War Stories: An Interview With David Mamet

thefederalist.com ^ | March 13, 2014 | David Masciotra

[virgil283]

"The combative nature of human beings in relationships with each other and in the understanding of themselves is the essence of the tragic view,” Mamet said before continuing, “The marvelous thing about my discovery of conservative philosophy and economics is that it made sense with my previous experience in the world. It is saying that there are things beyond our understanding, but by observing them we might be able to deal with them. We can never completely do away with the final remainder of discomfort, mutual loathing, and self-doubt, because that is part of the human condition. Whatever we do, the price of failure will be chaos, but the price of success will also be chaos.......”

[virgil283]

"It is the well-intentioned, but destructive attempt to assuage the fear of matriculation and the lack of incentive to prove one’s worth, competence, and skill, that have created a culture of conformity, weakness, and banality. If one tries to save the young from the rigors and traumas of life, you’re saving them from life,....

Mamet said.“What is college? Nothing. Students learn five recognition symbols that make them comfortable in conversation with other people who know nothing. And they don’t realize that they’ve learned to rely too much on others......

His study of the Native Americans, which began with an article for the Smithsonian National Museum on Buffalos and the “national shame” of American atrocities toward Natives, led him to the discovery that “One sees how a primitive society has all the elements of ours, which is just another primitive society with a lot more technology....."

Mamet has an interesting take on things, [h/t Ace of Spades]

[ought-six]

David Mamet is a great playwrite. He has penned some exceptional pieces of drama.

[cloudmountain]

Human nature hasn't changed ONE iota in all the millenia we've been around.

Lincoln knew this. He said that we can modify human behavior to some extent but we can't change human nature.

WHY, o WHY, do we expect anything different? All the money, education, health and good looks does NOT make a "good" or happy person.

Original sin has made us screw up. As we get older, wiser and more mature, we KNOW that the KEY to happiness lies with the Lord, nothing/no one else. It's so simple.

[Nevadan]

When David Mamet speaks, I am inclined to listen. He has quite a mind.

[Ransomed]

I just saw ‘Redbelt’ a movie written and directed by Mamet in 2008. With Chiwetel Ejiofor and Tim Allen. Yes, that Tim Allen. Pretty darn good, I had never even heard of it, a classic fight movie about MMA but also about a lot more.

Freegards