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intaglio

(8,170 posts)
Fri Sep 26, 2014, 10:27 AM Sep 2014

Molly Ivins - a killer review of Camille Paglia from 1991

I am the Cosmos, by Molly Ivins

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 I’m not good on New York intellectual controversies, I explained. Could never bring myself to give a rat’s ass about Jerzy Kosinski. Never read Andy Warhol’s diaries. Can never remember the name of the editor of this New Whatsit, the neo-con critical rag. I’m a no-hoper on this stuff, practically a professional provincial.

Read Paglia, says he, you’ll 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. Paglia’s 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 don’t.

/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.
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Molly Ivins - a killer review of Camille Paglia from 1991 (Original Post) intaglio Sep 2014 OP
Excellent. The Velveteen Ocelot Sep 2014 #1
Camille Pagilia is to feminism as Kalidurga Sep 2014 #2
One problem with that analogy: The Velveteen Ocelot Sep 2014 #3
Yes that is true Kalidurga Sep 2014 #4
Paglia would in fact cause Plain to cast a shadow. Sam1 Sep 2014 #14
we use to have anti's hold her up and have to argue her expressions. as she got older, the more seabeyond Sep 2014 #11
I nailed her as not-a-feminist... Kalidurga Sep 2014 #13
That was wonderful. /sob/ I miss Molly Ivins. Demit Sep 2014 #5
So do I. LoisB Sep 2014 #8
LOL ismnotwasm Sep 2014 #6
OMG wryter2000 Sep 2014 #7
knr roody Sep 2014 #9
love molly. we hear same argument here. those mean radfems say... no. we do not. lol. more molly... seabeyond Sep 2014 #10
If anyone ever deserved a Molly-strength savaging, it's the pretentious, vapid Paglia. (nt) Paladin Sep 2014 #12
I must interject to defend my alma mater lapislzi Apr 2016 #15

Kalidurga

(14,177 posts)
2. Camille Pagilia is to feminism as
Fri Sep 26, 2014, 10:51 AM
Sep 2014

Pavarati is to Rock n Roll. She is loud and she is famous, but she isn't a feminist.

Kalidurga

(14,177 posts)
4. Yes that is true
Fri Sep 26, 2014, 11:33 AM
Sep 2014

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.

 

seabeyond

(110,159 posts)
11. we use to have anti's hold her up and have to argue her expressions. as she got older, the more
Sat Sep 27, 2014, 10:10 AM
Sep 2014

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)
13. I nailed her as not-a-feminist...
Sat Sep 27, 2014, 01:14 PM
Sep 2014

back when she denied the existance of date rape, in the late 80's IIRC.

 

seabeyond

(110,159 posts)
10. love molly. we hear same argument here. those mean radfems say... no. we do not. lol. more molly...
Sat Sep 27, 2014, 10:09 AM
Sep 2014
“You see, right from the start it was impossible for me to be taken into the feminist movement, okay? The only art they will permit is art that gives a positive image of women. I said, `That’s like the Soviet Union; that is the demagogic, propagandistic view of art.’ ”

Well, by George, as a First Amendment absolutist, you’ll find me willing to spring to the defense of Camille Paglia’s 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 wouldn’t 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 doesn’t 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, it’s 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.

lapislzi

(5,762 posts)
15. I must interject to defend my alma mater
Thu Apr 21, 2016, 01:33 PM
Apr 2016

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.

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