Idle queries, prompted by a book on Victorian fiction

Why are literary critics forever "calling" for new approaches?  Has anyone ever answered a call? Or are all these calls going to the wrong number? Is there a permanent busy signal?

I'm tempted to put "call" on my professional version of the Write No Evil list.

Comments

[Jason Kuznicki]

From a purely cost-benefit standpoint, it is far safter to call for a new approach than to approach the material anew: Calling for a new approach makes you a visionary if you are right--and a creative but idle dreamer if you are wrong. Following a new approach yourself makes you a once-in-a-generation genius if you are right--and a babbling moron if you are wrong. The safe way wins every time.