Comments on: Paglia Prattles On Pop Music

By: Ssh-au-n002

Ssh-au-n002 — Sun, 17 Dec 2006 00:38:47 +0000

It's the peoples' choice. What you consider "good music" is still being made today but people are less interested in it. For good or for worse, the masses prefer T&A, at least for now. [See Much Ado About Conservatives and Pop Culture, The Hudson Institute (and here)]

By: Stephen W. Browne

Stephen W. Browne — Sat, 16 Dec 2006 13:30:10 +0000

One wonders how many of the Founding Fathers could have gotten elected in the television age.

George Washington? Painfully shy, standoffish and a slow and deliberate speaker. Dan Rather would have torn him apart.

Thomas Jefferson? Didn’t deliver his own speeches, he had them read – and maybe too much of an intellectual for today’s taste. James Madison? Physically tiny with a high squeaky voice.

If we’d had TV journalism in 1790, there might not be an America today.

By: Dan Maguire

Dan Maguire — Mon, 11 Dec 2006 22:42:54 +0000

I must confess that I’ve never read a whole lot of Paglia. Saw an interview with her once on 60 Minutes, later tried to wade through an essay in Sexual Personae (at least that’s what I think it was called), but really it didn’t hold my interest. Mea culpa.

On current pop musicians…right on. The necessity of good looks in music has become so constant that I find myself bigoted (unfairly) against musicians who make the big time and are good-looking. Give me the fat, tooth-spaced, hideous Van Morrison and his fantastic soul over any modern, prettyboy crap. He wouldn’t stand a chance nowadays.

Finally, I totally agree on Britney Spears. That gal is a neck-sag in progress!

By: Joseph

Joseph — Mon, 11 Dec 2006 20:45:08 +0000

I hate to say it – not that I hate to agree with you – but I’ll admit Paglia has slipped from her “zenith” in the early 90’s when she burst on the scene as academia’s premiere hell raiser. I’ve been an admirer of hers for several years now and was particularly galvanized by her manifesto/essay “No Law in the Arena” from her book Vamps and Tramps and her readiness to challenge dogma. [Me too]

On the subject of contemporary musicians you wrote “Every ‘recording’ artist today is drawn from a highly biased sample, where T & A are the prime criteria for selection, not musical ability.” I am curious if you are familiar with the Pet Shop Boys? Dare I ask what your opinion of them is?! They’ve had a successful career for 20 years now and have finally been recognized with a couple Grammy nominations. [Garbage]