I once postulated parallels between Irish and Southern literature, having thought I noticed similarities in style and use of language.That is, language as a defense and means of keeping a defeated culture alive. The Irish were defeated by the English and the practice of their religion, Catholicism, was forbidden.
Southerners were defeated by the Yankees and their religion, virulent institutional racism, was made illegal. Both cultures were or became adept at making up and maintaining parallel worlds that gave them positive identities, rallying points and a collective sense of self. But making shit up has a qualitative side.
Not all lies are created equal. Art is a kind of lie, as is anything creative and so life in general. Our lives are lies. We have to apply a layer of creativity to make life livable. I have problems with Catholicism but I'll take it over racism, and it was racism that produced the lies of Birtherism, another Lost Cause.
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