New Book Honoring Midgley

[Doctor CamNC4Me]

This bit caught my eye:



Is that the accepted anglicized spelling of Paul Ricœur? I know it’s just a pdf name, but the fact it’s published as a sort of chapter title begets a little scrutiny, no?

- Doc

[Dr. Shades]

Finally, I wish to report that the entire festschrift is now available online here. Reader discretion is advised.

HELP REQUESTED:

In the fifth link, titled "Louise [sic] Midgley," this is the second sentence of page 7, written regarding Louis Midgley by his daughter:

To my young Amanda and to his other grandchildren, Dad would often say, “You are mine. I own you!”

This left me wholly confused. The explanation follows in the third and fourth sentences:

These young, independent-minded souls might initially bristle at such words, but they eventually came to appreciate his oft repeated remark. This unique expression was simply “Pop’s” way of saying “I love you,” a way of bearing his testimony of the eternal nature of families as he once did with us children.

I'm neither a parent nor a grandparent, so I have no insight into how family dynamics like the above work, so please enlighten me:

1. In your family, is/was telling your child or grandchild that that you "own" him or her your way of saying "I love you?"
2. Did/do you repeat it oft?
3. Is/was it a way of bearing your testimony of the eternal nature of families?

Thanks in advance for any insight you wish to share.

[Doctor CamNC4Me]

Wow. That little crap weasel, the Midge, really was what we thought he was. “Own you.” Did that make you feel powerful, you little person?

- Doc

[I Have Questions]

Finally, I wish to report that the entire festschrift is now available online here. Reader discretion is advised.

HELP REQUESTED:

In the fifth link, titled "Louise [sic] Midgley," this is the second sentence of page 7, written regarding Louis Midgley by his daughter:

To my young Amanda and to his other grandchildren, Dad would often say, “You are mine. I own you!”

This left me wholly confused. The explanation follows in the third and fourth sentences:

These young, independent-minded souls might initially bristle at such words, but they eventually came to appreciate his oft repeated remark. This unique expression was simply “Pop’s” way of saying “I love you,” a way of bearing his testimony of the eternal nature of families as he once did with us children.

I'm neither a parent nor a grandparent, so I have no insight into how family dynamics like the above work, so please enlighten me:

1. In your family, is/was telling your child or grandchild that that you "own" him or her your way of saying "I love you?"
2. Did/do you repeat it oft?
3. Is/was it a way of bearing your testimony of the eternal nature of families?

Thanks in advance for any insight you wish to share.

No, no, no.

“I own you” is a statement of ownership, of control, of dominance. It’s a possessive statement. It is NOT an alternative way of saying “I love you” and “I’m glad we will be together forever”. It’s also not accurate in regards to eternal families, because it suggests the choice is all Louis Midgley’s, not his children’s. And of course, they do have a choice. As a one off statement it might have been seen as a humorous comment. As a consistent, oft repeated phrase, it’s an abusive, coercive, controlling statement aimed at exerting dominance and dominion. It’s wrong. Very very wrong.

[Doctor Scratch]

Finally, I wish to report that the entire festschrift is now available online here. Reader discretion is advised.

HELP REQUESTED:

In the fifth link, titled "Louise [sic] Midgley," this is the second sentence of page 7, written regarding Louis Midgley by his daughter:

To my young Amanda and to his other grandchildren, Dad would often say, “You are mine. I own you!”

This left me wholly confused. The explanation follows in the third and fourth sentences:

These young, independent-minded souls might initially bristle at such words, but they eventually came to appreciate his oft repeated remark. This unique expression was simply “Pop’s” way of saying “I love you,” a way of bearing his testimony of the eternal nature of families as he once did with us children.

I'm neither a parent nor a grandparent, so I have no insight into how family dynamics like the above work, so please enlighten me:

1. In your family, is/was telling your child or grandchild that that you "own" him or her your way of saying "I love you?"
2. Did/do you repeat it oft?
3. Is/was it a way of bearing your testimony of the eternal nature of families?

Thanks in advance for any insight you wish to share.

Dr. Shades:

You may remember that, in the past, I have characterized Midgley as "The Emperor of FARMS." Given that fact, you might also remember that, in the third act of Return of the Jedi, Palpatine repeatedly taunts Luke in an effort to lure him over to the dark side: "With each passing moment, you make yourself more my servant," he says to Luke. And, most memorably: "You, like your father, are now mine."



So, really, this is just reinforcing the observation that Midgley is indeed, and has always been, The "Emperor Palpatine" of FARMS.

[Tom]

This bit caught my eye:



Is that the accepted anglicized spelling of Paul Ricœur? I know it’s just a pdf name, but the fact it’s published as a sort of chapter title begets a little scrutiny, no?

Mais oui. That’s an embarrassing misspelling. Fitting, though, given the blatant misspellings associated with the festschrift noted in this thread.

[Tom]

I wish to highlight a few other contributions to the festschrift:

“A Giving of Accounts” is an autobiographical essay of sorts. I must confess that I’m rather astonished that some in the BYU’s political science department during the 1980s apparently thought that Prof’or Midgley “should be publishing papers that would contribute something to political science rather than setting out and defending their own faith” (xxix). I also confess that I am disappointed that Prof’or Midgley fails to admit that he slugged a fellow student in junior high; that he possessed a bizarre obsession with and disdain toward Fawn Brodie, Gina Colvin, and other Mormon women scholars; and that he was addicted to jousting with “anti-mormonoids” and other individuals he disparaged as “cultural Mormons.” (Both Ted Vaggalis (xix) and Sara Midgley Cope (4) wrongly credit Prof’or Midgley with coining the term “cultural Mormons”; certainly Daniel Peterson, one of the festschrift editors, should have caught that his good friend John Sorenson used the term before Midgley did.)

Second, I would highlight the late William Hamblin’s painfully unfunny contribution, titled “The Ballad of Lou the Mean.” Who are the “Signaturi Queens”?

[Fence Sitter]

I wish to highlight a few other contributions to the festschrift:

“A Giving of Accounts”: an autobiographical essay of sorts. I must confess that I’m rather astonished that some in the BYU’s political science department during the 1980s apparently thought that Prof’or Midgley “should be publishing papers that would contribute something to political science rather than setting out and defending their own faith” (xxix).

Having taken several classes from him during that time, as a student, I also found it strange that his classes often deviated from course material into apologetic discussions, which were quite enjoyable and much of the reason I kept taking classes from him. If I only knew then what I .....

[Marcus]

I wish to highlight a few other contributions to the festschrift:

“A Giving of Accounts”: an autobiographical essay of sorts. I must confess that I’m rather astonished that some in the BYU’s political science department during the 1980s apparently thought that Prof’or Midgley “should be publishing papers that would contribute something to political science rather than setting out and defending their own faith” (xxix). I also confess that I am disappointed that Prof’or Midgley fails to admit that he slugged a fellow student in junior high; that he possessed a bizarre obsession with and disdain toward Fawn Brodie, Gina Colvin, and other Mormon women scholars; and that he was addicted to jousting with “anti-mormonoids” and other individuals he disparaged as “cultural Mormons.” (Both Ted Vaggalis (xix) and Sara Midgley Cope (4) wrongly credit Prof’or Midgley with coining the term “cultural Mormons”; certainly Daniel Peterson, one of the festschrift editors, should have caught that his good friend John Sorenson used the term before Midgley did.)

Second, I would highlight the late William Hamblin’s painfully unfunny contribution, titled “The Ballad of Lou the Mean.” Who are the “Signaturi Queens”?

Wow. So according to Hamblin's ballad "Lou the Mean" went to hell after dying, along with the apostates?? Where he is condemned to squatting over burning coals, spitting out his mean-nesses forever?? That doesn't seem like a tribute....

[Doctor Scratch]

Second, I would highlight the late William Hamblin’s painfully unfunny contribution, titled “The Ballad of Lou the Mean.” Who are the “Signaturi Queens”?

Perhaps this is a reference to Signature Books?