Fantasyland provides much needed historical context of how America arrived into the current Twilight Zone/Black Mirror/my alternative facts best your alternative facts moment of history we currently inhabit. Anderson fills the book with well known and not so well known history, while some chapters seemed unnecessary, there's enough steady and entertaining analysis to sustain the full book. Anderson documents how Americans have been dreamers since the beginning.The first Europeans to settle in Virginia were there for the pipe dream of gold. After decades of finding none they had to settle on a less glamorous life - agriculture. The Puritans threw religion into the mix, radicals who believed their way of life was superior. When the Puritans splintered among themselves, each faction certain they had discovered the truth of the gospel. Historically, America's split both ways. The rationalism of the framers left a marked impression, while at the same time magical thinking and paranoia continued to hold sway throughout the 19th Century. Most of the book covers the last thirty years when America took a deep dive into the unreal. Anderson traces the modern descent into craziness to the 1960s. The counterculture's passion for The Lord of the Rings, New Age, and drug experimentation led to a certain way of thinking, the truth is within you. Facts and evidence don't matter. Meanwhile fundamentalist Christianity experienced a resurgence. Tired of science challenging sacred biblical history and public schools banning prayer, holy rollers took aim at science. A creationist world view makes sense because was say so. A plague of both your houses goes the argument. Fantasyland helps explain what happened in 2016 in a tangential way, a year many viewed as an anomaly. Anderson looks at fits of paranoia in the past, the only difference is that William Jennings Bryan or Joseph McCarthy were never elected president. While people rage at the phantoms on the internet, there are millions of people getting things done and keeping things rolling. There's enough room for the crazies and the dreamers, lately it appears a threshold was crossed. Can we go back? Coming of age in the 90s, conspiracy theories was such a part of the Zeitgeist. While I found them fascinating, less so as I got older, they were to be taken with a grain of salt. Taking them all seriously is a trip down the rabbit hole. While the media realized stories on Roswell and the Kennedy assassination brought high ratings, they were always done with a note of skepticism. Now, people take these things as the Truth and act on that information (not helped by a certain national leader who traffics in them.) Anderson's optimistic that the pendulum will swing the other way. I hope he's right. Anderson, Kurt. Fantasyland: How America Went Haywire: A 500 Year History. New York: Random House, 2017.
"I think the health of our civilization, the depth of our awareness about the underpinnings of our culture and our concern for the future can all be tested by how well we support our libraries." - Carl Sagan Social media hits us everyday with jeremiads telling us democracy is on the brink of collapse. At times, I'm inclined to agree, there's no doubt democracy is being tested right now, I also think there are encouraging signs democracy will rebound. To quote the good Dr. Bennell from the 1956 film Invasion of the Body Snatchers, "we only know the true worth of something when we are in danger of losing it."
A month ago Fortune Magazine online ran an article arguing that Amazon should take over all the libraries to save tax payers money, run them like a business. The author, economist Panos Mourdoukoutas, faced an onslaught of irate librarians on Twitter, who eviscerated his proposal. Fortune eventually removed the article. When you piss off librarians, you've really stepped in it.
Libraries are still open. Patrons are free to read Helen Keller, Karl Marx, George Carlin, Phylis Schlafly, or James Baldwin.
Public libraries are one of the last places a citizen can go for free and have access to all sorts of beneficial services. Even the smallest towns in America still have libraries. Privatizing them for profit would be the last frontier for the ultra libertarians I suppose. Just like those "for profit" schools, if everything were just run like a business, all social problems would magically disappear. While Amazon provides amazing services, I have real issues with the company, with stories on how they treat their warehouse employees. Perhaps it's because libraries exemplify socialism that works that really gnaws at the ultra capitalists. Supporting free services through slightly higher taxes keeps libraries going, so just think of how checking out a book is a radical act! Just imagine if the same were true for health care and education. I guess a paradigm shift still needs to be made on those grave issues. The haves lose their cool at the idea of paying higher taxes towards health care and education for the have nots. Why must the earners and producers support the weak who will never provide for themselves? Consider the Fox News conniption fit over Democratic-Socialist (and soon to be congressional representative) Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez's policy ideas on these issues. But I've never heard an affluent person complain about their tax money enabling a poor person to read The Jungle or Oliver Twist - for free!!!!! As long as libraries are vibrant, we can take some comfort. The Library of Congress remains one of the great landmarks of Washington DC, especially the display of Jefferson's personal collection of books, one of the most impressive during his time. The exhibit reminds us a democratic culture cultivates books, free thought, and new ideas. A nation of readers will be wise and strong. And maybe, just maybe, libraries point the way to a brighter future.
On Friday, In Search of . . . returned to television on the History Channel. From 1977-82 Leonard NImoy hosted the classic series that explored supernatural mysteries. Reruns of the show were once staples of A&E. Mitch Pileggi hosted a revivial in 2003. Now the current Mr. Spock, Zachary Quinto, is hosting another reboot on the History Channel. The first episode stayed with a staple of In Search of . . . - alien visitations. As someone who's consumed their share of 1970s and 1980s pop culture, UFOs were an obsession in those decades, somewhat less so today. Quinto visited with a man who claimed he was abducted and another who said he was exposed to alien chemistry. To understand their stories Quinto tried to simulate an abduction experience by being levitated in the air on cables while experiencing sensory deprivation. In the best segment Quinto paid a visit to SETI headquarters (Search for Extra-Intelligence Life Institute), a government funded group of scientists who seek out alien signals with radio telescopes. Zachary Quinto did a great job as host, bringing the right mix of skepticism and open mindedness. Unlike Nimoy, Quinto takes a more hands on approach to the subject matter. Nimoy never condescended to this audience and took each topic seriously. Critics of the show could easily claim it legitimized pseudo-science, but on the other subjects like extended life spans and historical mysteries - do spur the imagination. In a time when some pride themselves on questioning science, a show that explores mysteries with a scientific approach is a positive. Creativity is essential to science. In Search of . . . airs Friday nights at 9 on the History Channel.
Harlan Ellison passed away today. A dynamic figure known for his writing in all mediums - Fiction, Criticism, Film, Television, and comic books. Known for his irascible personality, he proudly accepted the charge of being the most contentious man on the planet. He liked to say he was a combination of Jiminy Cricket and Zorro. I first remember seeing Ellison making TV appearances in the 1990s on Politically Incorrect and the Syfy Channel. On youtube his interviews from the 1970s with Tom Snyder are a treasure - one of the all time great raconteurs. He ran away from home several times and worked all sorts of manual labor jobs, later earned his writing credentials by starting with the Pulp Magazines, knowing all the legends of that period including L. Ron Hubbard, Isaac Asimov, and many others. Later he went on to Hollywood and wrote for television, including the greatest Star Trek episode of all time "The City on the Edge of Forever." Ellison mastered the short story form, the stories pack the punch of a Raymond Carver or Flannery O'Connor. Listing them would take too long, "I Have No Mouth and I Must Scream" is one of the all time great allegories on God and artificial intelligence; "The Whimper of Whipped Dogs" on urban blight; "Paladin of the Lost Hour" is an unforgettable tale of friendship; "Jeffty is Five" on the loss of childhood innocence. Those just scratch the surface of the stories. Any understanding of modern pop culture must seek out the writings of Ellison. At the legendary Daisy Club in Los Angeles Ellison played pool with Omar Sharif, Peter Falk, Paul Newman, and Telly Savales. He took part in the March on Selma; gave hundreds of speeches in support of the Equal Rights Amendment; once punched out a writing professor at Ohio State who said he had no talent; did the same to a TV producer; almost came to blows with Frank Sinatra; wrote stories as the public watched at bookstores; traveled with the Rolling Stones; got Carl Sagan out of a scrap; could keep up with Robin Williams; stood up for his beliefs; mentored many writers; and held court at his house The Lost Aztec Temple of Mars. Harlan will be missed. He took on stupidity, cowardice, prejudice, sexism, racism, bullies, and ignorance. Most important of all - he inspired many to think and be a better human.
In the new book Why Bob Dylan Matters Harvard classicist Richard F. Thomas places Dylan's writing firmly within the Greek-Roman tradition. Thomas argues Dylan is an artist of world historical importance, the poet of the English language during the second half of the 20th Century, taking up the mantle of T.S. Eliot. In 2016, Dylan earned the Nobel Prize for Literature placing his work within an elite group of American writers.* While the book may come off as a plea to skeptical academics to take Dylan's art seriously, it's also evident Dylan studies (Dylanology) will from this point on be in the hands of academics (for better or worse). Why Bob DylanMatters illuminates how the music of Dylan connects to the wider scope of history. Thomas draws connections between Dylan's work and the ancient world, a part of history that's fascinated Dylan since childhood. Thomas notes Dylan's membership in his High School's Latin Club back in Hibbing and his lifelong use of Rome for inspiration. He compares Dylan's love songs to those of the Roman poet Catullus. Roman imagery and ideas are specially present in Dylan's 21st Century albums, in particular the 2012 LP Tempest. Clues to Dylan's passion for Rome are all over his work, from passages in his memoir Chronicles Vol.1 and his radio show The Theme Time Radio Hour (2006-2009). There's also the obvious parallel of 20th Century America being the new Rome. Dylan, born in 1941, the year America entered the Second World War, the conflict that ended with America emerging as a global superpower. Dylan's art has evolved along with America's rise and decline on the world stage. Thomas also puts to rest the notion that Dylan's a plagiarist. Going back to the early days in New York in the early 1960s, Dylan was accused of lifting melodies from other folk songs and recently of using lyrics from such diverse sources as Confederate poet Henry Timrod and the Japanese novelist Junichi Saga. Thomas explains the concept of intertextuality, "the creative use of existing texts" to produce new meanings. A plagiarist passes off another's work as their own. To paraphrase T.S. Eliot: a good poet borrows, a great poet steals. Thomas spends little time on Dylan's long middle period that arguably lasted from 1967 and ended with Time Out of Mind in 1997, although he does discuss the 1974 masterpiece Blood on the Tracks. The book also analyzes Dylan's ever changing stage persona. After winning the Nobel Prize, his concert repertoire remains unchanging, serving as a sort of overview of his career, including the Frank Sinatra covers that have enamored him over the past few years. Another strength of Why Bob Dylan Matters is that it opens the door for more discussion on Dylan. More studies are needed that view Dylan from a female perspective, by cultures outside of the West, his relationship with Jewish-American and African-American culture, and what his music says about the human condition itself. The humanities owe Dylan a great debt, he will help keep them in business. Whether Dylan will still be listened to in the next century is unknown. But we can conclude his work changed many during his own time. To quote a Dylan lyric, "I've got nothin' but affection for all those who've sailed with me." *The following Americans have also been awared the Nobel Prize for Literature: Sinclair Lewis (1930); Eugene O'Neill (1936); Pearl S. Buck (1939); T.S. Eliot (1948); William Faulkner (1949); Ernest Hemingway (1954): John Steinbeck (1962); Saul Bellow (1976); Isaac Bashevis Singer (1978); Joseph Brodsky (1987); Toni Morrison (1993); Bob Dylan (2016).
Why did all those swing states embrace donald trump? While there's no clear answer, but several, Sarah Kenzior's writing provides some historical context, especially aimed at those who live on the coasts and look at middle America as a foreign country. As Kenzior writes the red state/blue state is dichotomy is false, there's more variety and diversity in the middle of the country than anywhere else in America, as Kenzior writes "I live in the middle, and when you live in the middle, you see all sides." In the tradition of Ida Tarbell, Kenzior's sheds lights light on machinations of power. Kenzior's writing style is straight forward, direct, and poignant. Hard truths abound. Her topics include economics, race, media, and foreign policy. A recurring motif is the refusal of corporations to pay a decent wage and the stop gap measures to prevent upward mobility. This holds true in the media and academia. Often the gateways are unpaid internships or meager stipends, which typically only allow those with the means to enter those fields. Saying America is a meritocracy now strains credibility. The oppressive corporate culture of 21st Century America goes on full display on these pages; revealing a nation of bean counters who revel in testing the limits of how much people will allow themselves to be intimidated. Within these essays are the blueprint of the issues that need to be addressed - what the media and politicians should be discussing. To quote Bob Dylan's song "Dignity" the soul of the nation is under the knife. Kenzior laments how the Midwest is now caricatured as angry trump supporters at diners donning their MAGA hats espousing xenophobia. NY Times profiles of trump voters who feel marginalized and fear diversity, while ignoring the multiple points of view in all regions. From a historical perspective America is trapped in a new Gilded Age, like the one that spanned the 1870s to the 1890s. The Progressive Era followed and carried America for most of the 20th Century, an era that produced vibrant unions, state and local leaders with a reformist approach, all the while demanding civic responsibility. That's not nostalgia, read the history. A new Progressive Era may be the only hope we have in saving ourselves.
Haskell, Molly. Steven Spielberg: A Life in Film. New Haven: Yale University Press, 2017. Film critic Molly Haskell's lively commentary on Steven Spielberg's filmography treats her subject with the right amount of distance, allowing for a wealth of insight. As she confesses in the introduction: I had never been an ardent fan . . . He readily acknowledged that he had no feeling for European films. He always wanted his films to arrive someplace. But brooding ambiguities, unresolved longings, things left unsaid, and the erotic transactions of men and women are what drew me to movie in the first place. His great subjects - children, adolescents, - and genres -- science fiction, fantasy, horror, action-adventure -- were stay away zones for me. Even his forays into history were inspirational rather ironic or fatalistic, the work of a man who favored moral clarity, was uncomfortable with "shades of grey." (x) Free of a mostly male fandom that's enraptured with every shot in a Spielberg film, Haskell applies sharp analysis towards unlocking his films that reveal conscious and unconscious preoccupations. Like many critics who were taken aback at Spielberg's early films and his influence on film history, film historians consider him a regressive force who made entertaining movies with little substance. Haskell cited Spielberg mentioning her back in 1978 as one of his most persistent critics, yet through the course of the book Haskell comes to admire Spielberg as an artist who displayed maturity in his later work. The second half of his career seems to be a response to the first half. Haskell often notes Spielberg's avoidance of films that deal with adult relationships, specifically romantic ones. She attributes his preoccupations to his childhood, an outsider in post-war suburbia because he was Jewish and never one of the cool guys. Hence his movies were usually about the nerd who triumphs. His parents, Arnold and Leah, were both college educated and benefited from the opportunities that arrived after the war. Arnold served in the Pacific Theatre, earned a college degree with the GI Bill, and became a pioneer at IBM as a computer technology expert. His Dad's war stories led to his lifelong obsession with the era. At the same time, Arnold was rarely home and gave first priority to his career, his long absences left Steve resentful at being stuck with a spirited mother and two younger sisters. His relationship with Leah, more like a cool older sister than parental figure, encouraged his creativity.
Stories of Steven sneaking into the Universal lot and watching old time directors in action are legendary. The films he made as a teenager reveal a budding talent, a prodigy of visual story telling. His 1969 short Amblin caught the eye of Universal Executives, an apolitical story about a cool hippy girl and a "square" guy on the road foreshadowed his crowd pleasing sensibilities. After gaining experience in episodic television, famously directed the first Columbo movie, he gained international fame with Duel, a stark tale of a man being chased by a monstrous truck on the back highways of California.
The early films were about the put upon male. Jaws and Close Encounters of the ThirdKind are nerd fantasies about child like men who triumph against great odds, a shark and stultifying domesticity (at least that's how detractors saw it). By the 1980s, Spielberg was becoming more of a brand than filmmaker, producing films like a factory, franchises launched, but more serious movies. Spielberg married Amy Irving and they had a son Max, after their union ended he married Kate Capshaw and adopted more children. Being a father changed the tone of his films, most notably Empire of the Sun from 1987, which Haskell considers his best. The story of a spoiled child who becomes a refugee taps into the darkness of childhood and the dangers of holding on to its illusions. Haskell is especially complimentary towards his later work that begins with Schindler's List, a film brought Spielberg back in touch with his Judaism and led to the Shoah Project, a collection of hundreds of oral histories with holocaust survivors. Amistad dealt American slavery. After 9/11 his work took on a darker turn: post-humanism in A.I. (a project he inherited from Stanley Kubrick) surveillance culture in Minority Report, the psychological toll of the war on terror in War of the Worlds and Munich. Catch Me If You Can is his most autobiographical, a not so nostalgic period piece that explored family, loneliness, and identity. Haskell considers Lincoln and Bridge of Spies valuable works of civic responsibility, especially prescient films in the tainted age of Trump. Although Spielberg has spoken of wanting to make a "woman's picture," his protagonists remain mostly male. Unfortunately, plans to make a film about photojournalist Lynsey Addario starring Jennifer Lawrence fell through. Haskell doesn't consider Spielberg a misogynist, but argues he's more interested in masculinity as a subject. He's not alone, filmmakers of Spielberg's New Hollywood generation (Scorsese, DePalma, Lucas, Coppola) primarily made films about men (with a few exceptions.) Now in the #MeToo era, lingering male control of the film industry is all too apparent. Last year actress/director Elizabeth Banks called out Spielberg for not casting female leads, but later apologized when she got called out being inaccurate, The Color Purple deals directly with gender. The takeaway from the book is that Spielberg's an artist aware of his shortcomings and has labored to address them, winning him more critical points than he received back in the 1980s. Haskell writes sharp prose and says more in 200 pages than what it would take another writer to do in 500. A modern and incisive study, a most read analysis of Spielberg and his told from a wise perspective.
