Page 3 of 3 FirstFirst 123
Results 21 to 24 of 24

Thread: Separating the Artist from the Work

  1. #21
    Senior Member iris lilies's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2013
    Location
    Always logged in
    Posts
    25,378
    Quote Originally Posted by LDAHL View Post
    How about cases where a normally apolitical artist is pressured by some anonymous internet mob or other to “use their platform” to promote some view? As seems to have happened with Taylor Swift.

    Or, perhaps more commonly, demands some craven act of contrition from some figure for merely associating with a transgressor? Like that comic who foolishly became a friend of Dave Chapelle thirty-odd years ago, and must now answer for his opinions.

    Would this sort of thing be possible without the felt need for maintaining a social media presence as a prerequisite for fame? I don’t care about my dentist’s political philosophy. I certainly don’t apply a moral litmus test when I need a plumber. I don’t even bother with Yelp reviews because I have no idea if the reviewers are shills or crazed Karens who get a sense of power from badmouthing others.
    You would be surprised at the number of people who think that “voting with my pocketbook” and not hiring that plumber who wears a MAGA hat is the right thing to do. Me, I completely respect competent tradesmen and I know that those people will never get their plumbing fixed because it’s hard enough to get tradesmen here of any political stripe let alone when you cut out half of them.

    I still remember the scuttlebutt that came to our ears, when DH was working. One of his customers, also a Frenemy of ours, warned another customer that DH might listen to Rush Limbaugh while he was working in his house so beware, be forewarned, perhaps wear protective gear on his delicate ears.


    But DH was so good, so inexpensive, so reliable, that she could not afford to NOT use him.


    The forwarned guy told us about this, laughing a little, because he is a gay man who is sympathetic to certain Republican ideals and he was not afraid to say that. But the social signaling and slicing by identity was very strong even back then and that was what, a good 15 years ago?

  2. #22
    Senior Member catherine's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2011
    Location
    Vermont
    Posts
    14,635
    Where are the certified confessors (ie priests) when we need them? Everyone and their mothers are taking on the role of confessor and doling out both penance and absolution, and I think social media is to blame. It has made cartoon Hatfield and McCoy cartoon characters out of us all. Not hire a plumber because he has a MAGA hat? Not hire a contractor/builder because he listens to Rush Limbaugh? Really??
    "Do any human beings ever realize life while they live it--every, every minute?" Emily Webb, Our Town
    www.silententry.wordpress.com

  3. #23
    Senior Member iris lilies's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2013
    Location
    Always logged in
    Posts
    25,378
    Quote Originally Posted by catherine View Post
    Where are the certified confessors (ie priests) when we need them? Everyone and their mothers are taking on the role of confessor and doling out both penance and absolution, and I think social media is to blame. It has made cartoon Hatfield and McCoy cartoon characters out of us all. Not hire a plumber because he has a MAGA hat? Not hire a contractor/builder because he listens to Rush Limbaugh? Really??
    That is very interesting concept, that societies might need a designated confessor where we can push those who transgress against society at a level that’s lighter than getting the law involved.

    I don’t mind social censure for those who transgress, I just want to know what the pathway back is. I don’t want to see most people permanently banned. There is not a clear method of laying aside the sin when there’s no actual confessional.

    I watch Michael Jackson videos because he is an astonishing artist, probably the most brilliant pop culture musical artist to come along In 50 years, but I don’t consider his diddling of small boys in that fandom.

  4. #24
    Senior Member catherine's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2011
    Location
    Vermont
    Posts
    14,635
    Quote Originally Posted by iris lilies View Post
    That is very interesting concept, that societies might need a designated confessor where we can push those who transgress against society at a level that’s lighter than getting the law involved.

    I don’t mind social censure for those who transgress, I just want to know what the pathway back is. I don’t want to see most people permanently banned. There is not a clear method of laying aside the sin when there’s no actual confessional.

    I watch Michael Jackson videos because he is an astonishing artist, probably the most brilliant pop culture musical artist to come along In 50 years, but I don’t consider his diddling of small boys in that fandom.
    We definitely had a lot of shunning back when "society" was limited to a block or a neighborhood or a church congregation. When my mother divorced in 1964 (horrors!) people were still pleasant to her face, but she didn't get invited to too many kaffeklatsches. But now that people can react to celebrity misdoings via FB, Twitter, you name it, the confessors come in the form of 1k tweets which collectively sway public opinion and rolls it up into a big public shunning.
    "Do any human beings ever realize life while they live it--every, every minute?" Emily Webb, Our Town
    www.silententry.wordpress.com

Thread Information

Users Browsing this Thread

There are currently 1 users browsing this thread. (0 members and 1 guests)

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •