Murphy, 1/22

The idea that "when we see authorship we quit re-writing and start analyzing whats already there" rings so true to my personal experience and what I would consider human nature. Dr. Rog brought up this idea of seeing a text and immediately changing it to fit our ideas and experiences. And changing the meaning in a way that would apply the text personally. Whereas when we see a text, such as the poem we looked at in class, that has the authors name at the bottom, we stop trying to make it our own, and instead we begin to try and figure out what the author is trying to say and why.
The different interpretations of texts are what cause conflict between different groups, cultures, and nations. Tmesis is what creates these different readings of the same text. Dr.Rog explained that individuals begin sticking their moral and ethical beliefs into the texts and suggest that they are better than the others. The idea of one person believing their interpretation of a text begins at a very early age. It can be seen in classrooms, homes, and churches all over the world. I know that I personally have argued my ideas on what a story, poem, or sign meant to me, and many times relentlessly believing I was right. After time and experience I can say that I agree with Barthe wholeheartedly when he suggests "allowing and accepting different versions of the texts to avoid conflict." Arguing one's ideas is acceptable and admirable, but claiming superiority and not considering other peoples ideas is ignorant. Barthe states, "Let differences surreptitiously replace conflict...Conflict is nothing but the moral state of difference" (110).