Performing Blogging

So, here we are at the end of the semester, the last blog entry.

I’m intrigued by this word “performing.” Monika used the word in a recent conversation in which we were talking about some of Raymond Carver’s short stories. “Carver’s use of a particular narrative strategy performs X.” She actually said something smarter, but I can’t remember what it was.

Then last week’s reading focused on the idea of performing literarcy.

Now, we’re talking about performing professionalism. In any other job (in my estimation) this kind of talk would get you tossed out on your ear. Who’s going to pay a lawyer $550 per hour to perform law or is going to trust their health to a doctor who wants to “perform” medicine. (Yes. I know one performs surgery, but thing seems like a very different use of the word) Why do we just DO our jobs as academics rather than perform. This kind of “too cute by half” business seems like part of the reason you can go to school for 12 years only to get compete with 100 other people for a gig that pay less than middle management at Starbucks.

Now, on the other side of this…

The writers I know who are successful and who also hold jobs in the academy (as no landlord is currently accepting copies of the Kenyon/Paris Review(s) in lieu of rent) seem to be careful to only “perform” their roles in the academy. Most, seem to recognize it for the perilous, low stakes snakepit that it is and steer the hell clear as much as they can. By this I don't mean they don't care about teaching, but don't care about the academic stuff. They work w/ their student and try to write things that will win a National Book Award.