Alan Moore interview
Links 07/27/2004 |There’s a stunningly good interview on Salon with Alan Moore, creator of the extremely well-regarded graphic novels “From Hell” and “Watchmen” (unfortunately, I’ve yet to read any of his work, though I’ve heard many good things about them). A definite must-read.
We invite [television] into our own home every night; I’m sure that some of us think of it as a friend. That might be a horrifying notion but I’m sure there are people who think of television as perhaps one of their most intimate friends. And if the TV tells them that things in the world are a certain way, even if the evidence of their senses asserts it is not true, they’ll probably believe the television set in the end. It’s an alarming thought but we brought it upon ourselves. I mean, I think that television is one of the most diabolical — in the very best sense of the word — inventions of the past century. It has probably done more to degrade the mind and intelligence of its audience, even if they happen to be drug addicts or alcoholics; I would think that watching television has done more to limit their horizons in the long run. And it has also distorted our culture.
TV and politics have always made inevitable bedfellows, but the results have been disastrous. Look at the situation we have now. Let’s say that tomorrow someone who is a political genius were to emerge — and I’m not expecting this to happen, but say that it did. Say that a politician emerged who seemed, for once, basically competent, who seemed to be able to do their job as well as the average cab driver, comic writer or journalist. If they were the most intelligent, visionary, humane political thinker in the history of mankind, but were also fat, had some sort of blemish or something that made them less than telegenic, we would not be able to elect them. All we’re able to elect are these telegenic, photogenic crypto-Nazis. As long as they look good.
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p>(via Mike)
iTunes: “Gift, The” by Way Out West feat. Law, Miss Joanna from the album Deconstruction Presents (1996, 4:23).
[See also: Moles and Trolls, Moles and Trolls! | Girl’s home! Time to pay attention to… | Why I hate George W. Bush | Career changes | Darwinian Poetry ]
2 Responses to “Alan Moore interview”
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Bryan
Michael Hanscom
Prairie
Ryan Waddell
July 27th, 2004 at 6:50 am
I think it was during the last election how they said Presidents like Lincoln, Taft, or FDR could not be elected today. Lincoln because of his high pitched voice and gaunt look, Taft due to his size, and FDR due to his Polio.
Of course the media was kinder during FDR terms then they are today. They never showed pictures of him using his crutches. I think I’ve only seen one picture of him using crutches to get to up from a seat to walk to a podium.
July 28th, 2004 at 5:43 pm
> Let’s say that tomorrow someone who is a political genius were to emerge — and I’m not expecting this to happen, but say that it did. Say that a politician emerged who seemed, for once, basically competent, who seemed to be able to do their job as well as the average cab driver, comic writer or journalist. If they were the most intelligent, visionary, humane political thinker in the history of mankind, but were also fat, had some sort of blemish or something that made them less than telegenic, we would not be able to elect them.
He’s talking about Howard Dean there, right?