I have feeds set up for the phrases "Alice In Wonderland" and "Through The Looking Glass". These are mainly to keep me informed of new productions that I might get to see (some hope!) and new editions that I might like to buy. Recently, for example, they informed me of the magnificent new edition illustrated by the renowned Japanese artist Yayoi Kusama, which I shall be buying just as soon as I have an address to get it posted to.
The "through the looking glass" feed is interesting for a different reason - the number of bizarre ways in which the phrase gets used as a metaphor. In just the current list of sites it is used to refer to
- San Antonio Spurs' basketball match with the Utah Jazz
- rioting in Quebec
- democracy versus mob rule
- Facebook
- the NFL draft
- a University production of Through The Looking Glass (well there had to be one legitimate entry)
- artist James Franc
- Newcastle Falcons rugby team
- a mural at the museum of Flarida art
- a museum in Istanbul
- Tampa Bay Rays baseball team
- a luncheon event at a Methodist church
- an album by the rock band Toto
- online sci-fi thriller "Subrasan"
- a letter to an agony column about a teenage girl making sex videos
- Anzac day
- the art of Divya Anantharama
- the Penn State Board of Trustees Election
- the American legal system
- the Republican Party's attitude towards women
- an open air production of A Midsummer Night's Dream
- college Lacrosse
- The Little Prince
- the art of Greg Simkins
- the likely influence of Mormonism on Mitt Romney's presidential campaign
- the scientific theories of Peter Duesberg
- the use of "looking glass as a metaphor" (rather self-referentially)
- future technology
- the work of artist Lamya Gargash
and a number of others that I can't view in the looking-glass world of the Chinese internet.
I know it's a useful metaphor, but really, can't people come up with something just a touch more original?
Sash.
7 hours ago
