posted
This is a blatant attempt to ignore and or diffuse the other discussion about other stuff.
With how much access we have to artists of all kinds the personal lives and opinions of our favorite creative people can color our appreciation of their work. It is easy to disagree with someone especially when this is a person with whom you cannot sit down and have an intimate conversation with them, but how often do completely agree with a popular artist?
People are naturally flawed so I wonder who stands up to your idealized expectations once they are held to such a scrutiny?
I'll start us off.
The more I learn about Henry Rollins, the more impressed I am. I can empathize with how angry he was a young man, growing up in the punk rock society he became somewhat well known for stalking back and forth on stage snarling at the crowd, looking for a fight while his band-mates were backstage getting high. He has been accused of being a neo-nazi because of his tattoo's and fitness regimen, but he can't stand bigots.
In fact he has always been vocal about his support of gay rights, so people called him gay because he has never married and has no children, he has responded that he loves women but he doesn't understand women but he hasn't given up on them yet. He was even a guest judge on Ru Paul's Drag Race, you can find a video of him recounting the experience, it is pretty funny.
Funny, yeah there is a good point as well, I've seen him live during one of spoken word tours and he puts many comedians to shame. The guy has always been drug free! that really does impress me, for a multitude of personal reasons.
And what it comes down to, he is an asshole.
An absolute blow-hard. Loud mouthed and intolerant. Jerk. I watched the first season of his IFC show that was one part live music, one part interview (he had some great ones) and three parts visceral ranting against things he does not like. Gay rights and second-class citizenship, porn and censorship, pointless wars, blatant upper-class tax breaks. He is unapologetic when he sees something wrong, that hurts people, and I think more people should be like that.
Then there is another but not different side. In his music there is a lot of anger and raw emotion but for over twenty years he has been doing speaking tours as well as still touring with his band. So often music can get past your defenses without having a specific reason, just that bit of the artist that sunk into the song. Here is a bit of his spoken word, I'll say its NSFW due to the levity of the subject. There are plenty of songs and books that are meant to connect with deeper part of some people but it something else to say it with nothing to hide behind.
There are other artists who I enjoy and go out of my way to find their works, but I don't think I would necessarily like them as people, and I don't have to. They don't have to be who I think they should be, John Waters does not have to instantly be my best friend just because I like Pink Flamingo's more than Hairspray, I have no reason to care that Kevin Smith is a pothead and Amanda Palmer does not have to show me the magical door the Fae Realm where you get to live life in the same manner as she does and get away with it. I love the art of so many people, and in a way I love them because good art is sharing a part yourself, but I accept that I don't have to love every part of anyone even someone whose work inspired me to a better person.
If you read all that you get a cookie. Posts: 2302 | Registered: Aug 2008
| IP: Logged |
also: I have the tendency to dissect people into many different pieces and see good models in whichever parts of them are good. People are flawed. They have parts worth agreeing with and parts worth disagreeing with. I know people who would make terrible role models but for what they are actually doing to make the world a better place, and people who would make wonderful role models but for what they are actually and doing to make the world a worse place.
Posts: 15421 | Registered: Aug 2005
| IP: Logged |
posted
I have to admit that I am still angry at Amanda Palmer for not showing me her magical door to the Fae Realm. It's hard to get past that.
Posts: 37449 | Registered: May 1999
| IP: Logged |
posted
That woman was supporting herself in her early years in Germany with nude modeling and busking... BUSKING no real people move to a foreign country only to make due by standing very still in a park, she must be of the Fae, it is the only way I can explain her life. Plus it would a lot of sense why she and Niel Gaiman get along so well.
Posts: 2302 | Registered: Aug 2008
| IP: Logged |
posted
I've never met anyone that I agree about everything on. I disagree with the engineers that built my car and the bridges on which I drive and the computers which I type. I disagree with the physicists who put satellites in space and the actors who play in my movies and the authors who write the books I read. I disagree with every legitimate politician on most topics (as do most people). I disagree with my mom, with my dad, and with my siblings -- but I still love them.
My role models are George Plimpton and Benjamin Franklin.
Posts: 1204 | Registered: Mar 2003
| IP: Logged |
quote:Originally posted by Aros: I've never met anyone that I agree about everything on. I disagree with the engineers that built my car and the bridges on which I drive and the computers which I type. I disagree with the physicists who put satellites in space and the actors who play in my movies and the authors who write the books I read. I disagree with every legitimate politician on most topics (as do most people). I disagree with my mom, with my dad, and with my siblings -- but I still love them.
Printer-friendly view of this topic
![[Smile]](smile.gif)
