Pkhentz by Sinyavsky

Show Notes

This week, Matt and Cameron attempt to unravel Andrei Sinyavsky’s short story "Pkhentz," which stars a man in the late USSR who is fundamentally uncomfortable with everything from the concept of food to the idea of sexual attraction. Come to figure out if this is a political allegory, stay for Andrei Kazimirovich’s evaluation of sausage-making.

Major themes: Cacti, Water Water Everywhere Nor Any Drop to Drink, Overuse of the Word ‘Alienation’

22:50 - Count how many times I can say ‘alienation’ in this episode.

25:39 - Here’s a fun little article about Wittgenstein and language. I don’t have too much to say, I just think Wittgenstein is neat.

26:28 - It almost evokes Khlebnikov’s Invocation of Laughter.

33:15 - Easier, I mean to say.

The music used in this episode was “soviet march,” by Toasted Tomatoes. You can find more of their work on Bandcamp and Youtube.