Molly Ivins - a killer review of Camille Paglia from 1991
Austin, Texas So write about Camille Paglia, suggested the editor. Like any normal person, I replied, And who the hell might she be?
Big cheese in New York intellectual circles. The latest rage. Hot stuff. Controversial.
But Im not good on New York intellectual controversies, I explained. Could never bring myself to give a rats ass about Jerzy Kosinski. Never read Andy Warhols diaries. Can never remember the name of the editor of this New Whatsit, the neo-con critical rag. Im a no-hoper on this stuff, practically a professional provincial.
Read Paglia, says he, youll have an opinion. So I did; and I do.
/snip
The noise is about her oeuvre, as we always say in Lubbock: Sexual Personae: Art and Decadence from Nefertiti to Emily Dickinson. In very brief, for those of you who have been playing hooky from the New York Review of Books, Ms. Paglias contention is that the history of western civilization has been a constant struggle between two impulses, an unending tennis match between cold, Apollonian categorization and Dionysian lust and chaos. Jeez, me too. I always thought the world was divided into only two kinds of people those who think the world is divided into only two kinds of people, and those who dont.
/snip
In an even more hilarious leap, Paglia contends that feminism is responsible for the aerobics craze and concern over thin thighs. Speaking as a beer-drinking feminist whose idea of watching her diet is to choose either the baked potato with sour cream or with butter, but not with both, I find this loony beyond all hope and I am the cosmos, too.
The Velveteen Ocelot
(115,267 posts)One Molly Ivins is worth a thousand Camille Paglias.
Kalidurga
(14,177 posts)Pavarati is to Rock n Roll. She is loud and she is famous, but she isn't a feminist.
The Velveteen Ocelot
(115,267 posts)Pavarotti is brilliant, and Paglia isn't.
Kalidurga
(14,177 posts)But, as will most analogies their will be problems some minor some glaring. This one might be glaring as Paglia has the brilliance of Sarah Palin.
Sam1
(498 posts)seabeyond
(110,159 posts)outrageously extreme, obviously not supportive of dismantling patriarchy in any manner, and a backer of the right. now, we rarely have to argue her positions.
Kalidurga
(14,177 posts)back when she denied the existance of date rape, in the late 80's IIRC.
Demit
(11,238 posts)ismnotwasm
(41,916 posts)wryter2000
(46,016 posts)Amazing.
seabeyond
(110,159 posts)Well, by George, as a First Amendment absolutist, youll find me willing to spring to the defense of Camille Paglias right to be a feminist Rolling Stones fan any hour, day or night. Come to think of it, who the hell was the Stalin who wouldnt let her do that? I went back and researched the 69 politburo, and all I could find was Betty Friedan, Bella Abzug, and Gloria Steinem, none of whom ever seems to have come out against rock music.
I have myself quite cheerfully been both a country-music fan and a feminist for years if Camille Paglia is the cosmos, so am I. When some fellow feminist doesnt like my music (How could you not like You are just another sticky wheel on the grocery cart of life?), I have always felt free to say, in my politically correct feminist fashion, Fuck off.
*
There is one area in which I think Paglia and I would agree that politically correct feminism has produced a noticeable inequity. Nowadays, when a woman behaves in a hysterical and disagreeable fashion, we say, Poor dear, its probably PMS. Whereas, if a man behaves in a hysterical and disagreeable fashion, we say, What an asshole. Let me leap to correct this unfairness by saying of Paglia: Sheesh, what an asshole.
truly love this woman. thanks.
Paladin
(28,202 posts)lapislzi
(5,762 posts)There are a few Binghamton grads who are famous (we're not Berkeley, but we're pretty good). She is the one I would utterly disavow. Some of us received a perfectly lovely liberal arts education at an esteemed public institution.