[lbo-talk] Re: lbo, a den of right-wingers?

Wojtek Sokolowski sokol at jhu.edu
Wed Aug 31 12:58:25 PDT 2005


Chuck:
> I actually never liked Brecht's work specifically because of this
> technique. If you want to really persuade people through the arts, you
> have to make the art stunning. What makes it stunning could be beauty,
> horror, violence, ugliness, grace, lyricism---anything as long as it
> has strong psychological impact---the exact opposite of Brecht's
> theory. The audience doesn't have to identify with a character or
> condition, as long as their aesthetic registers are pinned on Full. I
> think it is an irony that Brecht, contrary to his theoretical
> intentions is often stunning.

I disagree. First of all, you will never persuade anyone through art, except those already persuaded. It is so because people select those political views as well as art forms that suit their emotional needs. Therefore, they will reject any art form they find emotionally disagreeable. Trying to "stun" them through art will either have zero effect or it will reinforce the prejudices they already have.

Right wingers are naturally attracted to fascist views because they are emotionally and cognitively crippled and use fascist ideology as a mental crutch. Specifically, these are the people who for whatever physiological or psychological reasons do not handle very well uncertainty, ambiguity and unfamiliar situations. This is a personality or perhaps affective disorder that makes them anxious and frightened each time they encounter something new and unfamiliar, a situation that is ambiguous and open ended, not following an known and easily predictable path, a person who does not fit into a pigeon hole or a person outside the pigeon hole to which he/she "belongs" - anything that does not fit narrowly defined conventions and tropes. That fear produces defensive reactions - authoritarian aggression and refuge in fundamentalism and fascism which give them an illusion of control and certitude.

It is only natural that these people will a priori reject any art form that is unconventional and shocking - and if somehow they let their guards down and absorb it - it will only provoke more fear and more need for "defense" i.e. aggression and more dependence on mental crutches i.e. fundamentalist and fascist ideologies.

So whole I fully agree with your description of right wingers as pig-headed, mean, stupid, vicious etc. - also believe that this condition results from a mental disorder that affects, to a varying degree a relatively sizeable share of the human kind. Like with any other disorder (say, depression), in some affected individuals that disorder and authoritarianism associated with is triggered infrequently or not triggered at all, while in other it is triggered by any discomforting situation. These individuals are sick - what they need is not art but psychiatric help.

Another comment - shock in art is like spice in food - it works only when used sparingly and judiciously. If you overdo, you can as well throw away the whole dish - it is indigestible. Since shock has been used rather liberally and frivolously in pop-kultur and marketing as an attention grabbing device - the only natural reaction to it is a big and hearty barf from the bottom of your belly.

Wojtek



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