Pedagogical Musing:
On another note, I think K. Silem Mohammad, in terms of his craft, is interested in highlighting linguistics, media, and the way words can intersect by dissecting something. Creating space in an infinitely-spaced medium.
Conceptually, I love it. I think it would be a valuable exercise for students as well- and pedagogically speaking, I could see asking students to bring in an article that is research based about their topics. In class, I’d then ask them to be creative with dissecting the sentences and paragraphs until there is a core left. Maybe using Mohammad’s approach and example “Spooked and Considering How Spooky Deer Are” interview/article in conjunction with their own exercise could prove to be extremely valuable. While very different than Mohammad, I know creating something can further help my students absorb material. They’d learn, as Mohammad points out, how language works and frankly at times, doesn’t work. Yet, there is some beauty in creating a “badly taxidermied funny animal” and my students would be forced to critically read the article at that point to gain insight and recognize the particular p.o.v. their writer is attempting to establish.
There are pedagogical possibilities in the work and craft of both Mohammad and Banner
Yes, for me Flarf can serve to defamiliarize language (in a rich, amusing, or even insightful way). And Ithink that writing Flarf is as good as reading it … or better.