Fred Phelps, patriarch of the Westboro Baptist Church, has finally died.
He will not go to Heaven. He will not go to Hell. He did not have a soul that will live on in any form, corporeal or spiritual.
He will be buried. His body will decompose (is, in fact, already decomposing as I write this). In fifty years, he will scarcely be remembered, and the people he tormented will be gone too.
His ultimate fate is no different than my own will be.
His death gives me no satisfaction or hope. His death does not mark the end of human cruelty and malice.
“Life ... is a tale
Told by an idiot, full of sound and fury,
Signifying nothing.”
Especially the life of Fred Phelps.
Thursday, March 20, 2014
My Woody Allen Problem
The other day, a couple of friends invited me to join them to see "Blue Jasmine" at the charming second-run movie theater in our town. The movie had gotten excellent reviews, I really wanted to catch up with the girls, and I was way overdue for a night out. Still, I couldn't bring myself to go.
You see, I have a Woody Allen problem. I know I'm not alone.
"Don't think of it as a Woody Allen movie," my friend urged. "Think of it as a Cate Blanchett movie."
That didn't help. She chose to work with him, and to laud him at the 2014 Golden Globes. Now Scarlett Johansson has slipped in my esteem by calling the little girl (now woman) who maintains Allen molested her "irresponsible." (One thinks wistfully of the old studio days when movie stars spoke to the press only from carefully crafted scripts.)
See, here's my problem: I'm, like, 99% sure that "Dylan Farrow" is telling the absolute truth.
Some people blame Mia Farrow for the fact that this scandal cannot die. They say she's manipulating the media coverage, that she's still carrying on a bitter vendetta against her former lover because he betrayed her with... her daughter. (Like for Christ's sake, that wasn't bad enough?) Don't think I don't think rather poorly of Ms. Farrow, too, BTW, although not for the reasons much of Hollywood does. My beef with Mia Farrow is that she didn't do more to protect her daughter, soon enough.
I've had arguments with my old friend Max about this. He claims that artists (say, Courtney Love) operate on a different moral plane. They are, by virtue of their talent, somehow "above the law," which only applies to mediocre schlubs like you or me. The art must be judged apart from the artist who created it.
You can argue this with me til the sun goes down, I don't disagree in theory, but it doesn't change my visceral unease and distaste for both the man and his movies. I tried to get past this by watching "Midnight in Paris" last year, but I could never let my guard down enough to immerse myself in the cinematic experience.
I have a similar problem with Roman Polanski, for similar reasons. I watched "Carnage" recently on DVD just because, you know, I'll watch anything Christoph Waltz is in (even when it's in German without subtitles). Yeah, yeah, I know Polanski's victim is now a middle aged matron who forgives him, and the fact that he (in notable contrast to Allen) has admitted his guilt and expressed remorse should mitigate his sentence, but frankly, the only way he could fully redeem himself in my harsh, judgmental eyes is if he returned to the U.S., prepared to face his sentence, which is damned unlikely for a lot of reasons, not least of which is his age.
Last week PBS was hosting one of those "golden oldies" fundraising specials, and who do we see? Michelle Phillips (Mamas and the Papas), burbling on about what a songwriting genius her late former husband John Phillips was. And he was. Unfortunately, he also had a longstanding incestuous relationship with his very vulnerable, very drug-addicted daughter Mackenzie, which she described a few years ago in a book. I watched the Oprah Winfrey interview, and you know what? I am 99% certain she was telling the absolute truth too. And sure, learning that Phillips betrayed and exploited his own daughter in the worst way doesn't mean he didn't make some great music, but it mightily diminishes the pleasure I can now take in listening to that music. And the fact that Michelle Phillips has publicly renounced her stepdaughter as a delusional liar taints her too.
Imagine how horrifying it would be to learn that your ex-husband, someone whom you once loved and had a child with, was, in fact, capable of such evil -- especially when your own legacy is irrevocably tied to his. Still, I have this... this problem with any woman who chooses loyalty to a man over loyalty to a child (even a grown child, and one who is not biologically her own).
I'm also aware that men get falsely accused of child abuse. A lot. And if I believed in God, I would believe there was a special circle in Hell reserved for just such false accusers. It's just that in the above mentioned particular cases, I happen to believe the victims.
It doesn't help those victims that I no longer enjoy the art their perpetrators created, of course. It doesn't help me either. I used to be a huge fan of Woody Allen, Roman Polanski, and John Phillips, before their own actions robbed me (and many others) of the capacity to admire their work.
You see, I have a Woody Allen problem. I know I'm not alone.
"Don't think of it as a Woody Allen movie," my friend urged. "Think of it as a Cate Blanchett movie."
That didn't help. She chose to work with him, and to laud him at the 2014 Golden Globes. Now Scarlett Johansson has slipped in my esteem by calling the little girl (now woman) who maintains Allen molested her "irresponsible." (One thinks wistfully of the old studio days when movie stars spoke to the press only from carefully crafted scripts.)
See, here's my problem: I'm, like, 99% sure that "Dylan Farrow" is telling the absolute truth.
Some people blame Mia Farrow for the fact that this scandal cannot die. They say she's manipulating the media coverage, that she's still carrying on a bitter vendetta against her former lover because he betrayed her with... her daughter. (Like for Christ's sake, that wasn't bad enough?) Don't think I don't think rather poorly of Ms. Farrow, too, BTW, although not for the reasons much of Hollywood does. My beef with Mia Farrow is that she didn't do more to protect her daughter, soon enough.
I've had arguments with my old friend Max about this. He claims that artists (say, Courtney Love) operate on a different moral plane. They are, by virtue of their talent, somehow "above the law," which only applies to mediocre schlubs like you or me. The art must be judged apart from the artist who created it.
You can argue this with me til the sun goes down, I don't disagree in theory, but it doesn't change my visceral unease and distaste for both the man and his movies. I tried to get past this by watching "Midnight in Paris" last year, but I could never let my guard down enough to immerse myself in the cinematic experience.
I have a similar problem with Roman Polanski, for similar reasons. I watched "Carnage" recently on DVD just because, you know, I'll watch anything Christoph Waltz is in (even when it's in German without subtitles). Yeah, yeah, I know Polanski's victim is now a middle aged matron who forgives him, and the fact that he (in notable contrast to Allen) has admitted his guilt and expressed remorse should mitigate his sentence, but frankly, the only way he could fully redeem himself in my harsh, judgmental eyes is if he returned to the U.S., prepared to face his sentence, which is damned unlikely for a lot of reasons, not least of which is his age.
Last week PBS was hosting one of those "golden oldies" fundraising specials, and who do we see? Michelle Phillips (Mamas and the Papas), burbling on about what a songwriting genius her late former husband John Phillips was. And he was. Unfortunately, he also had a longstanding incestuous relationship with his very vulnerable, very drug-addicted daughter Mackenzie, which she described a few years ago in a book. I watched the Oprah Winfrey interview, and you know what? I am 99% certain she was telling the absolute truth too. And sure, learning that Phillips betrayed and exploited his own daughter in the worst way doesn't mean he didn't make some great music, but it mightily diminishes the pleasure I can now take in listening to that music. And the fact that Michelle Phillips has publicly renounced her stepdaughter as a delusional liar taints her too.
Imagine how horrifying it would be to learn that your ex-husband, someone whom you once loved and had a child with, was, in fact, capable of such evil -- especially when your own legacy is irrevocably tied to his. Still, I have this... this problem with any woman who chooses loyalty to a man over loyalty to a child (even a grown child, and one who is not biologically her own).
I'm also aware that men get falsely accused of child abuse. A lot. And if I believed in God, I would believe there was a special circle in Hell reserved for just such false accusers. It's just that in the above mentioned particular cases, I happen to believe the victims.
It doesn't help those victims that I no longer enjoy the art their perpetrators created, of course. It doesn't help me either. I used to be a huge fan of Woody Allen, Roman Polanski, and John Phillips, before their own actions robbed me (and many others) of the capacity to admire their work.
Wednesday, March 19, 2014
Mainstream Invading the Manosphere!
Remember Geoffrey Miller? He's the doorknob evolutionary psychologist and author of The Mating Mind who last year tweeted that fat people lacked sufficient self-discipline to successfully complete doctorate programs.
Miller, a tenured associate professor at the University of New Mexico, didn't lose his position, but he was formally censured. Among other punishments, his work must be monitored by his department chair. Not too tightly though, since he seems to have been given the go-ahead to team up with reformed rake Tucker Max in a joint venture, a men's magazine called "Mating Grounds."
And this has made manosphere blogger Danger & Play madder than a wet hen. D & P is accusing Max and Miller of "riding coat tails and pretending to be original when they are copying Danger & Play." Others in the manosphere are equally incensed. How dare that has-been former alpha & now hopelessly beta Tucker Max suggest that there is even a need for another site that teaches men how to get laid? Hasn't he checked out their little corner of the internet lately? They are already accusing Miller and Max of stealing their "content."
First the webmaster of "Viva La Manosphere" tries to muscle in on Danger & Play's juicing turf, then this impertinent challenge! And to add insult to injury, Miller is now pretending he doesn't even know who D & P is!
I've heard academic politics can be brutal, but it's nothing like the dog-eat-dog world of wanna-be masculine lifestyle gurus. I hope Miller and Max appreciate what kind of competition they're up against.
And that concludes the latest episode in the continuing drama that is [cue organ music] the MAN-o-sphere...
Miller, a tenured associate professor at the University of New Mexico, didn't lose his position, but he was formally censured. Among other punishments, his work must be monitored by his department chair. Not too tightly though, since he seems to have been given the go-ahead to team up with reformed rake Tucker Max in a joint venture, a men's magazine called "Mating Grounds."
And this has made manosphere blogger Danger & Play madder than a wet hen. D & P is accusing Max and Miller of "riding coat tails and pretending to be original when they are copying Danger & Play." Others in the manosphere are equally incensed. How dare that has-been former alpha & now hopelessly beta Tucker Max suggest that there is even a need for another site that teaches men how to get laid? Hasn't he checked out their little corner of the internet lately? They are already accusing Miller and Max of stealing their "content."
First the webmaster of "Viva La Manosphere" tries to muscle in on Danger & Play's juicing turf, then this impertinent challenge! And to add insult to injury, Miller is now pretending he doesn't even know who D & P is!
I've heard academic politics can be brutal, but it's nothing like the dog-eat-dog world of wanna-be masculine lifestyle gurus. I hope Miller and Max appreciate what kind of competition they're up against.
And that concludes the latest episode in the continuing drama that is [cue organ music] the MAN-o-sphere...
There Are Consequences...
There is this cracker on the manosphere I'll call "Dr. Delusion." He has a very young girlfriend I'll call "Lady Misandry." Now before you get all politically correct on me and call me out for the use of the term "cracker," I'll have you know that I have it on high authority (that is, a series of bartenders in Florida) that "cracker" is not necessarily a slur and I am not using it pejoratively here. I'm using it to paint a picture of a working-class Southern man who is suspicious of outside authority (government, intellectuals, etc.) and clings to the Old School values of traditional gender roles, independence, self-reliance, and bigotry. The kind of guy who waves the Confederate flag at Lynyrd Skynyrd concerts but will happily offer you a beer from his cooler. (Racists usually take to me on sight because, well look at me! I could be an Aryan Den Mother.)
In fact, I find much to admire about Dr. Delusion. First of all, he is one of those rare "manospherians" who actually seems to work, and to work hard. He's the kind of guy who is not afraid to get his hands dirty. He embodies a lot of the traditional masculine virtues I hold in high esteem, not least of which is the ability to fix stuff. I'm sure he knows his way around Home Depot, and can take any power tool in hand with confidence and authority.
Dr. Delusion and his lady live in a rural area where they raise their own vegetables and animals. I was particularly interested to find that they raise rabbits for food because a few years ago, when the economy tanked, I seriously considered doing the same in my backyard. Unfortunately, I couldn't imagine actually slaughtering them. I would have had to find someone like Dr. Delusion to do that for me. Also, I've eaten rabbit once, and I didn't like it very much.* That's when I decided a better plan was to stockpile booze, so that I'd have something to barter when Doomsday hit.
I've been trying to give up meat, but it's a struggle. I'm fully aware that eating flesh I am not prepared to kill myself is hypocritical. Therefore, I forced myself to view the photos Dr. Delusion had gleefully posted on his blog of killing and skinning a rabbit. It actually looked pretty easy, and tossed in a stew I'm sure it was very palatable.
So I'm reading along, almost wishing I had a neighbor as handy and resourceful as Dr. Delusion, when I come to this line: "This was a two year old female who refuse [sic] to let my bucks breed her. Around my house, there are consequences for refusing to breed." [italics mine]
And that's when I almost lost my lunch.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
* I've actually seen a rabbit killed before. When I was visiting a friend's farm near Alessandria, la nonna beckoned me over so that I could watch her dash a rabbit's head against the side of the barn. I threw up on the spot, much to the old lady's amusement. I had just enjoyed a gelato, and when it came back up it was still cold. A singular experience.
In fact, I find much to admire about Dr. Delusion. First of all, he is one of those rare "manospherians" who actually seems to work, and to work hard. He's the kind of guy who is not afraid to get his hands dirty. He embodies a lot of the traditional masculine virtues I hold in high esteem, not least of which is the ability to fix stuff. I'm sure he knows his way around Home Depot, and can take any power tool in hand with confidence and authority.
Dr. Delusion and his lady live in a rural area where they raise their own vegetables and animals. I was particularly interested to find that they raise rabbits for food because a few years ago, when the economy tanked, I seriously considered doing the same in my backyard. Unfortunately, I couldn't imagine actually slaughtering them. I would have had to find someone like Dr. Delusion to do that for me. Also, I've eaten rabbit once, and I didn't like it very much.* That's when I decided a better plan was to stockpile booze, so that I'd have something to barter when Doomsday hit.
I've been trying to give up meat, but it's a struggle. I'm fully aware that eating flesh I am not prepared to kill myself is hypocritical. Therefore, I forced myself to view the photos Dr. Delusion had gleefully posted on his blog of killing and skinning a rabbit. It actually looked pretty easy, and tossed in a stew I'm sure it was very palatable.
So I'm reading along, almost wishing I had a neighbor as handy and resourceful as Dr. Delusion, when I come to this line: "This was a two year old female who refuse [sic] to let my bucks breed her. Around my house, there are consequences for refusing to breed." [italics mine]
And that's when I almost lost my lunch.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
* I've actually seen a rabbit killed before. When I was visiting a friend's farm near Alessandria, la nonna beckoned me over so that I could watch her dash a rabbit's head against the side of the barn. I threw up on the spot, much to the old lady's amusement. I had just enjoyed a gelato, and when it came back up it was still cold. A singular experience.
Tuesday, March 18, 2014
Happy International Earth Day!
Would it surprise you to discover "neo-reactionaries" generally dismiss "climate cultists" who warn us of the effects of global warming?
Well, some of them can't quite bring themselves to deny the science, but they do reject "The Cathedral" that "politicizes" it. In other words, get ready for the consequences of global warming, but do so because YOU want to, not to make some dumb environmentalists happy!
Meanwhile, enjoy this jolly little sculpture on display in Berlin:
Well, some of them can't quite bring themselves to deny the science, but they do reject "The Cathedral" that "politicizes" it. In other words, get ready for the consequences of global warming, but do so because YOU want to, not to make some dumb environmentalists happy!
Meanwhile, enjoy this jolly little sculpture on display in Berlin:
 |
| "Politicians Discussing Global Warming" Sculpture by Isaac Cordal. |
Monday, March 17, 2014
But What Would Paul Krugman Say?
The administration has proposed raising the federal minimum wage as a means of stimulating the economy. I happen to live in the state that boasts both the highest minimum wage and the highest job growth in the country. In fact, there is a lot of support in Seattle to push that minimum wage even higher, to $15/hour. According to Venture Capitalist Nick Hanauer, "A higher
minimum wage is a very simple and elegant solution to the death spiral
of falling demand that is the signature feature of our economy." Not to mention just, compassionate, and the all-around Right Thing To Do.
Of course, not everyone is on board. The Manosphere's own resident economist, Captain Capitalism, proposes an even simpler and more elegant solution: "I have said before, and I am 100% sincere about this, that if women were to lose weight in America, that would increase economic production... because hot chicks incentive [sic] men... And men are the primary producers and innovators of society."
Aaron Clarey, is the "super awesome economic genius" behind Captain Capitalism. His blog represents "some of the finest economic research and philosophy." He lives in Minneapolis, which he claims is "a leftist shit hole." I believe he attended community college at some point.
Of course, not everyone is on board. The Manosphere's own resident economist, Captain Capitalism, proposes an even simpler and more elegant solution: "I have said before, and I am 100% sincere about this, that if women were to lose weight in America, that would increase economic production... because hot chicks incentive [sic] men... And men are the primary producers and innovators of society."
Aaron Clarey, is the "super awesome economic genius" behind Captain Capitalism. His blog represents "some of the finest economic research and philosophy." He lives in Minneapolis, which he claims is "a leftist shit hole." I believe he attended community college at some point.
Sunday, March 16, 2014
White Man's March Follow Up
If you missed the White Man's March yesterday, as I did, you may be
comforted to learn it was a bit of a bust. They couldn't even display all those extra signs around the neighborhood: the cops made them take them all down.
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