On Mar 22, 2011, at 1:23 AM, Michael Smith <mjs at smithbowen.net> wrote:
> Whereas of course there was nothing in West's speech that
> anybody on this list could disagree with; but it was torture
> to sit through it, even on Youtube -- for some of us,
> anyway. But de gustibus, etc.
No buts about it - the fact that everyone on this list would agree with it is precisely what makes it torture to sit through. Give me something to disagree with! The message basically seemed to be that the audience was particularly good people - usually one expects preacherly style to be deployed in the service of less comfortable messages. I suppose that's not what plenary addresses are for, but if so, that's what makes plenary addresses unworthy of hearing.
That said, I don't think there was anything inherently silly about his style as such. Certainly more bearable than papier-mâché puppets.