"Socrates' Address" by Louis Joseph Lebrun‘The Misologist’: A Poem by Susan Jarvis Bryant The Society July 9, 2023 Culture, Poetry 65 Comments . The Misologist “There is no greater evil one can suffer than to hate reasonable discourse.” —Socrates He reads the notion on the page. __It isn’t to his taste. It blazes fire that stokes his rage. __It lays his creed to waste— Too bright for those who prize the dark It lights his ire with just one spark. __He has a war to wage… A war against a trail of ink __In swirls of black on white That sings a song in neon pink __In days as bleak as night, In tones that surge against the tide, In shades that shine with notes denied— __Delighting all who think. He hears a bold, rhapsodic blast __On tongues that prize the hue Of gleaming reams that beam then cast __A fair and golden view— A view that draws his battle cry. He fights to shun the what and why— __To snub each question asked… For only one side gains his ear— __The side that all should heed— The side that green minds bleed to hear— __The side that kills the seed Of reason—shutting down debate By branding speech that’s free as hate— __A Machiavellian smear. Misologists will silence proof Of lies illumed in words of truth. . . Susan Jarvis Bryant has poetry published on Lighten Up Online, Snakeskin, Light, Sparks of Calliope, and Expansive Poetry Online. She also has poetry published in TRINACRIA, Beth Houston’s Extreme Formal Poems anthology, and in Openings (anthologies of poems by Open University Poets in the UK). Susan is the winner of the 2020 International SCP Poetry Competition, and has been nominated for the 2022 Pushcart Prize. NOTE TO READERS: If you enjoyed this poem or other content, please consider making a donation to the Society of Classical Poets. The Society of Classical Poets does not endorse any views expressed in individual poems or commentary. Share this:Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)Click to print (Opens in new window)Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window)Click to share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window)Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window)Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window)Trending now: 65 Responses Roy Eugene Peterson July 9, 2023 This is one of the greatest poems I have ever read! In fact, I have put it at the top of my list. A great depth of meaning, message, and feeling is ensconced in this vivid classical poetry text. It has been a long time since I have seen the word, misologist,” but what an inspired choice for the title and the final couplet! Your great poem deserves the widest readership, recognition, and reward. Needless to say, I have saved “Misologist” for my own collection of verse, so that I can read it over many times and take the message to heart. Reply Susan Jarvis Bryant July 10, 2023 Roy, this is high praise indeed and I thank you wholeheartedly for it. I am thrilled you enjoyed the poem and hope you are able to continue to keep the dialogue open in difficult days. It’s always a privilege to hear your voice, whether through poetry or in the comments sections. Reply Brian A Yapko July 9, 2023 Susan, I will add my voice to Roy’s and express my huge enthusiasm for this excellent poem, not only for its dazzling use of poetic skill but for a message of such in-your-face truth only someone very brave could have penned it. Yours is a withering critique of those hypocrites who claim to love free speech — but only when it is THEIR free speech. I especially like your description of works of daring which are presented “In tones that surge against the tide,/In shades that shine with notes denied—/__Delighting all who think” and how this contrasts with “the side that kills the seed/of reason…” You absolutely nail it. This should be required reading in political science courses on freedom of speech. Reply Susan Jarvis Bryant July 10, 2023 Brian, it’s always a treat to receive a comment from you and (as ever) you have tapped into exactly what I am saying with clarity and aplomb. I am certain many have no idea of the true meaning of “freedom of speech” – a term skewed into oblivion by sophists with a self-serving agenda. Brian – thank you! Reply Paddy Raghunathan July 9, 2023 Susan, Beautifully written. It’s so well written that it’s both political and politically neutral: anyone can claim this poem represents their detractors perfectly. Best regards, Paddy Reply Susan Jarvis Bryant July 10, 2023 Paddy, thank you for your considered comment and for the compliment. I’m glad you enjoyed the poem. Reply Paddy Raghunathan July 10, 2023 Susan, From your various other poems which more expressly state your political beliefs, it’s clear what you had in mind. But a poem has an additional charm when it goes beyond what the poet originally intended, and The Misologist poem has that quality. I leave it to my talented friends and fellow poets if they wish to go green, red, or blue with envy. 🙂 Best regards, Paddy Mike Bryant July 12, 2023 And Susan, I know that this brilliant poem went precisely where you intended it to go. Why else would anyone try to say it means something else? The poem could not be any clearer. Just beautiful… that’s why it must be redefined. Susan Jarvis Bryant July 10, 2023 Paddy, please know that I did not have politics in mind when I set out to write this poem. I wrote it in the interest of free speech… the right to debate without being shut down by those who don’t agree with a particular viewpoint. Language has most certainly been politicized… that doesn’t mean that my poetry is political. I want freedom of speech for all, regardless of what is said. If you think I’m a far right radical for saying just that, my poem is defending your right to say it and my right to deny it. It’s as simple as that. Paddy Raghunathan July 10, 2023 Susan, Indeed, I didn’t attribute any specific meaning to your poem. If you read my original comment, The Misologist has that quality of being both political and politically neutral at the same time. Everyone can identify with it. And I agree, if read the way I read it, it’s about protecting everyone’s right to free speech. Thank you for clarifying that was indeed your intent as well. Congrats on a fine poem, regardless. Paddy Mike Bryant July 12, 2023 Ah, but it is not only about protecting everyone’s free speech. It is also about those who change word definitions in order to push a narrative. The poem is also about those that scream “misinformation” or “hate speech” when they hear unapproved ideas. Misologists try to convince everyone that the government cares about them, the media would never mislead or lie to them and the pharmaceutical industry that makes billions off sickness wants to cure them. The conspiracy theorists are those that are either profiting from or bamboozled by the ever-changing narrative. Joshua C. Frank July 11, 2023 Paddy, please see my comment for why I don’t agree with your interpretation of Susan’s poem, Joseph S. Salemi July 9, 2023 Gee, I wonder who’s the model for this misologist. Reply Susan Jarvis Bryant July 10, 2023 Joe, there are swelling wells of inspiration out there… surging waves of nectarious impetus to dip into daily – what more could a poet ask for? Reply Cynthia Erlandson July 9, 2023 “… a song in neon pink / In days as bleak as night”! “The side that green minds bleed to hear — “! Wow — what colorful phrases! And the metrical scheme and the rhyme scheme are fun and interesting, too. Reply Susan Jarvis Bryant July 10, 2023 Cynthia, thank you very much indeed… I love writing colorful poems that sing. For me, that’s the best way to convey a meaningful message. Reply Joshua C. Frank July 9, 2023 Great one as usual, Susan! As always, your sound-repetition techniques bring a lot to the poem, and you always pick the best form even if by going outside the standard repertoire of forms. Sadly, we’ve had a lot of people this could be about lately… “He fights to shun the what and why—/To snub each question asked//For only one side gains his ear” summarizes it well. Contrary to Mr. Raghunathan’s claim, they’re always squarely on the political left. Yes, I’ve met people on the right who are guilty of this because they know what they believe but not why, but my experience is that people on the right, possibly from being countercultural, can defend what they believe. Conversely, I have never met a leftist who didn’t act exactly as you describe. (Classical liberals, yes, but no leftists.) I think it’s because they know deep down that their ideas are indefensible. Then they lash out at anyone who actually believes in reason. Reply Susan Jarvis Bryant July 10, 2023 Joshua, thank you very much for casting a fine eye over the creative process and the message of my poem. You always have much to offer this site by way of engaging poetry and robust debate – just what my poem calls for in an increasingly silenced society. For that I am most grateful. Reply C.B. Anderson July 9, 2023 Deep and thorough. As much as any thinking person could ask for. You are the anti-Medusa — anyone who gazes upon your authentic face value comes alive. Reply Susan Jarvis Bryant July 10, 2023 C.B., what a head-turning take on this poem… a take that has warmed my heart and made me smile. Thank you very much indeed! Reply Russel Winick July 9, 2023 An instant classic, as only you can do it. Thanks Susan! Reply Susan Jarvis Bryant July 10, 2023 Russel, it’s always lovely to hear from you and I’m thrilled you enjoyed the poem. Thank you!! Reply Mike Bryant July 9, 2023 Beautiful, joyful and truthful… the holy trinity of Jarvisian Poetry. You Absolutely ROCK! “There is no greater evil, no worse calamity, than misology, the hatred of logos, which means not only the hatred of arguments, but also the hatred of reason and of words. What’s more, the hatred of words is greater than but somehow related to the hatred of human beings; misology is like misanthropy, but somehow more dangerous.“ – Edvard Lorkovic From this interesting short article: https://voegelinview.com/the-misuse-and-abuse-of-words-reflecting-on-misology-with-plato-and-josef-pieper/#_edn28 Also, from the article: Indeed, the sophist is a kind of enchanter, a liar whose words put listeners, particularly the young, under a spell that makes “it seem that [the words] are spoken truly and hence that the speaker is the wisest of all in all things” (234c). All the definitions, whether amusing or deadly serious, lead Theaetetus, and the attentive reader, to a deep wariness about sophists. Reply Susan Jarvis Bryant July 10, 2023 Thank you for your continued support, biggest fan. And thank you too for enlightening us all on a regular basis! Reply Priscilla King July 9, 2023 Not that I don’t like it, too. I do like it. All SJB poems are far superior to the usual quality of poems people post on web sites. I think this one has to be judged in a different category. It’s not yet ready to represent our time in literature books, like the best of Wallace Stevens or Elinor Wylie. One more revision, or at most two, and it will be. It is *very* good. Reply Susan Jarvis Bryant July 10, 2023 Thank you very much, Priscilla. I appreciate your comments and I’m glad you like the poem. I am with you on the revision front… I edit my poems constantly in the hope that one day I’ll be up there with the greats… one can but dream. 🙂 Reply Shaun C. Duncan July 10, 2023 “Misologist” is a wonderful term and one which probably should be bandied about more often in the current era. I remember well, during the so-called pandemic, being warned by our betters in the media that critical thought was dangerous. There is something particularly loathsome about the type of person who only seeks to make dialogue impossible. It’s a very common tactic these days for people to arrive in comments sections and simply foul the place up and make it a miserable experience for others to participate. Some of them have even been paid to do it and I’ve occasionally wondered about a few of the people I’ve seen pull those tricks here. As usual, you have neatly filleted your target with a surgical level of skill and great poetic flourish. I wouldn’t expect anything less from you. I’ve yet to purchase your books (I intend to do so, of course) but while I look forward to reading them, there is something incredibly exciting at reading your satirical work fresh in its immediate context – ripped from the headlines, so to speak. Reply Susan Jarvis Bryant July 10, 2023 Shaun, you are right – “misologist” is indeed a wonderful term, a term that is begging for a revival in these duplicitous times of confusion. As far as the mockingbird media go, I have worked out that the opposite of what they are paid to parrot is as close to the truth as we’re likely to get. Dialogue is (sadly) almost impossible these days and critical thinking will soon be a thing of the past if the nefarious institutions and unscrupulous politicians continue to push society in the current direction. I’m hoping there are a few still left who can and will make a difference by NEVER shutting up… even if they’re accused of the crime of “hate speech” – an accusation used to crush curiosity and silence seekers of objective truth. I agree with you on the benefits of reading satirical work while “fresh in its immediate context” – I think of these poems as living and breathing… the older they get, they fade… although, I have to say that the poems in ‘Elephants Unleashed’ are still fresh for the simple reason many are only just discovering exactly what the curious knew some time back. Misologists conveniently label the curious ‘conspiracy theorists’ to shut down any reasoned discussion because, as those who tell it know, the truth isn’t pretty. Shaun – thank you! Reply Joseph S. Salemi July 10, 2023 Shaun, you’ve touched upon something that I think ought to be openly discussed. I lurk at many websites and discussion groups — some poetic, some political, others merely fixated on a particular left-liberal cause. Many of these places openly talk about a “groundbreaker” (some call him a “pioneer”) whose task is to go to a conservative or non-liberal website and work to open it up to infiltration and eventual colonization by the woke left. The modus operandi of the groundbreaker is generally the same. He is to go to the target website, pose as a moderate, middle-of-the-road, independent thinker who merely calls for “fairness” and “open-mindedness” and “diversity,” while throwing in a little bit of general crackerbarrel piety to keep the religionists happy. Then he should work slowly (but industriously) to direct the conversation at the site to mild versions of left-liberal orthodoxy — not by argument or debate, but by rhetorical sleight-of-hand, the occasional expression of dismay or outrage, and the subtle shaming of any conservative viewpoints. Susan’s poem about the misologist paints a good portrait of the typical groundbreaker. He doesn’t argue — he simply orates, opines, and disregards any comments that run contrary to what he is pushing. He works on the assumption that his fundamental beliefs are not subject to question, but only need to be proclaimed to be quietly accepted without argument. He tries to avoid open disputes, and also makes a big deal about “civil discourse” and “politeness” and “respect,” as a tactic for nudging opponents to lay down their verbal weapons and bask in a warm fog of “niceness.” In a nation like the United States, where training in logic, rhetoric, polemics, and forensic debate is practically non-existent, this procedure for colonizing a website is usually quite successful. In fact, some groundbreakers do their work independently of any group, and simply go to conservative websites on their own initiative. Reply Mike Bryant July 10, 2023 Dr. Salemi, you’ve nailed it. Joshua C. Frank July 11, 2023 Wow… no wonder I’ve found no writing groups other than this one that aren’t screaming leftist! None of them were willing to put up with me long enough (nor I with them) that I was ever privy to this knowledge; they just shouted me out of their groups for being Christian (even the “Christians” hated me for not being leftist like them), writing “far-right” poetry, deploring today’s generation of phone-addicted teens, and (I am not making this up!) writing too many white characters. I told them what to go do with themselves and left. And that’s what they want to turn the SCP into. Interesting that they call these people pioneers given that they see the actual pioneers as killers and destroyers of Indian tribes (in reality, it was more often the other way around). I’d say we should do that kind of thing to leftist websites, except leftists don’t have enough of a conscience to be affected, and we have too much of a conscience for all that lying. Joseph S. Salemi July 12, 2023 Joshua, a conservative attempt to do the same thing in reverse to our enemies wouldn’t work. First of all, the vast majority of poetry workshops and websites are glaringly left-liberal and woke, and consciously dedicated to being so. They are hard-bitten, dedicated fanatics, as you have personally experienced. Second, my own experience from half a century in political polemics is that ordinary mainstream conservatives are simply NOT RUTHLESS ENOUGH to do what it takes. (Maybe this is what you mean by “conscience.”) Part of the difficulty is religionists in our ranks, who are more concerned with moral imperatives than with victory. But there is also the problem of moderates (several of whom have shown up here from time to time) complaining that what they want is an “apolitical” website where there is no controversial debate at all, and where we all just write “beautiful and pleasant” stuff that doesn’t cause friction with anyone. Leftist groundbreakers and pioneers have success taking over websites primarily because of these two groups. Mild-mannered moderates and dreamy pietists are the portals of entry that groundbreakers use. This is why it is an invariable rule in politics today: Any institution, organization, or publication that is not explicitly and vociferously rightist will in the ordinary course of time gradually become left-liberal (or as the enemy says, “progressive”). Joshua C. Frank July 12, 2023 Yes, all that is true… that’s what I was thinking of in talking about conscience. I’d also like to add that because of this law, I’ve seen a lot of far-right groups degenerate into name-calling over trivial issues because each side of the debate sees the other as not far enough to the right and therefore a bunch of leftist infiltrators. One of those groups called me a leftist infiltrator because I dared to question the anti-Semitism held by some members… and then I got kicked out for defending two guys they saw as too far-right! The SCP is an island of sanity. Paul Freeman July 10, 2023 As Paddy says, remove the word ‘green’ and put ‘blue’ or ‘red’ for whichever side of the Pond you’re on and, ‘anyone can claim this poem represents their detractors perfectly. Reply Susan Jarvis Bryant July 10, 2023 … except in this context, the word ‘green’ refers to the naiveté of those who are seduced by sophistry and charmed by propaganda… the closed minded and easily swayed, those who don’t indulge in critical thinking, those who find the concept of free speech offensive. As ever, it’s always interesting to read the takes on my poem. Thank you for yours. Reply Norma Pain July 10, 2023 Perfection. Saved in my favorites. Reply Susan Jarvis Bryant July 10, 2023 Norma, it’s lovely to hear from you, and thank you so much for your glorious comment… I’m smiling broadly. I hope you’re well and truly mended by now… sunshine healing vibes are still winging their way from the Lone Star State to your doorstep … just in case! Reply Norma Pain July 10, 2023 Thank you for the healing vibes Susan. Still in the cast as it was a very bad break at the wrist area, my first broken bones in over seventy years so I guess I shouldn’t complain. My best to you and Mike and all the other poets while I take a break to mend… pardon the pun! Paul Oratofsky July 10, 2023 A really well-crafted poem, Susan. Very well done. Lean, musical, scans perfectly, and is just a well done work of language and art. Reply Susan Jarvis Bryant July 10, 2023 Paul, I thoroughly appreciate your kind and encouraging words on a poem I had a great deal of fun writing. I am thrilled that you have enjoyed reading it. Thank you! Reply Robert Zimmerman July 10, 2023 Hello Susan; I am a LARGE fan of Ballad Style and derivations. With the rhythmic motion, the poem “sings” to my ears and mind. The message is succinct and irrefutable. This one will live in my mind for a long time. Poetry I can sing is poetry I will remember. I have not commented, or submitted, in some time but this one shouted to me. This is a special poem. Reply Susan Jarvis Bryant July 10, 2023 Hello Robert, What a wonderfully encouraging comment. I love the musicality of words and thoroughly enjoy poems that sing to my ears and my mind, so your take on my poem is especially dear to me. I really enjoyed reading “Who’s Behind the Door” and “Trust” and very much hope to read some more of your fine poetry… soon. Thank you very much indeed! Reply Robert Zimmerman July 10, 2023 Hey Susan, You are quite welcome. I greatly enjoyed your poem because of the combination of style and message. I like the words that hit hard and flow. I guess that seems like an anomaly, but not to me. I am not a Classic poet. I am a Hillbilly poet. It shows in my work. I am planning to submit another poem this week. This one will be published in my chapbook coming out in August. Susan Jarvis Bryant July 12, 2023 Robert, I have thoroughly enjoyed your poems and look forward to your up and coming one. It’s great to hear you’re publishing a chapbook… good luck with it. Robert Zimmerman July 12, 2023 Thank you Susan for your kind and supportive words. Mike Bryant July 10, 2023 Misology is the hatred of words, the hatred of reason and reasoning, and the hatred, ultimately, of people. This gentleman knows precisely who the misologists are: https://daily.whatfinger.com/neil-oliver-the-reality-that-lies-beneath-the-purveyors-of-kindness-and-inclusion-is-hatred/ The first picture looks like a movie file… it is not. Scroll down just a bit to see the short clip, Reply Mark Stellinga July 11, 2023 Hey, Mike, thanks for the poignant Neil Oliver link. He’d make a great U.S. president! Reply Mike Bryant July 11, 2023 Thanks, Mark. The article I posted is required reading to really understand Susan’s brilliant and beautiful poem. I believe it is telling that Socrates was put to death because he reasoned against the powerful sophists and misologists of his time. It is no great task to see who is being cancelled, fired and jailed in today’s world. The powerful are the monied sociopaths and narcissists aided by their dependent, misologistic enablers. These enablers are on the lookout for the latest word and idea adjustments, so they can remain on the “moral” high ground, instructing and correcting we, the unenlightened. Yael July 10, 2023 What a lovely way to learn a new word, thank you Susan! I never knew there was a term to describe the dogmatically frontal-lobe impaired who are most righteous in their own minds even while they simultaneously advocate for mutually exclusive viewpoints and hide their own death wish behind much rhetoric. Reply Susan Jarvis Bryant July 12, 2023 Yael, what a fantastic depiction of a word that is so appropriate for our times. I think this is the one and only time I would support a dictionary definition being changed… your one rocks!! Reply Mark Stellinga July 11, 2023 Susan, I know the “fun” of having a piece gradually blossom into one this wonderful. You never know when it will happen, but when it does, it makes all the – “Not now, Mike, I’m *poeming*” – episodes a little easier to forgive yourself for. Right? 🙂 A critically important issue masterfully done. No room for improvement on this killer. Reply Susan Jarvis Bryant July 12, 2023 Mark, thank you very much for your appreciation and for your words of support… you know the fine details of life as a poet and your depiction has made me smile… in acknowledgment! Reply Paul Martin Freeman July 11, 2023 Is there a more indomitable poetic voice today, or a doughtier fighter for truth than Susan Jarvis Bryant? Reply Paul Martin Freeman July 11, 2023 Who better stands for truth and reason; Whose stanzas better shame the tyrant; In winter, spring or summer season Than fearless Susan Jarvis Bryant? Reply Susan Jarvis Bryant July 12, 2023 … and thank you too for this wonderful poem! This gift from a fellow poet of talent has me smiling… I thoroughly appreciate it! Susan Jarvis Bryant July 12, 2023 Paul, I thoroughly appreciate your encouraging comment… I know I ruffle many feathers, so it’s always wonderful to hear an unruffled boost. Thank you! … and thank you too for this wonderful poem! This gift from a fellow poet of talent has me smiling… I thoroughly appreciate it! Reply Mike Bryant July 11, 2023 From Liberty Nation News… https://www.libertynation.com/hot-mess-in-flavortown-guy-fieri-and-trump-derangement-syndrome/ The political leanings of UFC commentator and podcaster Joe Rogan and actors Mark Wahlberg and Mel Gibson are hardly a secret, but when the Mayor of Flavortown, Guy Fieri, engaged Trump in what looked like friendly conversation, progressives on Twitter were apoplectic. The boisterous celebrity chef and philanthropist has always been viewed as largely apolitical and is well-liked by Americans of all political stripes – at least, he was. Now, the left wants him canceled because apparently no one is allowed to even be civil to Trump. It’s the great irony of 21st-century American culture. The people who claim to oppose “hate” and embrace inclusivity and tolerance are consumed by an almost homicidal rage – and sometimes a very literal homicidal rage – for anyone who expresses an opinion with which they do not agree. Jack White, a somewhat talented musician but, at best, a mediocre human being, seemed to take the Donald Trump-Guy Fieri encounter harder than most. “Anybody who ‘normalizes’ or treats this disgusting fascist, racist, con man, disgusting piece of s–t Trump with any level of respect is ALSO disgusting in my book,” he wrote on Instagram. “That’s you Joe Rogan, you Mel Gibson, you Mark Wahlberg, you Guy Fieri. This is a statement from me, not a discussion/debate.” Reply Susan Jarvis Bryant July 12, 2023 Is there no end to this insanity?!! Reply Joshua C. Frank July 12, 2023 The Jack Whites of the world don’t seem to realize (or perhaps don’t care) that the feeling is mutual, as expressed by conservative science-fiction writer Joe Vasicek: https://www.onelowerlight.com/writing/a-crippling-realization/ Reply Mia July 13, 2023 Dear Susan the last couplet of your poem is as full of wisdom as the words of Socrates. I hope it becomes a famous quote. Will misologists understand it though, because interestingly Socrates says that ‘there is no greater evil one can suffer’ meaning the person who hates reasonable discourse is in a very dark place. You do not just give us poetry Susan, you have just helped us understand a condition that is as rampant now as it must have been in the days of Socrates. ps I have started using the word philologist as the opposite of misologist, not sure if it is correct though, oh well if it isn’t it should be. Reply Joseph S. Salemi July 13, 2023 Mia, the word “philologist” is ordinarily used to mean someone who is a professional student of languages — their history, structures, grammatical systems, and etymological development. But you have every right to give the word a new and additional meaning. Generally, in ancient times the distinction you wish to make between misologist and philologist would have been expressed by the terms “sophist” and “philosopher.” The sophist was one who misused language and argument for venal or political purposes, while the philosopher was one who carried on a disinterested search for truth and meaning. Today, all mainstream media and establishment organs are in the hands of sophists, who care nothing about actual truth, but only the propaganda that they want to spread and inculcate among the ignorant masses. These modern sophists could be called “misologists.” For them, language is merely a tool to gain and keep power, and this idea is openly taught in our universities. Reply Mia July 13, 2023 Oh dear. I thought so. I am not a professional student of languages far from it, but I can understand, speak and write in Greek. There are many advantages but I have, after your very kind explanation , realised that it is a disadvantage to automatically translate from the Greek. It works very often but a few times it doesn’t. (That’s my excuse anyway and I am sticking to it…) I am struck by the meaning of the word sophists too. Before reading your comment I hadn’t given it a second thought. Comes from sophos meaning one who is wise and yet sophist means one who twists the truth. In my mind misosophists seems more appropriate. I will be more careful in the future and check the dictionary first. Can’t go about giving my own meaning to words. Thank you, I really appreciate you taking the time to reply. Sometimes it is very good not to think of politics, war and all the things that are happening now. Joseph S. Salemi July 14, 2023 Dear Mia — It’s perfectly OK to invent a new word if you think that one is needed. I myself coined the term “ethopathy” to describe “behavior patterns that are sick or diseased.” I used the Greek word “ethos” (behavior, way of acting) and the verb “pathein” (with a noun “pathos”) to mean sickness or suffering. Mike Bryant August 6, 2023 So, so funny that there are more than a few navel-gazing individuals who are now claiming that this poem, Susan, is about THEM! Such is the power of your poetry. Reply Susan Jarvis Bryant August 6, 2023 What wonderful news! Acknowledgement of one’s devious and dark tendencies is the first step towards enlightenment… I couldn’t be happier. I heard a whole essay is dedicated to this poem by one of these sad souls. I hope sunshine will soon illume his dismal days. Reply Leave a Reply Cancel ReplyYour email address will not be published.CommentName* Email* Website Notify me of follow-up comments by email. Notify me of new posts by email. Δ This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.
Roy Eugene Peterson July 9, 2023 This is one of the greatest poems I have ever read! In fact, I have put it at the top of my list. A great depth of meaning, message, and feeling is ensconced in this vivid classical poetry text. It has been a long time since I have seen the word, misologist,” but what an inspired choice for the title and the final couplet! Your great poem deserves the widest readership, recognition, and reward. Needless to say, I have saved “Misologist” for my own collection of verse, so that I can read it over many times and take the message to heart. Reply
Susan Jarvis Bryant July 10, 2023 Roy, this is high praise indeed and I thank you wholeheartedly for it. I am thrilled you enjoyed the poem and hope you are able to continue to keep the dialogue open in difficult days. It’s always a privilege to hear your voice, whether through poetry or in the comments sections. Reply
Brian A Yapko July 9, 2023 Susan, I will add my voice to Roy’s and express my huge enthusiasm for this excellent poem, not only for its dazzling use of poetic skill but for a message of such in-your-face truth only someone very brave could have penned it. Yours is a withering critique of those hypocrites who claim to love free speech — but only when it is THEIR free speech. I especially like your description of works of daring which are presented “In tones that surge against the tide,/In shades that shine with notes denied—/__Delighting all who think” and how this contrasts with “the side that kills the seed/of reason…” You absolutely nail it. This should be required reading in political science courses on freedom of speech. Reply
Susan Jarvis Bryant July 10, 2023 Brian, it’s always a treat to receive a comment from you and (as ever) you have tapped into exactly what I am saying with clarity and aplomb. I am certain many have no idea of the true meaning of “freedom of speech” – a term skewed into oblivion by sophists with a self-serving agenda. Brian – thank you! Reply
Paddy Raghunathan July 9, 2023 Susan, Beautifully written. It’s so well written that it’s both political and politically neutral: anyone can claim this poem represents their detractors perfectly. Best regards, Paddy Reply
Susan Jarvis Bryant July 10, 2023 Paddy, thank you for your considered comment and for the compliment. I’m glad you enjoyed the poem. Reply
Paddy Raghunathan July 10, 2023 Susan, From your various other poems which more expressly state your political beliefs, it’s clear what you had in mind. But a poem has an additional charm when it goes beyond what the poet originally intended, and The Misologist poem has that quality. I leave it to my talented friends and fellow poets if they wish to go green, red, or blue with envy. 🙂 Best regards, Paddy
Mike Bryant July 12, 2023 And Susan, I know that this brilliant poem went precisely where you intended it to go. Why else would anyone try to say it means something else? The poem could not be any clearer. Just beautiful… that’s why it must be redefined.
Susan Jarvis Bryant July 10, 2023 Paddy, please know that I did not have politics in mind when I set out to write this poem. I wrote it in the interest of free speech… the right to debate without being shut down by those who don’t agree with a particular viewpoint. Language has most certainly been politicized… that doesn’t mean that my poetry is political. I want freedom of speech for all, regardless of what is said. If you think I’m a far right radical for saying just that, my poem is defending your right to say it and my right to deny it. It’s as simple as that.
Paddy Raghunathan July 10, 2023 Susan, Indeed, I didn’t attribute any specific meaning to your poem. If you read my original comment, The Misologist has that quality of being both political and politically neutral at the same time. Everyone can identify with it. And I agree, if read the way I read it, it’s about protecting everyone’s right to free speech. Thank you for clarifying that was indeed your intent as well. Congrats on a fine poem, regardless. Paddy
Mike Bryant July 12, 2023 Ah, but it is not only about protecting everyone’s free speech. It is also about those who change word definitions in order to push a narrative. The poem is also about those that scream “misinformation” or “hate speech” when they hear unapproved ideas. Misologists try to convince everyone that the government cares about them, the media would never mislead or lie to them and the pharmaceutical industry that makes billions off sickness wants to cure them. The conspiracy theorists are those that are either profiting from or bamboozled by the ever-changing narrative.
Joshua C. Frank July 11, 2023 Paddy, please see my comment for why I don’t agree with your interpretation of Susan’s poem,
Susan Jarvis Bryant July 10, 2023 Joe, there are swelling wells of inspiration out there… surging waves of nectarious impetus to dip into daily – what more could a poet ask for? Reply
Cynthia Erlandson July 9, 2023 “… a song in neon pink / In days as bleak as night”! “The side that green minds bleed to hear — “! Wow — what colorful phrases! And the metrical scheme and the rhyme scheme are fun and interesting, too. Reply
Susan Jarvis Bryant July 10, 2023 Cynthia, thank you very much indeed… I love writing colorful poems that sing. For me, that’s the best way to convey a meaningful message. Reply
Joshua C. Frank July 9, 2023 Great one as usual, Susan! As always, your sound-repetition techniques bring a lot to the poem, and you always pick the best form even if by going outside the standard repertoire of forms. Sadly, we’ve had a lot of people this could be about lately… “He fights to shun the what and why—/To snub each question asked//For only one side gains his ear” summarizes it well. Contrary to Mr. Raghunathan’s claim, they’re always squarely on the political left. Yes, I’ve met people on the right who are guilty of this because they know what they believe but not why, but my experience is that people on the right, possibly from being countercultural, can defend what they believe. Conversely, I have never met a leftist who didn’t act exactly as you describe. (Classical liberals, yes, but no leftists.) I think it’s because they know deep down that their ideas are indefensible. Then they lash out at anyone who actually believes in reason. Reply
Susan Jarvis Bryant July 10, 2023 Joshua, thank you very much for casting a fine eye over the creative process and the message of my poem. You always have much to offer this site by way of engaging poetry and robust debate – just what my poem calls for in an increasingly silenced society. For that I am most grateful. Reply
C.B. Anderson July 9, 2023 Deep and thorough. As much as any thinking person could ask for. You are the anti-Medusa — anyone who gazes upon your authentic face value comes alive. Reply
Susan Jarvis Bryant July 10, 2023 C.B., what a head-turning take on this poem… a take that has warmed my heart and made me smile. Thank you very much indeed! Reply
Susan Jarvis Bryant July 10, 2023 Russel, it’s always lovely to hear from you and I’m thrilled you enjoyed the poem. Thank you!! Reply
Mike Bryant July 9, 2023 Beautiful, joyful and truthful… the holy trinity of Jarvisian Poetry. You Absolutely ROCK! “There is no greater evil, no worse calamity, than misology, the hatred of logos, which means not only the hatred of arguments, but also the hatred of reason and of words. What’s more, the hatred of words is greater than but somehow related to the hatred of human beings; misology is like misanthropy, but somehow more dangerous.“ – Edvard Lorkovic From this interesting short article: https://voegelinview.com/the-misuse-and-abuse-of-words-reflecting-on-misology-with-plato-and-josef-pieper/#_edn28 Also, from the article: Indeed, the sophist is a kind of enchanter, a liar whose words put listeners, particularly the young, under a spell that makes “it seem that [the words] are spoken truly and hence that the speaker is the wisest of all in all things” (234c). All the definitions, whether amusing or deadly serious, lead Theaetetus, and the attentive reader, to a deep wariness about sophists. Reply
Susan Jarvis Bryant July 10, 2023 Thank you for your continued support, biggest fan. And thank you too for enlightening us all on a regular basis! Reply
Priscilla King July 9, 2023 Not that I don’t like it, too. I do like it. All SJB poems are far superior to the usual quality of poems people post on web sites. I think this one has to be judged in a different category. It’s not yet ready to represent our time in literature books, like the best of Wallace Stevens or Elinor Wylie. One more revision, or at most two, and it will be. It is *very* good. Reply
Susan Jarvis Bryant July 10, 2023 Thank you very much, Priscilla. I appreciate your comments and I’m glad you like the poem. I am with you on the revision front… I edit my poems constantly in the hope that one day I’ll be up there with the greats… one can but dream. 🙂 Reply
Shaun C. Duncan July 10, 2023 “Misologist” is a wonderful term and one which probably should be bandied about more often in the current era. I remember well, during the so-called pandemic, being warned by our betters in the media that critical thought was dangerous. There is something particularly loathsome about the type of person who only seeks to make dialogue impossible. It’s a very common tactic these days for people to arrive in comments sections and simply foul the place up and make it a miserable experience for others to participate. Some of them have even been paid to do it and I’ve occasionally wondered about a few of the people I’ve seen pull those tricks here. As usual, you have neatly filleted your target with a surgical level of skill and great poetic flourish. I wouldn’t expect anything less from you. I’ve yet to purchase your books (I intend to do so, of course) but while I look forward to reading them, there is something incredibly exciting at reading your satirical work fresh in its immediate context – ripped from the headlines, so to speak. Reply
Susan Jarvis Bryant July 10, 2023 Shaun, you are right – “misologist” is indeed a wonderful term, a term that is begging for a revival in these duplicitous times of confusion. As far as the mockingbird media go, I have worked out that the opposite of what they are paid to parrot is as close to the truth as we’re likely to get. Dialogue is (sadly) almost impossible these days and critical thinking will soon be a thing of the past if the nefarious institutions and unscrupulous politicians continue to push society in the current direction. I’m hoping there are a few still left who can and will make a difference by NEVER shutting up… even if they’re accused of the crime of “hate speech” – an accusation used to crush curiosity and silence seekers of objective truth. I agree with you on the benefits of reading satirical work while “fresh in its immediate context” – I think of these poems as living and breathing… the older they get, they fade… although, I have to say that the poems in ‘Elephants Unleashed’ are still fresh for the simple reason many are only just discovering exactly what the curious knew some time back. Misologists conveniently label the curious ‘conspiracy theorists’ to shut down any reasoned discussion because, as those who tell it know, the truth isn’t pretty. Shaun – thank you! Reply
Joseph S. Salemi July 10, 2023 Shaun, you’ve touched upon something that I think ought to be openly discussed. I lurk at many websites and discussion groups — some poetic, some political, others merely fixated on a particular left-liberal cause. Many of these places openly talk about a “groundbreaker” (some call him a “pioneer”) whose task is to go to a conservative or non-liberal website and work to open it up to infiltration and eventual colonization by the woke left. The modus operandi of the groundbreaker is generally the same. He is to go to the target website, pose as a moderate, middle-of-the-road, independent thinker who merely calls for “fairness” and “open-mindedness” and “diversity,” while throwing in a little bit of general crackerbarrel piety to keep the religionists happy. Then he should work slowly (but industriously) to direct the conversation at the site to mild versions of left-liberal orthodoxy — not by argument or debate, but by rhetorical sleight-of-hand, the occasional expression of dismay or outrage, and the subtle shaming of any conservative viewpoints. Susan’s poem about the misologist paints a good portrait of the typical groundbreaker. He doesn’t argue — he simply orates, opines, and disregards any comments that run contrary to what he is pushing. He works on the assumption that his fundamental beliefs are not subject to question, but only need to be proclaimed to be quietly accepted without argument. He tries to avoid open disputes, and also makes a big deal about “civil discourse” and “politeness” and “respect,” as a tactic for nudging opponents to lay down their verbal weapons and bask in a warm fog of “niceness.” In a nation like the United States, where training in logic, rhetoric, polemics, and forensic debate is practically non-existent, this procedure for colonizing a website is usually quite successful. In fact, some groundbreakers do their work independently of any group, and simply go to conservative websites on their own initiative. Reply
Joshua C. Frank July 11, 2023 Wow… no wonder I’ve found no writing groups other than this one that aren’t screaming leftist! None of them were willing to put up with me long enough (nor I with them) that I was ever privy to this knowledge; they just shouted me out of their groups for being Christian (even the “Christians” hated me for not being leftist like them), writing “far-right” poetry, deploring today’s generation of phone-addicted teens, and (I am not making this up!) writing too many white characters. I told them what to go do with themselves and left. And that’s what they want to turn the SCP into. Interesting that they call these people pioneers given that they see the actual pioneers as killers and destroyers of Indian tribes (in reality, it was more often the other way around). I’d say we should do that kind of thing to leftist websites, except leftists don’t have enough of a conscience to be affected, and we have too much of a conscience for all that lying.
Joseph S. Salemi July 12, 2023 Joshua, a conservative attempt to do the same thing in reverse to our enemies wouldn’t work. First of all, the vast majority of poetry workshops and websites are glaringly left-liberal and woke, and consciously dedicated to being so. They are hard-bitten, dedicated fanatics, as you have personally experienced. Second, my own experience from half a century in political polemics is that ordinary mainstream conservatives are simply NOT RUTHLESS ENOUGH to do what it takes. (Maybe this is what you mean by “conscience.”) Part of the difficulty is religionists in our ranks, who are more concerned with moral imperatives than with victory. But there is also the problem of moderates (several of whom have shown up here from time to time) complaining that what they want is an “apolitical” website where there is no controversial debate at all, and where we all just write “beautiful and pleasant” stuff that doesn’t cause friction with anyone. Leftist groundbreakers and pioneers have success taking over websites primarily because of these two groups. Mild-mannered moderates and dreamy pietists are the portals of entry that groundbreakers use. This is why it is an invariable rule in politics today: Any institution, organization, or publication that is not explicitly and vociferously rightist will in the ordinary course of time gradually become left-liberal (or as the enemy says, “progressive”).
Joshua C. Frank July 12, 2023 Yes, all that is true… that’s what I was thinking of in talking about conscience. I’d also like to add that because of this law, I’ve seen a lot of far-right groups degenerate into name-calling over trivial issues because each side of the debate sees the other as not far enough to the right and therefore a bunch of leftist infiltrators. One of those groups called me a leftist infiltrator because I dared to question the anti-Semitism held by some members… and then I got kicked out for defending two guys they saw as too far-right! The SCP is an island of sanity.
Paul Freeman July 10, 2023 As Paddy says, remove the word ‘green’ and put ‘blue’ or ‘red’ for whichever side of the Pond you’re on and, ‘anyone can claim this poem represents their detractors perfectly. Reply
Susan Jarvis Bryant July 10, 2023 … except in this context, the word ‘green’ refers to the naiveté of those who are seduced by sophistry and charmed by propaganda… the closed minded and easily swayed, those who don’t indulge in critical thinking, those who find the concept of free speech offensive. As ever, it’s always interesting to read the takes on my poem. Thank you for yours. Reply
Susan Jarvis Bryant July 10, 2023 Norma, it’s lovely to hear from you, and thank you so much for your glorious comment… I’m smiling broadly. I hope you’re well and truly mended by now… sunshine healing vibes are still winging their way from the Lone Star State to your doorstep … just in case! Reply
Norma Pain July 10, 2023 Thank you for the healing vibes Susan. Still in the cast as it was a very bad break at the wrist area, my first broken bones in over seventy years so I guess I shouldn’t complain. My best to you and Mike and all the other poets while I take a break to mend… pardon the pun!
Paul Oratofsky July 10, 2023 A really well-crafted poem, Susan. Very well done. Lean, musical, scans perfectly, and is just a well done work of language and art. Reply
Susan Jarvis Bryant July 10, 2023 Paul, I thoroughly appreciate your kind and encouraging words on a poem I had a great deal of fun writing. I am thrilled that you have enjoyed reading it. Thank you! Reply
Robert Zimmerman July 10, 2023 Hello Susan; I am a LARGE fan of Ballad Style and derivations. With the rhythmic motion, the poem “sings” to my ears and mind. The message is succinct and irrefutable. This one will live in my mind for a long time. Poetry I can sing is poetry I will remember. I have not commented, or submitted, in some time but this one shouted to me. This is a special poem. Reply
Susan Jarvis Bryant July 10, 2023 Hello Robert, What a wonderfully encouraging comment. I love the musicality of words and thoroughly enjoy poems that sing to my ears and my mind, so your take on my poem is especially dear to me. I really enjoyed reading “Who’s Behind the Door” and “Trust” and very much hope to read some more of your fine poetry… soon. Thank you very much indeed! Reply
Robert Zimmerman July 10, 2023 Hey Susan, You are quite welcome. I greatly enjoyed your poem because of the combination of style and message. I like the words that hit hard and flow. I guess that seems like an anomaly, but not to me. I am not a Classic poet. I am a Hillbilly poet. It shows in my work. I am planning to submit another poem this week. This one will be published in my chapbook coming out in August.
Susan Jarvis Bryant July 12, 2023 Robert, I have thoroughly enjoyed your poems and look forward to your up and coming one. It’s great to hear you’re publishing a chapbook… good luck with it.
Mike Bryant July 10, 2023 Misology is the hatred of words, the hatred of reason and reasoning, and the hatred, ultimately, of people. This gentleman knows precisely who the misologists are: https://daily.whatfinger.com/neil-oliver-the-reality-that-lies-beneath-the-purveyors-of-kindness-and-inclusion-is-hatred/ The first picture looks like a movie file… it is not. Scroll down just a bit to see the short clip, Reply
Mark Stellinga July 11, 2023 Hey, Mike, thanks for the poignant Neil Oliver link. He’d make a great U.S. president! Reply
Mike Bryant July 11, 2023 Thanks, Mark. The article I posted is required reading to really understand Susan’s brilliant and beautiful poem. I believe it is telling that Socrates was put to death because he reasoned against the powerful sophists and misologists of his time. It is no great task to see who is being cancelled, fired and jailed in today’s world. The powerful are the monied sociopaths and narcissists aided by their dependent, misologistic enablers. These enablers are on the lookout for the latest word and idea adjustments, so they can remain on the “moral” high ground, instructing and correcting we, the unenlightened.
Yael July 10, 2023 What a lovely way to learn a new word, thank you Susan! I never knew there was a term to describe the dogmatically frontal-lobe impaired who are most righteous in their own minds even while they simultaneously advocate for mutually exclusive viewpoints and hide their own death wish behind much rhetoric. Reply
Susan Jarvis Bryant July 12, 2023 Yael, what a fantastic depiction of a word that is so appropriate for our times. I think this is the one and only time I would support a dictionary definition being changed… your one rocks!! Reply
Mark Stellinga July 11, 2023 Susan, I know the “fun” of having a piece gradually blossom into one this wonderful. You never know when it will happen, but when it does, it makes all the – “Not now, Mike, I’m *poeming*” – episodes a little easier to forgive yourself for. Right? 🙂 A critically important issue masterfully done. No room for improvement on this killer. Reply
Susan Jarvis Bryant July 12, 2023 Mark, thank you very much for your appreciation and for your words of support… you know the fine details of life as a poet and your depiction has made me smile… in acknowledgment! Reply
Paul Martin Freeman July 11, 2023 Is there a more indomitable poetic voice today, or a doughtier fighter for truth than Susan Jarvis Bryant? Reply
Paul Martin Freeman July 11, 2023 Who better stands for truth and reason; Whose stanzas better shame the tyrant; In winter, spring or summer season Than fearless Susan Jarvis Bryant? Reply
Susan Jarvis Bryant July 12, 2023 … and thank you too for this wonderful poem! This gift from a fellow poet of talent has me smiling… I thoroughly appreciate it!
Susan Jarvis Bryant July 12, 2023 Paul, I thoroughly appreciate your encouraging comment… I know I ruffle many feathers, so it’s always wonderful to hear an unruffled boost. Thank you! … and thank you too for this wonderful poem! This gift from a fellow poet of talent has me smiling… I thoroughly appreciate it! Reply
Mike Bryant July 11, 2023 From Liberty Nation News… https://www.libertynation.com/hot-mess-in-flavortown-guy-fieri-and-trump-derangement-syndrome/ The political leanings of UFC commentator and podcaster Joe Rogan and actors Mark Wahlberg and Mel Gibson are hardly a secret, but when the Mayor of Flavortown, Guy Fieri, engaged Trump in what looked like friendly conversation, progressives on Twitter were apoplectic. The boisterous celebrity chef and philanthropist has always been viewed as largely apolitical and is well-liked by Americans of all political stripes – at least, he was. Now, the left wants him canceled because apparently no one is allowed to even be civil to Trump. It’s the great irony of 21st-century American culture. The people who claim to oppose “hate” and embrace inclusivity and tolerance are consumed by an almost homicidal rage – and sometimes a very literal homicidal rage – for anyone who expresses an opinion with which they do not agree. Jack White, a somewhat talented musician but, at best, a mediocre human being, seemed to take the Donald Trump-Guy Fieri encounter harder than most. “Anybody who ‘normalizes’ or treats this disgusting fascist, racist, con man, disgusting piece of s–t Trump with any level of respect is ALSO disgusting in my book,” he wrote on Instagram. “That’s you Joe Rogan, you Mel Gibson, you Mark Wahlberg, you Guy Fieri. This is a statement from me, not a discussion/debate.” Reply
Joshua C. Frank July 12, 2023 The Jack Whites of the world don’t seem to realize (or perhaps don’t care) that the feeling is mutual, as expressed by conservative science-fiction writer Joe Vasicek: https://www.onelowerlight.com/writing/a-crippling-realization/ Reply
Mia July 13, 2023 Dear Susan the last couplet of your poem is as full of wisdom as the words of Socrates. I hope it becomes a famous quote. Will misologists understand it though, because interestingly Socrates says that ‘there is no greater evil one can suffer’ meaning the person who hates reasonable discourse is in a very dark place. You do not just give us poetry Susan, you have just helped us understand a condition that is as rampant now as it must have been in the days of Socrates. ps I have started using the word philologist as the opposite of misologist, not sure if it is correct though, oh well if it isn’t it should be. Reply
Joseph S. Salemi July 13, 2023 Mia, the word “philologist” is ordinarily used to mean someone who is a professional student of languages — their history, structures, grammatical systems, and etymological development. But you have every right to give the word a new and additional meaning. Generally, in ancient times the distinction you wish to make between misologist and philologist would have been expressed by the terms “sophist” and “philosopher.” The sophist was one who misused language and argument for venal or political purposes, while the philosopher was one who carried on a disinterested search for truth and meaning. Today, all mainstream media and establishment organs are in the hands of sophists, who care nothing about actual truth, but only the propaganda that they want to spread and inculcate among the ignorant masses. These modern sophists could be called “misologists.” For them, language is merely a tool to gain and keep power, and this idea is openly taught in our universities. Reply
Mia July 13, 2023 Oh dear. I thought so. I am not a professional student of languages far from it, but I can understand, speak and write in Greek. There are many advantages but I have, after your very kind explanation , realised that it is a disadvantage to automatically translate from the Greek. It works very often but a few times it doesn’t. (That’s my excuse anyway and I am sticking to it…) I am struck by the meaning of the word sophists too. Before reading your comment I hadn’t given it a second thought. Comes from sophos meaning one who is wise and yet sophist means one who twists the truth. In my mind misosophists seems more appropriate. I will be more careful in the future and check the dictionary first. Can’t go about giving my own meaning to words. Thank you, I really appreciate you taking the time to reply. Sometimes it is very good not to think of politics, war and all the things that are happening now.
Joseph S. Salemi July 14, 2023 Dear Mia — It’s perfectly OK to invent a new word if you think that one is needed. I myself coined the term “ethopathy” to describe “behavior patterns that are sick or diseased.” I used the Greek word “ethos” (behavior, way of acting) and the verb “pathein” (with a noun “pathos”) to mean sickness or suffering.
Mike Bryant August 6, 2023 So, so funny that there are more than a few navel-gazing individuals who are now claiming that this poem, Susan, is about THEM! Such is the power of your poetry. Reply
Susan Jarvis Bryant August 6, 2023 What wonderful news! Acknowledgement of one’s devious and dark tendencies is the first step towards enlightenment… I couldn’t be happier. I heard a whole essay is dedicated to this poem by one of these sad souls. I hope sunshine will soon illume his dismal days. Reply
