A stunning article from a truly gifted man...

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exactly :applaud:

who gives a shit if he missed a stupid period, or capitalized in the wrong spots....does it really matter? It's a blog for fuck's sake...

That's not it at all -- at least not for me. I'm very used to reading material from writers who eschew punctuation, capitalisation, conventional linear structure, and sometimes even standard spelling, and their work is often very good and sometimes spectacular. This piece, however, just doesn't measure up.

The pity is that it should have. Looking back almost 30 years on at what had to have been a very exciting and challenging point in their lives, it could -- and should -- have been brilliant. I expected it to be a great read -- funny, poignant, illuminating -- but I just found it so damned dull and plodding. I'm disappointed.


*** Disclaimer ***

Obviously (it should be fucking obvious anyway), this is my opinion and therefore is subjective (as is everyone else's opinion). If you feel Bono's comments are a fabulous piece of writing and you love it, that is great. I'm happy for you. I won't tell you that you are wrong, because you aren't wrong for you. This thread is about a certain piece of writing by Bono, and not everyone is going to feel the same about it. And it's ok to post differing views about it.
 
That's not it at all -- at least not for me. I'm very used to reading material from writers who eschew punctuation, capitalisation, conventional linear structure, and sometimes even standard spelling, and their work is often very good and sometimes spectacular. This piece, however, just doesn't measure up.

The pity is that it should have. Looking back almost 30 years on at what had to have been a very exciting and challenging point in their lives, it could -- and should -- have been brilliant. I expected it to be a great read -- funny, poignant, illuminating -- but I just found it so damned dull and plodding. I'm disappointed.


*** Disclaimer ***

Obviously (it should be fucking obvious anyway), this is my opinion and therefore is subjective (as is everyone else's opinion). If you feel Bono's comments are a fabulous piece of writing and you love it, that is great. I'm happy for you. I won't tell you that you are wrong, because you aren't wrong for you. This thread is about a certain piece of writing by Bono, and not everyone is going to feel the same about it. And it's ok to post differing views about it.

:lol:

Why do people keep calling this a "piece," as if it's a work of art or something...again, it's a blog...you should've been prepared beforehand for sloppy writing. I understand this is your opinion, but make sure you approach this with proper perspective...seems like some of you are taking this way to seriously :shrug:

...and besides...was it really that hard to understand? I understood practically everything he said and I actually found it an enjoyable read....someone as famous as Bono, who could've been doing a million other things, posted a response on RS website to some guys review of Bono's own record...I don't know, I think that's pretty cool. :shrug:
 
:lol:

Why do people keep calling this a "piece," as if it's a work of art or something...again, it's a blog...you should've been prepared beforehand for sloppy writing. I understand this is your opinion, but make sure you approach this with proper perspective...seems like some of you are taking this way to seriously :shrug:

...and besides...was it really that hard to understand? I understood practically everything he said and I actually found it an enjoyable read....someone as famous as Bono, who could've been doing a million other things, posted a response on RS website to some guys review of Bono's own record...I don't know, I think that's pretty cool. :shrug:

You still are not getting what I'm saying. It's NOT that it's sloppily constructed writing. It's NOT that I don't understand what he wrote. Of course I understand what he wrote. It's just dull. Boring. Uninteresting. And just because it was written in comment/blog form doesn't make that acceptable from someone who can do much better (and face it -- he knew it would be published so he had to have that in mind). Even sloppy, casual writing can be exciting, energetic, and powerful -- in fact it can often be more thrilling than very polished writing. But this isn't. It's just bland.

Yeah it's pretty cool that he wrote a response to the review. I just wish what he wrote had a bit of spark.


(again -- my opinion. and if you like what Bono wrote -- goody for you)
 
Maybe Bono just had an urge to pour his heart out? To me it looks like impulsive writing which can be very exciting. If you go back to such a piece and start to work at it, it usually loses something. I like it for what it is, not a piece of art but something I feel is quite sincere. I'm writing like that a lot of times and it can be a big relief.
 
Maybe Bono just had an urge to pour his heart out? To me it looks like impulsive writing which can be very exciting. If you go back to such a piece and start to work at it, it usually loses something. I like it for what it is, not a piece of art but something I feel is quite sincere. I'm writing like that a lot of times and it can be a big relief.

My first impression was that he'd had a drink or two before he wrote it. I did also wonder if he used one of those speech recognition packages where you just talk and the words appear on the screen which would seem to be more his style and would help explain a lot of the poor punctuation if he didn't bother to correct it -the text does feel like the way he talks in a lot of interviews and if we'd heard it rather than read it, it would have probably sounded much better.
 
You still are not getting what I'm saying. It's NOT that it's sloppily constructed writing. It's NOT that I don't understand what he wrote. Of course I understand what he wrote. It's just dull. Boring. Uninteresting. And just because it was written in comment/blog form doesn't make that acceptable from someone who can do much better (and face it -- he knew it would be published so he had to have that in mind). Even sloppy, casual writing can be exciting, energetic, and powerful -- in fact it can often be more thrilling than very polished writing. But this isn't. It's just bland.

Yeah it's pretty cool that he wrote a response to the review. I just wish what he wrote had a bit of spark.


(again -- my opinion. and if you like what Bono wrote -- goody for you)

So just because Bono is an artist everything he does has to meet some impossible standard? That's pretty ridiculous. Bono is a human being who is quite free to live his life as he sees fit. There is no reason that he should have to approach a blog post as some kind of artistic statement. As he says repeatedly he refuses to be held prisoner by fame. Part of the reason for the irony of the 90's was that they had reached a point that as Bono put it "If I hang my willy out in public it has to be some kind of statement." If you put him on that kind of pedestal that's not his fault, it's yours. He is quite happy to disappoint you as long as he is at peace with himself. You may have found the piece dull and boring but according to your comments you seem to have some pretty high standards for something that is basically a casual piece of correspondance. I'm not questioning your opinion as much as questioning the standards you seem to be using to reach that opinion. Perhaps your expectations are getting in the way of your enjoyment.

Dana
 
So just because Bono is an artist everything he does has to meet some impossible standard? That's pretty ridiculous. Bono is a human being who is quite free to live his life as he sees fit. There is no reason that he should have to approach a blog post as some kind of artistic statement. As he says repeatedly he refuses to be held prisoner by fame. Part of the reason for the irony of the 90's was that they had reached a point that as Bono put it "If I hang my willy out in public it has to be some kind of statement." If you put him on that kind of pedestal that's not his fault, it's yours. He is quite happy to disappoint you as long as he is at peace with himself. You may have found the piece dull and boring but according to your comments you seem to have some pretty high standards for something that is basically a casual piece of correspondance. I'm not questioning your opinion as much as questioning the standards you seem to be using to reach that opinion. Perhaps your expectations are getting in the way of your enjoyment.

Dana

Nah, we just think it's a shit article and not worth praising.
 
Maybe Bono just had an urge to pour his heart out? To me it looks like impulsive writing which can be very exciting. If you go back to such a piece and start to work at it, it usually loses something. I like it for what it is, not a piece of art but something I feel is quite sincere. I'm writing like that a lot of times and it can be a big relief.

Yeah, he should have reworked it until it was totally polished.

Oh wait, isn't that what he's totally criticized for with the songs?

I guess being Bono is a lose lose proposition. :|
 
This piece of writing doesn't change my opinion of Bono, but the "Bono's shit don't stink" mentality of some people around here has got to go. I bet if I wrote that article, none of you would read past the second line.

The title of this thread is "Stunning article from a truly gifted man". Who's taking things too seriously?

You sure have.
 
I have to say, this thread has taken a turn fo
avatar24920_3.gif
 
That's not it at all -- at least not for me. I'm very used to reading material from writers who eschew punctuation, capitalisation, conventional linear structure, and sometimes even standard spelling, and their work is often very good and sometimes spectacular. This piece, however, just doesn't measure up.

The pity is that it should have. Looking back almost 30 years on at what had to have been a very exciting and challenging point in their lives, it could -- and should -- have been brilliant. I expected it to be a great read -- funny, poignant, illuminating -- but I just found it so damned dull and plodding. I'm disappointed.


*** Disclaimer ***

Obviously (it should be fucking obvious anyway), this is my opinion and therefore is subjective (as is everyone else's opinion). If you feel Bono's comments are a fabulous piece of writing and you love it, that is great. I'm happy for you. I won't tell you that you are wrong, because you aren't wrong for you. This thread is about a certain piece of writing by Bono, and not everyone is going to feel the same about it. And it's ok to post differing views about it.

You're absolutely right... but not up to the Bono Standard, apparently.
 
Yeah, he should have reworked it until it was totally polished. :|

I can just hear it now - Oh my god Bono don't you know you're talking on a blog? Don't be so formal and polished.
Wish I could read the unpolished transcript.
:giggle:

and indra I think I understand what you are trying to convey. Even though I don't think it is all that earth shattering of a written piece either, it just reminds me of the way I've heard Bono speak. Sometimes nonsensical, rambling and totally off the wall. But like most people who have funny quirks, I just think, that's Bono for ya.. :wink:
 
You still are not getting what I'm saying. It's NOT that it's sloppily constructed writing. It's NOT that I don't understand what he wrote. Of course I understand what he wrote. It's just dull. Boring. Uninteresting. And just because it was written in comment/blog form doesn't make that acceptable from someone who can do much better (and face it -- he knew it would be published so he had to have that in mind). Even sloppy, casual writing can be exciting, energetic, and powerful -- in fact it can often be more thrilling than very polished writing. But this isn't. It's just bland.

Yeah it's pretty cool that he wrote a response to the review. I just wish what he wrote had a bit of spark.


(again -- my opinion. and if you like what Bono wrote -- goody for you)
It just didn't connect with you Indra, it did to some people and not to others.

I posted this because it connected with me - it's not the grammar that matters - I could see where he was coming from.
 
It just didn't connect with you Indra, it did to some people and not to others.

I posted this because it connected with me - it's not the grammar that matters - I could see where he was coming from.

Of course. (except the grammar bit...once again, it's not the form -- the lack of punctuation, the funky capitalisation, the structure -- that I find problematic)

And welcome to Interference. We don't bite too often. Ok...we do, but only when you turn your back. :wink:


So just because Bono is an artist everything he does has to meet some impossible standard? That's pretty ridiculous. Bono is a human being who is quite free to live his life as he sees fit. There is no reason that he should have to approach a blog post as some kind of artistic statement. As he says repeatedly he refuses to be held prisoner by fame. Part of the reason for the irony of the 90's was that they had reached a point that as Bono put it "If I hang my willy out in public it has to be some kind of statement." If you put him on that kind of pedestal that's not his fault, it's yours. He is quite happy to disappoint you as long as he is at peace with himself. You may have found the piece dull and boring but according to your comments you seem to have some pretty high standards for something that is basically a casual piece of correspondance. I'm not questioning your opinion as much as questioning the standards you seem to be using to reach that opinion. Perhaps your expectations are getting in the way of your enjoyment.

Dana

Thanks for the giggle.

I post that I find Bono's comment dull and feel he could have and should have done better.

You defend Bono by essentially telling me "Well...it doesn't suck too much if you lower your standards." :lol: :lmao:

It has a delightful with-defenders-like-that-Bono-doesn't-need-detractors vibe. :D I don't think that was quite what you were going for, but I found it amusing.
 
Of course. (except the grammar bit...once again, it's not the form -- the lack of punctuation, the funky capitalisation, the structure -- that I find problematic)

And welcome to Interference. We don't bite too often. Ok...we do, but only when you turn your back. :wink:




Thanks for the giggle.

I post that I find Bono's comment dull and feel he could have and should have done better.

You defend Bono by essentially telling me "Well...it doesn't suck too much if you lower your standards." :lol: :lmao:

It has a delightful with-defenders-like-that-Bono-doesn't-need-detractors vibe. :D I don't think that was quite what you were going for, but I found it amusing.


No what I was going for is that it is just a frigging blog post and why should there be ANY standard for it just because he is some kind of artist. If you find it dull that's your opinion but why should he have to do better? I found it to be in line with the way he talks. I'm asking why you have to set some kind of standard for his "performance" in what is essentially a casual communication? By the way, I am not defending the quality of the post just stating that I didn't find it boring and questioning why anyone has to make a big deal of it either way. Glad to amuse you by the way. :wink:

Dana
 
No what I was going for is that it is just a frigging blog post and why should there be ANY standard for it just because he is some kind of artist. If you find it dull that's your opinion but why should he have to do better? I found it to be in line with the way he talks. I'm asking why you have to set some kind of standard for his "performance" in what is essentially a casual communication? By the way, I am not defending the quality of the post just stating that I didn't find it boring and questioning why anyone has to make a big deal of it either way. Glad to amuse you by the way. :wink:

Dana

Take it easy, Dana -- my comments in this thread are just posts on a message board. They aren't as big a deal to me as you seem to think they are. Like everyone else that posts on message boards I like expressing my opinion. It's fun, and a great time-waster, but it's isn't anything to get worked up about.

You obviously feel I hold Bono to a higher standard, but I like reading good, interesting writing (again, I mean content, not necessarily form) from everyone. Even (gasp!) "normal" people. I think we can agree that posts on this board -- both in threads and in blogs/journals -- are casual communications. There are people here (some are BonosSaint, Maycocksean, yolland, Earnie Shavers, Irvine511, melon, beegee in her blog/journal more than her posts) who write posts I will read even if I'm not all that interested in the thread because what they write is probably going to be enjoyable. And engaging posts in threads I am interested in give me more pleasure than bland ones.

So what all that blather boils down to is that writing I find good gives me pleasure, and since I'm essentially a hedonist, that's what I want. And here's a dirty little secret for you -- I don't really care that much about Bono himself. While I don't wish him ill, he's not one of my friends or acquaintances, he's not even a friend or acquaintance of any of my friends or acquaintances. To me he's just a guy in a band that made some songs I like, so all I want from him is stuff I like. So of course he doesn't have to do better, but since all I care about in this instance is how I liked his comment I think it's rather crappy of him that he didn't do better. :grumpy: :D


(btw -- I might not have enjoyed Bono's comment all that much, but this thread has been a blast! :D )
 
Oh come on, I saw your post before you edited it.

Actually I edited it precisely because i thought the original comment was a bit harsh and not the best way to describe how I saw it (even though I do still feel that way).
Regardless of whether I had left it in or not, i still think it's a criticism of this particular point in time (ie B writing this article) and not a generalised Bono bash which is what you seem to be charging with.
 
I'm not quite sure why I'm even going to jump into this conversation, but when I read the article, it just frustrated me. I got his ideas, but there was certainly a more thought out, put together way to write it out. I understand that it's a blog article, but that still doesn't excuse it from all normal grammar and punctuation. It's really not that difficult to write coherently...then again, I'm a bit of a grammar nazi, and I can't stand it when people write poorly on purpose.
 
Take it easy, Dana -- my comments in this thread are just posts on a message board. They aren't as big a deal to me as you seem to think they are. Like everyone else that posts on message boards I like expressing my opinion. It's fun, and a great time-waster, but it's isn't anything to get worked up about.

You obviously feel I hold Bono to a higher standard, but I like reading good, interesting writing (again, I mean content, not necessarily form) from everyone. Even (gasp!) "normal" people. I think we can agree that posts on this board -- both in threads and in blogs/journals -- are casual communications. There are people here (some are BonosSaint, Maycocksean, yolland, Earnie Shavers, Irvine511, melon, beegee in her blog/journal more than her posts) who write posts I will read even if I'm not all that interested in the thread because what they write is probably going to be enjoyable. And engaging posts in threads I am interested in give me more pleasure than bland ones.

So what all that blather boils down to is that writing I find good gives me pleasure, and since I'm essentially a hedonist, that's what I want. And here's a dirty little secret for you -- I don't really care that much about Bono himself. While I don't wish him ill, he's not one of my friends or acquaintances, he's not even a friend or acquaintance of any of my friends or acquaintances. To me he's just a guy in a band that made some songs I like, so all I want from him is stuff I like. So of course he doesn't have to do better, but since all I care about in this instance is how I liked his comment I think it's rather crappy of him that he didn't do better. :grumpy: :D


(btw -- I might not have enjoyed Bono's comment all that much, but this thread has been a blast! :D )

I'm not all bent out of shape over this just clarifying what I was getting at. However you now say in this post that of course he doesn't have to do better but in your previous post you said

"And just because it was written in comment/blog form doesn't make that acceptable from someone who can do much better (and face it -- he knew it would be published so he had to have that in mind). "

which to me indicated that you had certain expectations for his post. My question wass why have those kind of expectations for something so casual as a blog post. You do answer that in this post if I understand you correctly to be saying that you have those kind of expectations for everybody. Fair enough. Cheers. :D

Dana
 
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