The P. who hated Jazz part two

[Bandwraith at aol.com]

In a message dated 5/17/2003 3:35:41 AM Eastern Daylight Time, 
KXX4493553 at aol.com writes:

{snip...but all of interest)

> The achievement of the self-styled leader is a performance reminiscent of 
> the theatre, of sport, and of so-called religious revivals. It is 
> characteristic of the fascist demagogues that they boast of having been 
> athletic heroes in their youth. This is how they behave. They shout and 
> cry, fight the Devil in pantomime, and take off their jackets when 
> attacking "those sinister powers".
> ... They violate the taboos which middle-class society has put upon any 
> expressive behaviour on the part if the normal, matter-of-fact citizen. One 
> may say that some of the effect of fascist propaganda is achieved by this 
> break-through. The fascist agitators are taken seriously because they risk 
> making fools of themselves...  But it is a deceptive idea, that the 
> so-called common people have an unfailing flair for the genuine and 
> sincere, and disparage fake. Hitler was liked, not in spite of his cheap 
> antics, but just because of them, because of his false tones and his 
> clowning..."   
> kwp
> 

Very nice. And it brings to mind certain comments in the foreword
regarding the absence of religion/racism in "1984." Fascist regimes
seem more likely to be in league with the prevailing state religion, e.g.,
Franco's Spain. Totalitarian regimes seem less likely to tolerate any
competition for control of their subjects, claiming a more scientific
or rational basis for their imposed status quo. In that sense, O'Brien is
a problematic character. He doesn't really fit. As Pynchon mentions,
he "gradually reveals an unbalanced side, a disengagement from reality,"
that would make him better suited to be a mid-level functionary in a
fascist regime. He might, for example, be a successful director in the
ministry responsible for the production of "Feelies." 

respectfully
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