The first is the kind was described by Red Smith like this:
“Writing is easy. You just sit down at a typewriter and open a vein.”The second is the kind done by people like Tom Friedman (from Gawker):
Thomas Friedman Writes His Only Column Again
Hamilton Nolan
Fabulously wealthy CEO whisperer and newspaper columnist Thomas Friedman is little more than a human-shaped random word generator programmed with the "Computers and Internet" section of a fourth-grade vocabulary textbook and fitted with a mustache. He writes one single column, sometimes using different proper nouns or cycling through slightly new platitudes, in order to allow a new headline to be written. The Only Thomas Friedman Column That Exists—which ran right on schedule yesterday—opens like this:
TRAVELING in Europe last week, it seemed as if every other conversation ended with some form of this question: Why does it feel like so few leaders are capable of inspiring their people to meet the challenges of our day?Whether traveling in Europe or Israel or Pakistan or The Arab Street, Thomas Friedman has astoundingly boring conversations with people who speak in vague, nonsensical phrases. He continues:
There are many explanations for this global leadership deficit, but I'd focus on two: one generational, one technological."There are many explanations for [broad phenomenon], but I'd focus on two: one [generational, cultural, or sociological], one [technological, biological, scientific, or economic]." Thomas Friedman knows how to write a freshman-year research paper at the last minute.
...The latter method of arranging words on a page -- the Friedman method -- requires absolutely no effort whatsoever, is devoted entirely to protecting the policies and privileges of the political and economic elite, pays astonishingly well, confers upon the writer world-wide prestige, and shapes both the parameters of public discourse and the thinking of powerful people.
And the former?
Well, lets just say if you want to practice the former method of arranging words on a page, you would do well listening to the advice of the late Ray Bradbury:
"You must stay drunk on writing so reality cannot destroy you."Cheers!
3 comments:
Are you sure it's not just a matter of whose vein the author is opening?
Friedman's mythical peon - er, I mean, man on the (European) street - just wishing the politicians had the courage to make "sensible, brave" decisions. Like destroying their safety nets while corrupt banks get 100% bailouts.
The NYC cab driver genuflecting to the plutocrat. Brooks talking to that sensible patron at the non-existent salad bar at Applebees. Scott Walker recalling an "off the record" conversation with a school teacher who thanked him for being brave enough to destroy their public union rights. Right.
Its all prepping the unwashed masses to suffer massive cuts so that banks, "job creators" and corporations can keep their taxes as low as they are now - if not lower still.
In their minds, the biggest sin of the last global Great Depression was not the widespread hardships, followed by a World War. No, it was the increase in taxes, the reduction of the 1% getting 24% of the national income in 1928 (nearly matched in 2008, still 21% in 2011) down to 9% in the 50's. To add insult to the plutocrat's injury, that "stolen" wealth was then given to the old, poor, minorities, etc. Fuck that!
The plutocrats want to take the next Shock Doctrine opportunity to destroy Medicare, Social Security, even public education. And Friedman/Brooks/etc have their job to do prepping the unwashed masses.
- ps, best wishes on the surgery Drifty.
Something about the image of Brooks and Friedman, traipsing through the economic ruins of 2012 Europe, reminds me of the story you recently referenced (Bradbury?) of the time traveling tourists who used to show up a week before cataclysmic disasters...I haven't read it in about 40 years...it may be worth a re-visit.
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