General Discussion

Orrex

(63,215 posts) Thu Jan 31, 2013, 11:57 AM Jan 2013

I know people claim that an artist's views doesn't affect enjoyment of their work... [View all]

but do you really believe it?

Really?

For all artists?

For all views?

Outside of a strictly academic setting, in my adult life I have met few if any people for whom this is truly and actually the case, though I've known any number of people who've made that claim.

Did you, for instance, enjoy Lethal Weapon more before you learned what a weirdo Mel Gibson turned out to be? Can you respect his skill as a director while watching Apocalypto, or does his freakish anti-Semitism bubble up in the back of your mind?

Does it bug you, even a little, that Gary Sinese is an outspoken Conservative? What about Patricia Heaton? Kelsey Grammer? How about famous Scientologists?

Suppose that you had a favorite author whose works you'd enjoyed for years.
Now suppose that this author burns your house down and gets you fired from your job. Would you still be able to enjoy that author's works? Honestly? If not, then why not?

The claim of intellectual objectivity is a lofty goal and works well on paper and in anonymous online discussion forums. In reality I suspect that people are far less objective than they like to claim to be. Certainly that has almost always been the case in my experience.

Your thoughts?

63 replies

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Highlight:

I know people claim that an artist's views doesn't affect enjoyment of their work... [View all] Orrex Jan 2013 OP

I like John Wayne movies CBGLuthier Jan 2013 #1

A very honest answer! Orrex Jan 2013 #2

The typical reaction on DU when a prominent person is outed as conservative is as follows: Dreamer Tatum Jan 2013 #3

It is very silly indeed Puzzledtraveller Jan 2013 #10

I don't like Dennis Miller Mz Pip Jan 2013 #36

I remember Franken saying Dennis was always that way sweetloukillbot Jan 2013 #57

Dennis Miller stopped being funny long before he "came out" as a right wing goober. Warren DeMontague Jan 2013 #54

Nearly half the population voted for... What's his name again? bluedigger Jan 2013 #4

Not saying you have to blacklist anyone; that's not the question Orrex Jan 2013 #7

I guess it varies with the artist, the medium, and the subject matter. bluedigger Jan 2013 #26

Yeah--for me, it likewise varies depending on artist, medium, etc. Orrex Jan 2013 #29

Politics isn't the be all HappyMe Jan 2013 #5

So you choose not to address the issue? Orrex Jan 2013 #8

Just to irritate you, apparently. HappyMe Jan 2013 #12

You're welcome to keep trying. Orrex Jan 2013 #24

And yet again. HappyMe Jan 2013 #25

You're still not answering the question Orrex Jan 2013 #31

Good grief, and what reason do you HappyMe Jan 2013 #50

Just to irritate you, apparently Orrex Jan 2013 #58

But, you didn't answer my question. HappyMe Jan 2013 #59

Doh! Orrex Jan 2013 #60

Enjoy the day. HappyMe Jan 2013 #61

Of those you mention, only Mel Gibson is worth it siligut Jan 2013 #6

I think Gary Sinese is a great actor liberal_at_heart Jan 2013 #9

Patricia Heaton was a dissapointment for me. I used ChisolmTrailDem Jan 2013 #16

I can still watch Everybody Loves Raymond liberal_at_heart Jan 2013 #17

I never did like her even in that show and apparently neither did Romano CBGLuthier Jan 2013 #49

Thank goodness someone asked this valuable question el_bryanto Jan 2013 #11

As soon as I find out someone, a family member, artist, actor, singer, whatever... ChisolmTrailDem Jan 2013 #13

I like Tom Cruise quinnox Jan 2013 #14

Same way with Beck for me sweetloukillbot Jan 2013 #37

Tolstoy was very conservative Recursion Jan 2013 #15

Agreed sweetloukillbot Jan 2013 #28

Carl Orff wasn't much of a Nazi RZM Jan 2013 #42

I always thought it was more guilt by association sweetloukillbot Jan 2013 #46

I find it amusing that Alice Cooper is a conservative given how he use to tick liberal_at_heart Jan 2013 #51

He found Jesus in recovery sweetloukillbot Jan 2013 #53

I'm of two minds.... sweetloukillbot Jan 2013 #18

Ted Nugent is a brilliant guitarist. A raging loonatic, but a great guitarist. liberal_at_heart Jan 2013 #20

Terrific answer Orrex Jan 2013 #27

Burning your house down and getting you fired are the same as a political opinion? The2ndWheel Jan 2013 #19

well... Bluenorthwest Jan 2013 #21

I agree with everything you just wrote RockaFowler Jan 2013 #48

Thanks. Bluenorthwest Jan 2013 #62

For the most part yes, no biggie what they think, but there are exceptions to every rule--- snooper2 Jan 2013 #22

Performance Art. Tommy_Carcetti Jan 2013 #40

I can assure you that she is dead on serious..... Bluenorthwest Jan 2013 #63

I like Clint Eastwood. I think his chair sucks. But I will see his movies. Agnosticsherbet Jan 2013 #23

Mel's beliefs bleed into his work sweetloukillbot Jan 2013 #35

I, too, have not seen Apocalypto... Agnosticsherbet Jan 2013 #52

I wonder if repukes have the exact same issue with Lethal Weapon and Danny Glover? n/t hughee99 Jan 2013 #30

Good point Orrex Jan 2013 #34

Jeanene is an example on the left where politics negatively affected my views sweetloukillbot Jan 2013 #38

Whoa--wasn't aware of all that Orrex Jan 2013 #41

I don't remember the exact details sweetloukillbot Jan 2013 #44

Good post, I agree with you. I think Robert Duvall is one of those rare Zorra Jan 2013 #32

oh, he is a great actor liberal_at_heart Jan 2013 #33

Is he actually outspoken about it though? Tommy_Carcetti Jan 2013 #43

As long as they aren't using their works as propoganda, it really doesn't bother me. Tommy_Carcetti Jan 2013 #39

I'll get back to you when Mel Gibson burns my house down. lumberjack_jeff Jan 2013 #45

Well, you'd be the only one Orrex Jan 2013 #47

+1 sweetloukillbot Jan 2013 #55

I still enjoy many of Robert Duvall's performances as much as I did when i first watched them. I Guy Whitey Corngood Jan 2013 #56