Amen to all posts. This piece was a wake-up call about what the far right posits as their sense of moral superiority and entitlement -- dare I say 'mandate' -- in defining every aspect of our culture. Now, forget, say, a Mapplethorpe; all art is suspect, 'messages' tucked into the most innocuous places. The idea that MDB has a "left wing" agenda is beyond off the wall -- perhaps in keeping with the recent sleuthing to out cartoon characters.
Forget the fact that art owes no one an explanation for its motives or very existence. The search for agenda is part of the dumbing down of the culture the far right embraces. Movies, like the world view they insist upon, must portray good and bad in stark absolutes. No grays in human behavior, no nuance, no humane risk-taking, let alone mistakes, failures or flaws. As Rich points out, complexity in a drama resolution is seen as a bad "message." Good guys must win, and Do The Right Thing, bad guys must be punished. The end. Lots of wonderful literature is created from such a moral scheme, right? Forget Hemmingway I guess. And who else -- the list is endless. I loved the piece that M. Dowd wrote last week, how most of the work of Shakespeare would not be acceptable. Start with R&J -- that ending makes Clint's look feel good -- and work your way through most of the history plays (to say nothing of the sexuality in his comedies!)
Remember when 50s art was scrutinized for commie messages? Welcome to our past. It's our present.
Read Bob Herbert's piece today on Arthur Miller. He points out, in an era when evolution is suspect(!) -- evolution! -- and we worship the sound byte of Trump and Paris Hilton, ignorance is not only bliss, it's in, and sadly, defines us.
"I'm a comedian, but in my spare time, things bother me." Garry Shandling
Updated On: 2/14/05 at 09:53 AM
