HOME | POLITICS | SPORTS | LIFE | SCI/TECH | OPEDS | HELPFUL TIPS
|
Oct 9, 2003 Our state library association biannual conference was held week before last. I was a member of the conference organization committee and in the program that was handed out to all attendees my job was listed as "logistics." I hadn't heard my duties referred to that way until I read the program myself, but basically it amounted to meeting the main speakers in the lobby of the hotel across the street and escorting them to the hall or room where they were speaking. This was in addition to assisting with registration but still it wasn't a difficult job and I got to meet and well known southern writer, and a Pulitzer prize winning political cartoonist, who I was also able to have lunch with. All in all it was a great experience although the first guy that I mentioned, that would be the well known southern writer, in my opinion left a lot to be desired. First off when I met him in the lobby he was wearing a very nice suit, a baseball cap and high topped Chuck Taylor shoes. Now I know that writers are supposed to be a little weird and basically they can get away with wearing whatever they want, that would be an attraction for me, but the guy immediately came across as somebody who wanted to seem eccentric. Basically he was playing a role and the role was one of a character, a quirky genius, an iconoclast, but to me he just came across as someone who was playing a part. Someone who as much as he wanted to come across as original and unique to me, and from what I understand many people who met him did not agree with my assessment, came across as false and pretentious. I wasn't able to hear his speech, but from what understand it was quite good, in the opinion of many who heard him, but I was also told that he took several pot-shots at other writers, a couple of whom I happen to like. He said that all that a lot of "minor southern" writer essentially do, is to tell "moon pie jokes." First off the writers that he was so eloquently slamming can write circles around him, again that's my opinion and I won't mention any names, they have been changed to guilty. Also what's his point? Was he trying to say something or did he get up in front of that audience with the specific purpose of pointing out writers that he doesn't like, maybe stepping on a few toes, and trying to come across as some sort of maverick. Again he comes across to me, and I did not hear his speech, like a jerk. I have to say that this guy would fit in really well in today’s popular culture. It seems that we have a lot of people on T.V., radio and on the internet who want to come across as an original, a free thinker or an advocate for free speech when in reality they're anything but. It seems to me that a lot of people who are praised as "not caring what other people think" care more about what other people think than most others. You can't tell me that Madonna doesn't care what the public at large thinks about her. She probably doesn't care whether they like her or hate her, but you can’t tell me that she wouldn't care one way or the other if they forgot her all together. Do you think that lip lock that she put on Brittany Spears at the MTV video music awards was meant to make a statement? Was Madonna advocating free speech? No she was trying to shock who ever as watching her and stirring the flames a little. Essentially she was making a little publicity for herself and Guess what? It worked. The absolute worse thing that you could do to Madonna after her little stunt was not to protest, write her nasty letters or try and get her boycotted. The worse thing would be to ignore her completely. Dennis Rodman is finally out of the public eye, for now? Do you think that people decided to ignore his antics, just like you’d ignore a child having a temper tantrum. Howard Stern is supposed to be an advocate for free speech, but tell me, how is having lesbians make out on your show, or having people do demeaning things for prizes advocating free speech? It's not, but from what I've heard both people who love him and people who hate him tune in for the same reason: to see what he'll do next. Is Howard Stern original? No. Does he care what people think? Most definitely. Is he playing the public like a fiddle? You bet your sweet bippie. I wish that I could think of some people who I see as being true originals but there aren't very many and I can't name one for sure. I guess that I could put Harper Lee into that category. She wrote a fantastic book, To Kill A Mockingbird, won the Pulitzer Prize and has written very little since. Basically she has vanished from the public eye and from what I've been able to find out enjoys a very quiet life keeping to herself. Now I'm sure that Ms. Lee has a good life off of the revenue from that one book. Probably more than she would if she would have saturated the publishing market with mediocre writing, which you know it would have appeared that way in comparison to her first and best work. And who knows maybe the mystery that surrounds her after vanishing so completely helps sales of To Kill A Mockingbird, but I very seriously doubt that she planned it that way. If there are any truly original people that anybody out there can think of email me and let me know. So if a supposed "true original," "character," "iconoclast" or some other similar individual says or does something that irritates you what do you do? You do nothing. Just like when the Klan marched in a little town close to where I went to college. Nobody showed up and that did more damage to their cause than if a million protesters would have lined the streets. Did I write letters, make phone calls and hold my breath until I turned blue just because the previously mentioned writer said something that I didn't like? No I didn't, in fact if you’re looking for some good southern writing email me and I'll give you his name. You might like his writing, obviously he does. Now if you'll excuse me I'm going to go write a few moon pie jokes. ------------ About the author: Jonathan Farlow is a frustrated writer/librarian and lives in Archdale, NC with his wife Kathy and daughter Sara. Visit his web site. You can read some of his stories there. Feedback is welcomed. Email: jonathan-farlow@excite.com Comment on this column in the forum. Tell a friend about this site! ------------ |
||||||
|
|
|||||||
|
