Couldn't you just as well argue that the manifesto is the work? It depends on what you're doing, I suppose, but if the goal of your work is to lay the philosophical foundations for some form of twenty-first century luddite anarchism, wouldn't a manifesto be a required part of it? :)

(Yes, i'm just feeling argumentative today).

It all goes to the critical question: What is the purpose of fiction?

I'll let David answer that one. No, no need to thank me.

Suppose there were a king, or king’s minister who had never heard the sound of a lute before. He might hear the sound of a lute, and say, ‘What, my good men, is that sound — so delightful, so tantalizing, so intoxicating, so ravishing, so enthralling?’

They would say, ‘That, sire, is called a lute, whose sound is so delightful, so tantalizing, so intoxicating, so ravishing, so enthralling.’

Then he would say, ‘Go & fetch me that lute.’

They would fetch the lute and say, ‘Here, sire, is the lute whose sound is so delightful, so tantalizing, so intoxicating, so ravishing, so enthralling.’

He would say, ‘Enough of your lute. Fetch me just the sound.’

Then they would say, ‘This lute, sire, is made of numerous components, a great many components. It’s through the activity of numerous components that it sounds: that is, in dependence on the body, the skin, the neck, the frame, the strings, the bridge, and the appropriate human effort. Thus it is that this lute — made of numerous components, a great many components — sounds through the activity of numerous components.’

Then the king would split the lute into ten pieces, a hundred pieces. Having split the lute into ten pieces, a hundred pieces, he would shave it to splinters. Having shaved it to splinters, he would burn it in a fire. Having burned it in a fire, he would reduce it to ashes. Having reduced it to ashes, he would winnow it before a high wind or let it be washed away by a swift-flowing stream.

He would then say, ‘A sorry thing, this lute — whatever a lute may be — by which people have been so thoroughly tricked & deceived.’

—— Buddha, The Lute Sutra

Damn lutes.

Greg, the purpose of fiction is to keep me from having a life.

re: purpose of fiction

/log/archives/000016.html#67
/log/archives/000016.html#72

Okay, so I'm feeling lazy. Sue me.

I thought the purpose of fiction was to keep librarians like me off the streets.

"Psst! Hey, buddy! Wanna read some classics? Man, this stuff will seriously mess with your mind. I got Hemingway, I got Sturgeon, I got Chandler, I got Dickens. All the biggies! First taste is free..."