Later, nerds

[Schwitterz]

 Paul Mackin wrote-




Thanks to Charles for picking up on this. I've got to reread his post a few
more times. Not sure I get all the implications of who said what to whom and
why. One thing did occur to me, and though I'm sure it's wrong, I'd better
not hold back. Does Pynchon's writing somehow support the feminist viewpoint
(assuming there is convergence on it) by virtue of being a horrible example
of what's wrong with the world?

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How can art "support" a viewpoint? The artist can support a viewpoint, but
once a work of art is created, its viewpoint becomes an interaction between
the work of art and the perception of the viewer. I have given THE SIBYL by
Par Lagerkvist to several women friends. One in particular thanked me
profusely and bought copies for several of her women friends. Others have
accused me of misogyny for liking it. What to one person is 'perpetuating a
viewpoint,' to another person is 'giving honest artistic expression to
social ills in need of transformation.' Viewers of art are responsible for
what they do with a work of art. The artist's "job" is to be true to that
ineffable inner impulse to create that which demands to be created. And that
inner impulse doesn't give a damn about our puny viewpoints.

Sz