to this comment | 10-12-05 4:48 PM
My dad's fond of saying, "Pass the gravy."
Posted by Armsmasher | Link to this comment | 10-12-05 5:14 PM
Texas BBQ, sigh....
Posted by Matt Weiner | Link to this comment | 10-12-05 5:25 PM
My maternal grandfather had a crest--not sure why since he was an historian but remarkably unantiquarian and not snobby--for his family. It reads "vera sequor." It's not a bad motto.
Posted by bostoniangirl | Link to this comment | 10-12-05 5:26 PM
18, I'm only half kidding. That's his phrase for corruption in politics, religion, business, etc., things he enjoys complaining about. But cream gravy, yeah, breakfast fixture.
Posted by Armsmasher | Link to this comment | 10-12-05 5:47 PM
For it is better to incur a slight reprimand
The last line should be:
than to be chewed out for a major fuck-up.
Posted by ogmb | Link to this comment | 10-13-05 12:20 AM
Yup, it was a good piece. I felt really awful about the little old lady who, he feared, had been domed. How she wound up in Michigan I can't imagine.
Posted by bostoniangirl | Link to this comment | 10-13-05 8:57 AM