October 18, 2008
-
Graciousness
There were some strong reactions, many insightful, to the last post about the character of Dr. House. Some perspectives I had not considered. How could I consider them if I didn't have them? Maybe the most shocking was WordJames' brilliant bit of deductive reasoning exposing the, now obvious, parallel between Dr. House and Sherlock Ho(l)mes. Wow! See why I'm happy to be back in xangadu? I would likely never have seen the connection on my own. Now it seems so obvious it's comical. It appears WordJames was able to apply the same objective needle to his own intellectual vein that Sherlock was able to bring to crime cases. I can almost hear WordJames saying, Elementary, my dear Watson. To add to the intrigue, that famous phrase does not appear in any of the Conan Doyle stories, only later in Sherlock Holmes' films. Sir Arthur Conan Doyle does have Holmes say, Exactly, my dear Watson, in three different stories. Imagine my surprise when another of my xangadu heroes, rideuponthewindagain, referenced P.G. Wodehouse. It just so happens that P.G. Wodehouse was the first to use the phrase, Elementary, my dear Watson, in Psmith Journalist in 1915. You could have knocked me over with a feather when I lined it all up and saw Wodehouse, Dr. House, his friend, Dr. James Wilson, Sherlock Ho(l)mes and his friend, Dr. John H. Watson in the same light. According to rideuponthewindagain, Hugh Laurie, who plays Dr. House, also played the part of Bertie Wooster in the PBS series of Jeeves, written by P.G. Wodehouse. I love synchronicity.Apart from and perhaps even because of the emotional responses to the personalities of Holmes and House, their drug abuse, superior intellect and, to many, offensive arrogance and acerbic nature they do make good dramatic characters. Their arrogance doesn't bother me because I don't think they really have an exaggerated sense of their own importance or abilities. They actually are brilliant. To my mind their ability to objectively and dispassionately admit when they are wrong is more important and admirable. I wish I could be as objective when I'm wrong, which is too often to my liking. Could be because I have an exaggerated sense of my own importance. Oh wait, who doesn't? Even if they can't admit it. It is also true that objectivity may appear quite cruel to someone in a more subjective state of mind. I do not enjoy or admire cruelty but am willing to attempt to understand what may cause it in human nature. How else am I expected to avoid it if I can't see it with some objectivity? Of course, I must see it in myself first before I will ever be able to understand it in another. This is not to excuse the behavior but rather to objectively, uncritically separate from it to study it scientifically, as it were. I'm sure my scientist friends will be able to understand the value of such an approach to human nature. I'm old. I can afford to be gracious. Thank you, each one, for your valuable opinions and insights.
Comments (24)
Too deep for me to reply as kindly as you have tonight.May I respond later?
You know i will.
Hugs!
you are a classy writer. alas, im not familiar with house or even too much of ho(l)mes. i'll have to see if house airs on one of the 13 channels i receive...
(brief clicking off to search google)...
ah, fox tv.i might just acutally be able to catch up with the rest of the world in my television viewing. i never saw sex and the city until it went into reruns off hbo...
glad you are back
~ds
As long as we continue to evolve things cannot be so wrong with the world. That could be disagreed with by many but that is how I feel about my world. I never watch television. I have no clue to what or who that program might be. I think finding out we are wrong is a weight lifted. A stone of some mislearning tossed off our shoulders. How light we are to see the difference between what works and what does not. Many of us continue over and over to do what does not works and blame the world or blame something. I know I have and do. Sigh of relief. We can fix it ourselves with a little insight. I appreciate you pointing that out. It is a fine reminder. At least this is how I read your posts.
My writings are drivel...your's are not. I certainly do not think I "have an exaggerated sense of my own importance or abilities". Sometimes I comment, sometimes I don't, but I certainly don't visit because you visit me. I visit because you are always a stimulating read...even when I don't agree with you. I do enjoy House for the reasons that you have expressed, and it it one of the few television shows that I watch.. And maybe that's some of the same reasons that I'm so glad you have rejoined us here on xangadu.
@gandywhite -
What? You don't agree with me? I'm crushed. Honestly, I think I have worked hard enough to get it right and it surprises me every time someone doesn't agree with me. On the other hand, I realize that many time I do not agree with me after further thought on the matter. Okay, I guess I can live with it. Thank you for reading.
Gotta love it when things just fall together.
1. I loved your excitement over finding the links between the names. That's something that I would do, and it's comforting to find another person who acts like that.
2. Complete objectivity is complete detachment from emotions. That is what makes Holmes and House look cruel, but honestly, without that trait, I doubt that they'd be as brilliant as they are. If House stopped to consider how his suggested procedures would make the patient feel, he would probably start losing patients. Some times, there isn't time for second guesses or doubts.
@himynameisgusandiscarepeople -
You don't scare me. *smile*
@James - Thanks.
4 years ago, when I started this site and still answered to this nickname, I used to. *sigh* I have never figured out why my "friends" don't trust me to fly an airplane that they're in. I mean, if we crash, I get hurt too! Alas, that may be the result of speaking my mind too frequently... people believe me to be partially insane.
@himynameisgusandiscarepeople -
It is unwise to judge oneself by what others may think. We project our own fears and shortcomings on others. Those closest to us, more often than not, are the recipients of that which we choose not to see in ourselves. Just because other have trust issues doesn't mean we are not trustworthy. I'd fly with you--at least once.
I'd fly with you a multitude of times...as long as we had Buddy Love and Falcor (who flies, himself, in Neverending Story). We have had a great life so far and only await new discoveries!
I had to go back and do some catch up reading. I haven't watched much House... but I like the character. I don't see him in you or the other way around, for that matter. I could probably deal with House, if he were a real person. Nasty as he might be, at least you'd know where you stand and I'm all for that.
House actually reminds me of another TV doctor, Dr. Jeffrey Geiger (Mandy Patinkin) from Chicago Hope. Geiger was all that House is... minus the addiction but plus emotional instability. Otherwise... virtually the same character.
Am I a little bit weird if House cracks me up? Even when he's serious, there's something funny about it. Maybe because I like humor a bit sharp edged. I never plan to watch the show, but if i happen to notice it's on I'll sit down and watch it. Hugh Laurie really fills out that character and makes him fascinating.
@poesy -
If you are a bit weird (was there really ever any doubt about this?) I am too. The show keeps me in stitches (no pun intended). Laurie does an incredible job with the character, in my opinion. I think he's still finding out who House may be. My personal valuation of objectivity has increased so much the past few years that I have become a bit obsessed with it.
@James - While I realize that it unwise to focus on what other people think of me, distancing myself from the opinions of others is difficult. I think that I am getting better at it, but it's a process. Thanks for the trust in me.
@himynameisgusandiscarepeople -
Yeah, it is hard. Harder at some stages than at others and harder for some of us than others. The fact that you see it and are making the effort to separate is great. It is a process. I'm glad you seem so willing to be patient with yourself while you process. That attitude will serve you well.
@James - I am fairly certain that my mental age is far beyond my biological one, because I don't seem to be on the same page as any of them. With that being said, I can't simply wait for my peers to catch up, because I have met many people twice my age who are struggling with things that I have already overcome. Some people simply won't catch up to me, but hey, I could end up learning 180 years of life lessons in 90 years of life.
... Yet it occurs to me that the wisdom would inevitably die with me, because I could not express it clearly to people who would never understand. *sigh*
@himynameisgusandiscarepeople -
Perhaps not being able to play in all the reindeer games forced you to develop along another line.
Wisdom has a life of her own, independent from us. We can walk with her but we can't own her. She'll be standing on some street corner a thousand years from now calling out to passersby. Some will be deaf and some will hear her voice. Few will go far with her.
See we're not all that bad!
@sean808080 -
You're right. We're not all bad. Some of us are worse. *smile*
@James - If only more people would walk with her, even for a minute.
@himynameisgusandiscarepeople -
I think you'll find that if only is an extremely unprofitable state of mind to visit. Much worse, of course, when one takes up residence there. Things happen in the only way they can happen because we are what we are and we live where we live.
@James - ... This one is going to take a bit longer for me to process. I'll get back to you on it later.
..." if only is an extremely unprofitable state of mind to visit."... So true! My mother used to tell us kids, "That's a waste of time and energy," whenever she overheard us talking in that vein.
Comments are closed.