KEROUAC, THE DEVIL IN THE XIII c. AND THE AUDIT OF PITY

Dear Marius, colleague and friend,

Thanks for the reference on Kerouac.

I knew you were still interested in that implacable spirit: recently Gabriella Weiger, who is writing a thesis on The Cosmic Joke in a Postmodernist Context at the University of Uppsala, dropped some hints in an e-mail.

I’d like to delve deeper into what Kerouac wrote on Faustus the Magus’ possession and strangulation by the Devil in the 13th century.

Let me get to the crux of the argument, which is totally unconnected to Satan’s weals at the time of the Inquisition. I read your article The Productive Pleasure: Television as a Cultural Commodity and the Political Framework in the journal Spectrum Mundi (Vol. XVIX, November, 2001).

The argument you put forward about the strategies consumerism deploys and the Freudian implications of sensationalism in the media are awesome.

Recently local promoters of the programme The Audit of Pity issued a press release relating to their product on the state channel, which, not long ago, was heavily criticised in the media that is unsympathetic towards the government. It occured to me the communication release could be useful in your research, so I’m including it as an attachment. On my part I have yet to reach a conclusion on the aesthetic chords that embedded themselves in the document.

Best regards,

Eric.

A MEDIA RELEASE FROM THE AUDIT OF PITY

After the unjust criticism that recently appeared in a section of the media, we feel it is our duty to speak out, not only for the sake of defending the principle of pluralism in broadcasting but also in view of basic values related to morality and solidarity. Moreover, we let statistics do the talking. We are endorsed by the thousands of citizens who tune in to us and attest to our wholesome effects on the community of marginalised and deviant people.

We distinguish ourselves with scrupulous interventions and truthfulness to make people’s dreams materialse. Our programmes are extentions that connect viewers to the wretched of the world, to give them a new future and identity – we publicly cleanse them of their scaly skin in order to withstand the electronic age. We want to augment their immunity against the warped perceptions people might have of them. We demand that these lost souls in a crowd be able to grasp the staff of fire and decimate the Cyclops.

Our programmes represent vibrations that help the public take notice of the doves that died in the souls of the ill-fated and marginalised. In front of the cameras of pity, we are determined to sign a new lease on their existence.

Even from the natural inflexion of our voices one can detect the sacred proof that we are not predators and we do not exploit screen culture for ulterior motives. We emphasise that we want to turn people’s fancies into substance. We are not after our own glory; rather we seek the salvation of those who inhabit the remotest crannies. In front of cameras we do not flinch from wearing our heart on our sleeves. We vow that from the reliquary of time we bring about the assembly of the lost and fortify the lame according to a timetable of piety. Our voice will be solemnly cleansed by the tears of the vast number of viewers who tune in to watch us from their bed or settee.

And as soon as the reconstructions scroll up and as viewers uniformly sigh with the blessed spasms of compassion, we also think of them and provide them with a dice to actualise their mental floats. We give them the possibility for their tears to crystallise into a wonderful apartment on the Island of Calypso, the nymph of love and mercy.

We conclude by thanking the thousands who follow our programmes and those who sponsor us consistently, thus facilitating our mision of commiseration.

Translated by Patricia Gatt