David Jones, artist and poet (1895-1974) begins his PREFACE TO THE ANATHEMATA :

'I have made a heap of all that I could find.' (1) So wrote Nennius, or whoever composed the introductory matter to Historia Brittonum. He speaks of an 'inward wound' which was caused by the fear that certain things dear to him 'should be like smoke dissipated'. Further, he says, 'not trusting my own learning, which is none at all, but partly from writings and monuments of the ancient inhabitants of Britain, partly from the annals of the Romans and the chronicles of the sacred fathers, Isidore, Hieronymous, Prosper, Eusebius and from the histories of the Scots and Saxons although our enemies . . . I have lispingly put together this . . . about past transactions, that [this material] might not be trodden under foot'. (2)

(1) The actual words are coacervavi omne quod inveni, and occur in Prologue 2 to the Historia.
(2) Quoted from the translation of Prologue 1. See The Works of Gildas and Nennius, J.A.Giles, London 1841.


06 September 2013

Australia Decides : A tissue of facts


In her final period as Prime Minister, Julia Gillard in Question Time attempted to bring to ground the wilder projections of The Opposition by a constant claim to "fact".

Since then, the Rise of the Fact Checkers.

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At a recent National Press Club appearance by Treasurer Chris Bowen and would-be Treasurer Joe Hockey, the final question of the day came from veteran journalist Michelle Grattan :

"You both say you like to talk in terms of facts, and 'fact checking' has become quite an industry in this election..." 

Having said this, she then asked each of them a question about certain specific claims they had made.

Joe Hockey opens his reply thus:

"Michelle, fact checkers are entitled to their opinion..."
           
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Hearing Hockey sounding like a Nietzschean or post-Structuralist sends us laughing back to watch again our favorite Crosby-Lamour-Hope road movie, in which our zany heroes journey from Data to Information to Knowledge to Wisdom. As always, it's a scream!
      

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