Аннотация: The Dialogue about publishers and internet platforms at the New Mauritius
The Dialogue about publishers and internet platforms at the New Mauritius
- Mr. High! Sorry to bother you on such a hot day.
- Hi, Nick. What do you want?
- I have a rest on our beaches, I admire the sea and girls. Also I think: why to us publishing houses?
- If you look at girls, then why to you to think of publishing houses?
- Once I looked at the girl. She was reading a book and hasn't paid to me attention. I on the Internet have learned today that there are Internet platforms where especially clever individuals place the literary works. Let they use platforms. And the publishing houses - to close them all completely!
- Do you think that in that case girls won't be distracted by reading?
- Our beaches - are a sandy beaches. Wind carries sand. Grains of sand get to slots of communicators. It's harmfully - to use devices on beaches.
- You're a smart guy! But publishing houses are necessary to us.
- Why, Mr. High?
- You remember that you are a member of ten so-called advisory councils: on foreign policy, on defensive policy, etc.?
- You know, Mr. High, that I at you always appear the first day of every month. Without delay.
- Well, and for what these so-called advisory councils receive that sum from the budget?.. You when in Monte Carlo were, there your car was considered by people on streets? And there people are not the poor ...
- I crashed that car. I am planning to buy a new car. By the individual order it is made. Exclusive series. Such only two in the world.
- That's right. But you can't just get decent money, can you? You have to present something. Something tangible. Each advisory council submits two reports twice a month, and in the last days of the month money is paid for these reports from the budget.
- We hand over the reports. We receive money. All of you precisely say it, Mr. High!
- And from where these reports undertake?
- There are guys, like literary factory.
- Be more adult, Nick. How these so-called "guys" can know anything about foreign or defense policy? Here experience is needed! Knowledge!
- They reprocess!
- You are right! What do they reprocess?
- They find publications.
- Don't make me laughing, Nick! You will not consider a some journalistess as an expert in problems of the Far East, - journalistess, who advises to conflict with the great powers and to be friends with the leaders of the tribes? Publications, of course, are necessary. But it should be competent and relevant works. Publications of people with vast experience and knowledge! Some of them have practical experience and know foreign languages. And they know not only "Western" foreign languages, but also "Eastern". There are those who have written more than ten voluminous books on special, very complex topics.
- Why do we need "guys"? Why not give the order to these experienced people and get ready reports in exchange for money?
- You, Nick, was laying at your own brains on the beach! If you're gonna name these people as the authors of the reports, why would be needed you and I? We're here alone together. And let's be honest. Neither you nor I can not write anything longer than the resolution "Accounts department. To pay". On an official action from the ready text we can read something ... And if without ready text on a piece of paper, then we can mumble and bleat. If we have competitors, people with real knowledge and abilities, then we will simply be sent to some direction... And today we are - an important persons, and in necessary cases we do phantoms: "We know something, to others is inaccessible!"
- Sorry, Mr. High, I has hurried with conclusions. But how publishing houses connected with all this??
- In you, my boy, at last, appears tendency to logical thinking. These are people of an old school, an old era. Era of smart people and era of success were - in due time. "The epoch of book"! You don't need to know too much about this time. To teach a skilled person - it mean only to spoil him. The Russian saying. Ha-ha-ha ... The Book is a kind of stimulus, a signal to activate the reflex. The book in these people creates a good self-esteem, raises hopes for an external respectful attitude, for a getting of decent money, for a raising of the status, etc.
- May be, these competent people simply to direct to Internet platforms, Mr. High?
- The reflex is necessary, Nick. To Internet platforms we direct those which are younger. For them, - who are younger, - of course, the publishing houses don't manifest themselves. They do not respond to emails. Well, if what lucky persons are also published, then by the minimum circulations. Recently one talented book written on original foreign material with a circulation of 150 copies was published. It, of course, was the joke still that! Generally print the circulation close to value of 1000 copies. Also one copy would be enough for us, of course. But we need to take care of the social camouflage. To create the minimum imitation. Well, the fruits of the intellectual activity of most so-called intellectuals we take, of course, from these same Internet platforms.
- I don't understand, Mr. High. Why these skilled people writing substantial books won't give up this activity.
- You spend a lot of time on a beach and in an expensive car dealerships, Nick. You lose the ability to listen to me carefully. I explained to you: a reflex. These people of old time, of old education need to take in hands the book with the own surname on a cover. To show this book to someone ... Incentives are necessary! To sit at a table for days, weeks, months, and sometimes years, is not so easy... Yes, besides, they also receive, as a result, for these books, metaphorically speaking, a penny... There are those who are just interested... Before the invention of the printing press there was no real circulation, no noticeable honorariums, and the creative people wrote, wrote and wrote...
- By what financial resources they live?
- Are attached to some positions. Let's say in educational institutions. Some consultations, additional hours. They try to ... They wave their books before students and employees there. I, - imagine, - the important brain, the unique mind. To years to sixty begin to feel like important persons ... A suit, a tie, a briefcase ... On the business card some words ...
- Really so everything is simple, Mr. High?! These "wise men" write books to take them in hands. The copy gets to "our guys" for processing. "Guys" make summary reports from these books. And the made reports are "going" along the necessary trajectory ... And for new generation and this procedure isn't necessary ... The survived publishing houses let them "go whistle". New generation just writes and places on Internet platforms. And we take and we use. Ten advisory councils: on foreign policy, on defensive policy and how else?.
- Don't complicate your life to yourself , my boy! Also don't fill yourself the head with the excess thoughts.. Can their not ten, but hundred - advisory "councils", "funds", "projects", "platforms" ... The budget, you understand yourself, it isn't so simple to make useful ... Go to the beach by your expensive car and admire girls. Publishing houses still some time will exist. What to do, inconveniences happen in life ... small ...
- I have understood, Mr. High! Be sorry to bother you. Good-bye.
- We will meet the first day of the next month.
- Surely, Mr. High!
August 3, 2018 22:57
Translation from Russian into English: August 4, 2018 23:18.
Владимир Владимирович Залесский 'Диалог об издательствах и интернет-платформах на Новом Маврикии'.