[lbo-talk] Conrad v Hochschild (was Lincoln Gordon, he dead)

[c b]

James Heartfield
Can I slow you down just a bit, there. There's a problem with Conrad's
book? This is a novel that is acknowledged to be one of the greatest
works of fiction; so if you have found a problem with it, you ought to
make a great impact on literary criticism.

Anyway, let's hear what 'the problem with Conrad's book' is ...

Michael writes 'He wanted to get at truth,' whoa, hold your horses. He
'wanted to get at the truth'? What truth, exactly? I think Conrad
wanted to write a good novel. 'The truth' - if 'truth' is the name you
give to what art does - that he is looking for is not some
journalistic account of what was happening in the Congo.

Michael continues: 'and instead he produced mystification, when the
truth was right in front of his face.' and the truth is not
mysterious? Mystery is not part of the truth?

^^^^^^^
CB: What's the specific mystery in the truth about this genocide ?
What important does this novel get at that a journalistic account does
not ?