MAILER BLASTS BACK AT COMIC

NY Post: Page Six ^ | Richard Johnson

[Eric in the Ozarks]

Still like Vonnegut.

[Goodlife]

Such a pity... I was a great admirer of Vonnegut in my liberal teenage years. However, the more I read his books, the more I began to view them as simply novel-length rants-- with Breakfast of Champions being exhibit A.

A few of his books, like Player Piano, Cat's Cradle and Galapagos raise interesting philosophical points, although something like Player Piano is certainly an obsolete philosophical point in the wake of the tech revolution in this country (there aren't fewer jobs with automation... there's more).

All in all, when a liberal writer like this makes 'predictions' he gets it wrong from the start. All the hellish 'utopias' predicted by liberal writers in the 60's come with a centralized 'overseer' running it. Writing about this, you'd think they'd be against a centralized state, especially when viewing how all their predictions for the 'bad' future come true on the causative end, but bear fruit on the effects end simply because the wide scope of American experience and ingenuity can make a buck off anything.

[Steve_Seattle]

More and more, I see the liberal/conservative rift as a conflict between the romantic and the classical temperaments. The romantic idealizes nature, the individual, emotion, spontaneity, and extravagence, whereas the classical temperament favors reason, moderation, proportion, and the rule of law. But ironically, when the romantic temperament gains political power, it uses a legalistic iron fist to impose its way and to crush individuality.

[SarahW]

Natalie Maines did the same thing - made a cheap shot in England to please her audience, to get applause, to make sure she would stand apart and be free of association from Bush or "those other Americans", so she could get audience approval.

[Cicero]

I wouldn't say that Mailer has written "a few dozen distinguished books." I'd say he's written two or three good books, including "The Naked and the Dead" and "Armies of the Night"; a few dozen forgetable, second- and third-rate books, and one of the worst novels of the 20th century: "Ancient Egypt."

[miss marmelstein]

I've read most of his books (including his picture book on Marilyn Monroe which is really beautiful-looking)and I say he has a very heterosexual point of view. He's not unlike Hemingway who is also predictably called gay on the basis of nothing except that, like Mailer, he enjoyed punching other men at parties. Not all men who hurt women are gay; that's a cliche.

I can't believe I'm defending old Normie!

[an amused spectator]

Even though I can't stand the old queen, Burr was entertaining.

I've seen it, but it never piqued my interest.

[marktwain]

Excellent Rant!! Congrats, you nailed it.

[lilylangtree]

Mailer and Vidal are examples of the New York elite that Algore ascribes and the clintoons suck up to? Yuck!

[TheWillardHotel]

Thanks for posting those comments, you exceed simple
invective.

I just finished a book by Jacques Barzun, named "From
Dawn To Decadence". Your comments reminded me of some
his his observations of the last century.

[tpaine]

Sean Connery is gay? - News to me. You sure?

[Leisler]

Norman, middle name Kingsly, was drafted in mid 1944 while waiting out the war at Harvard, where he boxed in the oh so rugged inter dorm boxing matches. He was sent to Luzon late in the war and was cook, clerk and a lineman and recieved no metals and didn't distinguish himself.

[mabelkitty]

Reread my post.

I said his frugging with a model doesn't mean he's hetero.

I said he was a mysoginist.

[MattAMiller]

Dead on and eloquently stated. You've made my morning. Thanks.

[stands2reason]

I second Pharmboy's nomination for QOTD. Another LBG (Long-but-good) for you, RJJ!

Bill, I wasn't surprised to see your name on the end of this classic diatribe. I've said it before, I'll say it again. Damn, but you're good!

[RedBloodedAmerican]

I had read that somewhere years ago, and now I am trying to find a source of some sort, but can't. So I could be wrong.

[GOPJ]

Miller is way cool. His best comments were left out of this liberal kiss up piece, but they're still on the record...

[razorback-bert]

Too bad Vonnegut can't write as well as Kilgore Trout.

[Defiant]

Yes, communists were very much in support of WW2, after the Soviet Union was attacked.

[RJayneJ]

Thanks for the nomination! };^D )