The manifesto I chose to respond to is called, Aphorisms on Modernism, by Mina Loy. The thing that struck me about this manifesto was her use of a kind of listing of words and their definitions. Another thing I found to be interesting was the title being of rhyming words and the use of the word aphorism meaning a pithy observation that contains a general truth. The word aphorism has a meaning that, in a way, describes what a manifesto is. The association of the title and the style of writing I thought was very clever.

Going onto the content of Loy’s manifesto, on the first line she already states her aphorisms on modernism. Yet, she goes on listing more aphorisms on different words. She describes each word with negativity as if she saying that these aren’t the general truths but the harsh truths. I assume each word she describes has something to do with modernism because she uses a few words listed to define another word. There’s this trend in this manifesto that makes you realize she is associating each word with each other. So, instead of a random list of words they become a whole story with meaning. What that story is what I can’t figure out. She is definitely pointing out the negatives and positives of modernism but is that all? Or is she using these words to point out the flaws in society?