Sack the New Hierophant?

[CodenameThrow]

I quite like the column

 

[ArthurASCII]

I quite like the column too.

It's amusing to witness how only three issues-worth of Hierophant rant can provoke such a strong response.

Pass the burning torches

Cry havoc and let slip the dogs of the FTMB!

 

[CodenameThrow]

I quite like the column too.

It's amusing to witness how only three issues-worth of Hierophant rant can provoke such a strong response.

Pass the burning torches

Cry havoc and let slip the dogs of the FTMB!

I'm hoping that it signifies the existance of such a thing as a "vocal minority"

 

[_Lizard23_]

I actually received an email from a former board member asking if I was writing it .....

.... which I'm not.

So really you should think yourselves lucky!

 

[CodenameThrow]

I actually received an email from a former board member asking if I was writing it .....

.... which I'm not.

So really you should think yourselves lucky!

haha! they have quite a young editorial voice over at FT towers recently, I like it, it's good. I think the Hierophant has started to sound a bit less fusty than he did before, which is nice.

each to their own but, hey, it's one page. it's their magazine, it's not offensive at all. there is always the option not to read it

 

[_Lizard23_]

It seems to have gone from a small 'and also' column deriding the worst excesses of credulity and self-promotion to an opinion piece such as you get in the glossy bit of weekend newspapers - I don't have a problem with that.
I rather like the backstory .... the eviction from the 'fortress of arrogance', the mysterious disappearance, the falling on hard times and associated bitterness, the way it's reflected in the accompanying artwork and general mood of the piece etc.
I'm also seriously tickled by all this 'biting the hand that feeds you' outrage following the suggestion that .... *gasp!* ..... people don't half talk some bollocks on the internet.

As far as 'put the nutter letters on the letters page' thing goes ... I seem to recall that when a selection of really out there ones were published in some anniversary edition, there was much complaining on here that the mag was ridiculing the mentally ill or some such.
Let's face it, there are half a dozen threads at least with various people bemoaning the inclusion of various items in the magazine ... whether it be the games / film reviews, the cartoons, the adverts, material of 'questionable taste' etc etc etc ... you just can't please all of the people all of time.

For what it is worth, which is absolutely nothing whatsoever, I don't ever read the film reviews - I'm really not the slightest bit into Japanese horror or once banned 'video nasties' or sci-fi box sets and all that sort of thing - and very seldom do I bother with 'alien zoo' as I can't get much enthusiasm going for the latest previously-unknown-to-man Amazonian worm. I also don't like the full-page illustrations, good though they may be, because it feels to me like a page wasted. But these are just my opinions and there is probably someone out there for whom these are the best bits. So I'm really not going to complain about it, let alone expect them to change it.

 

[Graylien]

Personally, I'm not objecting to the column because the Hierophant doesn't like message boards. I'm objecting to it because I think it's tedious poorly written filler that adds nothing to the magazine.

The film reviews serve a purpose. The adverts serve a purpose. But what purpose does the new Hierophant's column serve, exactly? What's the point of it?

 

[_Lizard23_]

I dunno. Maybe some media studies type could enlighten us on the 'purpose' of opinion pieces. For the edification of those who enjoy it? To provoke thought / discussion?

 

[CodenameThrow]

Personally, I'm not objecting to the column because the Hierophant doesn't like message boards. I'm objecting to it because I think it's tedious poorly written filler that adds nothing to the magazine.

The film reviews serve a purpose. The adverts serve a purpose. But what purpose does the new Hierophant's column serve, exactly? What's the point of it?

I enjoy it, and I'm an FT reader, so it serves a purpose. other posters read it and enjoy it, they are FT readers, it serves further purpose.

 

[Bilderberger]

I quite like the column too.

It's amusing to witness how only three issues-worth of Hierophant rant can provoke such a strong response.

Pass the burning torches

Cry havoc and let slip the dogs of the FTMB!

Just compare the time it took for 48 posts to appear on the subject of "the new heirophant is crap" as opposed to the time it took to get 50 posts in praise of the previous heirophant.

It IS much easier to find the enthusiasm to complain rather than applaud...

 

[Anonymous]

Indeed. Much emotive kneejerks. I hope the hierophant becomes more cutting and offends the hard of thinking.

 

[Graylien]

Since when was it the purpose of the magazine to cause offence?

 

[Anonymous]

Sometimes offence happens....when the Heirophant attacked the cult of Diana, I assumed that many people (those that did break down - without reason- etc) would find that type of article offensive. I like the idea of articles that attack these type of inflated (if you will) bastions.

 

[GNC]

Let's face it, everyone here turns to the Heirophant's page first.

 

[Ravenstone]

Why should the Hierophant be deliberately offensive? It's not amusing; not clever; certainly not fortean. I don't give a flying monkey's toss about comments on fortean lists - there's plenty of 'em around - but I don't see the point of it.

It's just very badly written. The real Hierophant was a mailed fist in a velvet glove. This one seems to have some kind of axe to grind. Maybe she/he should seek employment at the Daily Mail?

 

[escargot]

Yup Rave, and furthermore, it's just not funny.

I used to like the old Hiero. Elegant was the right word. 8)

 

[Ravenstone]

Elegant - exactly so. Witty, charming, barbed.

sigh

 

[Pietro_Mercurios]

Let's face it, everyone here turns to the Heirophant's page first.

Hunt Emerson, me.

 

[Anonymous]

Nah...I have to save Hunt til the end. I try to read through in order...no matter what I may or may not want to actually read. Has become a ritual

 

[Mighty_Emperor]

Let's face it, everyone here turns to the Heirophant's page first.

Nope never have done. I usually check the contents and then if there is nothig that I really, really must read then I check the letters and reviews and save the main part of the mag for when I have to the time to appreciate them properly (with a solid lump of porcelain below me).

Sometimes offence happens....when the Heirophant attacked the cult of Diana, I assumed that many people (those that did break down - without reason- etc) would find that type of article offensive. I like the idea of articles that attack these type of inflated (if you will) bastions.

Yeah but how many of those people read FT? Its probably like printing such a piece in the Garudian. Struck me more like sneering to the converted and I vented my spleen at the time. I would imagien the postbag wasn't bursting with letters from outraged of Tunbridge Wells cancelling their subscription.

~wanders off to listen to "Candle in the Wind" for the tenth time today - she died for our sins you know!!!~

 

[CodenameThrow]

seriously, I can't see why at all anyone thinks it's badly written. I think whoever writes it has a nice turn of phrase and is wry enough. it's a good column.

 

[Ravenstone]

Let's face it, everyone here turns to the Heirophant's page first.

Contents first, then Reviews to get my shopping list for the month ready. Maybe a quick flick through the letters to see if any names I know appear, a quick look at Hunt, then settle down for the main event.

 

[Mighty_Emperor]

OK its an excuse for a column joke - I'm a simple man

I think whoever writes it has a nice turn of phrase and is wry enough. it's a good column.

You are the New Heirophant and I claim my £2.50.

AlthoughI never did take you for a chap to go around praising his own column so perhaps not.... :lol:

The search continues...

-----
Picking up a point made above - I wonder what would have happened if it had just been launched with another name?

Would it have been better received? Obviously we won't know but the only reason I'm giving it some benefit of the doubt is the brand which gives the hope that thins will get better after the duff start and it is improving.

 

[Min Bannister]

Re: OK its an excuse for a column joke - I'm a simple man

Picking up a point made above - I wonder what would have happened if it had just been launched with another name?

Would it have been better received? Obviously we won't know but the only reason I'm giving it some benefit of the doubt is the brand which gives the hope that thins will get better after the duff start and it is improving.

I personally am not keen on the style or the content so would probably soon stop reading it no matter what it was called. I do think it should have been given a different name though as it seems a bit rough on the original Heirophant who is now seeing his creation rather slagged off by former fans.

AlthoughI never did take you for a chap to go around praising his own column

Fnar.

 

[Ravenstone]

Re: OK its an excuse for a column joke - I'm a simple man

I personally am not keen on the style or the content so would probably soon stop reading it no matter what it was called. I do think it should have been given a different name though as it seems a bit rough on the original Heirophant who is now seeing his creation rather slagged off by former fans.

Yes, poor chap. Although he should understand he is a tough act to follow. But I do think using the same name was a bit off.

 

[SoundDust]

I actually received an email from a former board member asking if I was writing it .....

.... which I'm not.

pity

Picking up a point made above - I wonder what would have happened if it had just been launched with another name?

it wouldn't have been unfavourably compared with the old Heirphant, and probably attracted less criticism. I'm with you on calling the new one "Underphant" btw

 

[Bilderberger]

seriously, I can't see why at all anyone thinks it's badly written. I think whoever writes it has a nice turn of phrase and is wry enough. it's a good column.

Agreed - whatever one thinks of what he is saying - there is no problem with the quality of writing. I would even go as far as to say that the standard of writing is better than most of the magazine (and certainly my own meagre efforts).

All a matter of taste I suppose and one that obviously polarises opinion. As suggested earlier, I will certainly be turning to The NEW Heirophant* as soon as the next mag arrives...

* - cf. NEW Labour

 

[Graylien]

They could call him The Elephant for all I care. It would still read like pointless waffle to me, and I'd still object to being palmed off with it.

 

[Anonymous]

I thought that every special interest mag had a column like this. The wrestling world has Stately Wayne Manner (see Powerslam) and so forth...Give the elephant a chance (well done Grey, it's catching - BTW, your book monkey suggestion has come out trumps! Well done!)


Sorry to anyone reading years from now - this is all to do with other threads. Sorry.

 

[Graylien]

There's seriously a guy called Stately Wayne Manor? In that case, I vote that he should write the Hierophants column!