Subject: you know
From: Thane E. Plambeck <plambeck@Neon.Stanford.EDU>
Date: 1990-10-10, 01:32
To: plambeck@neon.Stanford.EDU

if twin peaks is about anything it is about messages, messages sent but
not received, messages by phone, messages as clues, messages as dreams,
messages as massages (one-eyed jacks).  we have messages from logs,
messages from birds, messages going on to recording tape for diane, messages
to iceland, messages from outerspace, messages from a giant in the
middle of the night with UFO bright light metaphor, strange accent
and token of proof (missing ring).  The best scene in the last Twin peaks
was between the military man and the log lady---the log's message was
``deliver the message,'' the log ladies question was ``do you understand that,''
and his answer was ``yes, I believe I do.''  It was a gratifying scene
for the viewer precisely because this moment distilled the act of reception
from our own understanding of the information conveyed---we know
none of the message, the sender, the receiver or the mechanism by
which it is conveyed, but that it is confirmed as received is gratifying
to us.  modern man desires community and a sense of belonging and even
this highly reduced communal feeling or understanding strikes a deep chord.