In this era, psychoanalysis, plurality, irony, and skepticism become the hallmarks of literature. Geographically, Postmodernism denotes a period where, due to ever expanding forces of globalization, normative literature no longer happens in separate quadrants, relegated to European, American, Asian spheres; these denotations stand now as political descriptors rather than literal delineations. The “realities” of previous years are foregone in favor of a scathing appraisal about the nature of life….

In his essay, “On Genius,” Lethe Bashar (the founder of Escape into Life) questions “the way in which we talk about artists and their work”. He concludes, “What we think of as a writer’s unique and individual gifts . . . are really the effervescence of language itself.” He goes on to say: “This is a language that is common to all, a language that resonates with large numbers of people.”

Being a Philosophy major in college, I never thought there was anything funny about the subject of Philosophy. Understanding metaphysics, logic, rationalism and existentialism etc. discussed by the super thinkers of the world like Aristotle, Plato, Marx, Sartre, and Kierkegaard seemed anything but humorous. Trying to grasp the perplexing questions of life like, “Why are we here?” and “What’s it all about, Alphie?” hardly seemed a subject for humor.

In a thought provoking article called “Art, Taste, Money”, the author reflects on the current state of art. He notes a sharp difference in taste between the so-called cultural elites that populate the art-establishment, and the masses who “just don’t get it”. He illustrates his point brilliantly with a response by an anonymous commentator on a review published by Aurelio Madrid entitled, “Difficult Art”.

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