Der Spiegel's response to Michael Moore's latest book is That's stupid, white man! The author is tired of lazy German leftists using Moore as an easy medium for US-bashing. and wonders why Chomsky and Sontag haven't found the same broad resonance among a German audience. The answer, he says, is
Weil sie nachhaltige Kopfarbeit leisten. Moore bedient den bequemen Bauch und weiter oben allenfalls noch das Zwerchfell. Das ist manchmal tragisch und oft bedenklich, weil er viele richtige Ansätze hat, um sich dann eitel zu verfaseln und zu verrennen. Er entlässt seine Gegner und die Attackierten damit aus der Pflicht, sich mit Argumenten zu beschäftigen: That's stupid, white man.
I agree. But when Mehrzweckbeutel brought this up in a recent post, I had the distinct impression that the poster didn't understand why we (here in the US) have need of pedantic formulations like Moore's. If he can continue to focus attention on the things that are wrong and fixable in the US, if he can "convert" a few listeners with the obvious formulations and shoddy argumentations he sometimes employs, well FINE. We need the support, and honestly it's not as if simplistic argumentation isn't being used by the Bad Guys.
The US left is not like the German left, though; and I understand the disappointment when people start accepting everything Moore says without a critique.
Anyone?
Posted by Heather at November 14, 2003 08:07 PM
Comments
Ja. It bugs me when people use Michael Moore as an excuse to _not_ do things. My pet peeve example is: "MM says that recycling in the US doesn't work, so I'm going to be radical and not recycle here in Germany." Hum. Wouldn't the best approach be to _investigate_ recycling here in Berlin? Or to get involved in recycling initiatives wherever you live?
Posted by: Libby at November 17, 2003 04:38 AM