Not sure. Humour and satire might have been subversive and an important force against authoritarian power but in an age of mockery and ridicule they actually help perpetuates power (“keep it light, dude”). Boris as the ultimate clown, I guess. Comedy, in that sense, is not unrelated to constant critique (Arpad Szakolczai makes this point, I think). Dissent and the piss-take are, as Thomas Frank said back in 1994, just the official style of the culture of late capitalism.
At the cultural level I think it's one of the myths British people like to tell themselves (a fabled eccentricity). I guess every culture has them (for Americans it's rugged individualism).
Good one. Hari Kunzru wrote a similar piece for the Guardian. Gotta say: find the whole discussion on free speech to be quite childish. The west hasn't really grown up!
(Continuing) Chris Hedges’ most recent essay “The Joke Is On Us” seems to view political satire differently. I would love to hear if you think what he’s saying relates to what you’re saying. I would attach a link but got defeated by the procedure. I’m sure you’ll find it easily if you want to!
It's an interesting question: is the cabaret really a symptom of the decadence or does it challenge it (as Lisa Appignanesi thinks in her fascinating book).
Anyways...thanks again.
Gosh, this post really makes me sound like a killjoy!
Yes you’re right that it can work the other way. Kundera even distinguishes between two kinds of humour to make a similar point. There is a form of humour that excludes people from an in-group by mocking it as an out-group. But in the case of the democratic election line up in the UK, I think k the humour is pretty healthy.
Maybe. Dunno. The Americans also have the Correspondents’ Dinner. Personally speaking, I don't think there's really a democratic culture. As with satire (je suis Charlie), it only made sense in a different world. Guenon saw it years ago: when the whole world is a carnival, the carnival loses its purpose.
Not sure. Humour and satire might have been subversive and an important force against authoritarian power but in an age of mockery and ridicule they actually help perpetuates power (“keep it light, dude”). Boris as the ultimate clown, I guess. Comedy, in that sense, is not unrelated to constant critique (Arpad Szakolczai makes this point, I think). Dissent and the piss-take are, as Thomas Frank said back in 1994, just the official style of the culture of late capitalism.
At the cultural level I think it's one of the myths British people like to tell themselves (a fabled eccentricity). I guess every culture has them (for Americans it's rugged individualism).
On Charlie, from back in the day: https://www.opendemocracy.net/en/charlie-hebdo-is-nothing-sacred/
Thanks Jonathan, will read it tomorrow, inshallah.
Good one. Hari Kunzru wrote a similar piece for the Guardian. Gotta say: find the whole discussion on free speech to be quite childish. The west hasn't really grown up!
(Continuing) Chris Hedges’ most recent essay “The Joke Is On Us” seems to view political satire differently. I would love to hear if you think what he’s saying relates to what you’re saying. I would attach a link but got defeated by the procedure. I’m sure you’ll find it easily if you want to!
Thanks for sharing that excellent piece, Janet. Always lived Hedges's passion and sound moral compass.
The excessive focus on Trump (or 'Boris' for that matter) at the expense of structural factors reminded me of:
https://neurodiversityandcapitalism.substack.com/p/gramsci-on-madness-and-fascism?utm_source=share&utm_medium=android&r=2hyuca
It's an interesting question: is the cabaret really a symptom of the decadence or does it challenge it (as Lisa Appignanesi thinks in her fascinating book).
Anyways...thanks again.
Gosh, this post really makes me sound like a killjoy!
*loved
Yes you’re right that it can work the other way. Kundera even distinguishes between two kinds of humour to make a similar point. There is a form of humour that excludes people from an in-group by mocking it as an out-group. But in the case of the democratic election line up in the UK, I think k the humour is pretty healthy.
Maybe. Dunno. The Americans also have the Correspondents’ Dinner. Personally speaking, I don't think there's really a democratic culture. As with satire (je suis Charlie), it only made sense in a different world. Guenon saw it years ago: when the whole world is a carnival, the carnival loses its purpose.
No one who isn’t British can ever presume to comment on British humor, although we Americans do love it on TV — that said, Chris Hedges’ latest
Well, I think the humour is fab. Always wondered what Americans would think of Rising Damp. For me, along with Spike, Leonard Rossiter was a genius.
Very fond of C. Hedge’s Illusion book so I'll try and find your recommendation.