On language
I can't help but notice these past few days that language, spoken publicly and in English, has become an interesting issue.
With Lars Von Trier now having problems in New Zealand for remarks he made in Cannes about his ancestral heritage being both Jewish and Nazi-German and that he could empathize with both parts (I'm paraphrasing like crazy, gang). Then Hank Williams, Jr comparing Obama to Hitler on national TV news. And Johnny Depp having to retract comments he made about how having his photo taken feels like rape...
Why is language so scary to people? Granted, I don't like Hank Williams, Jr and never have. It's just a personal preference of mine. It doesn't surprise me at all that he would make a comment comparing Obama and Hitler. I don't understand how his mind works, but it doesn't surprise me that he would say it.. And the Lars Von Trier thing. It seemed like a super weird comment to make, but it seems kind of over the top -- the international outcry over it.
With Johnny Depp, again it seems like an odd word choice to use during an interview (even more odd though is that the interviewer, a close friend no less, would let a comment like that make it into the printed article!) but why such a big brouhaha?
Why are we so worried about what famous people say? All these things could have been said by some total obscure unknown person (and I'm guessing they have been) and maybe it makes us angry or maybe it doesn't, but basically we get over it, walk away and move on with our lives.
Just all these Thought Police so suddenly, one after another. And so many more serious issues in the world right now. It just strikes me as curious, that's all. Like somehow our individual destinies unravel because of something somebody thought for a few fleeting moments.
With Lars Von Trier now having problems in New Zealand for remarks he made in Cannes about his ancestral heritage being both Jewish and Nazi-German and that he could empathize with both parts (I'm paraphrasing like crazy, gang). Then Hank Williams, Jr comparing Obama to Hitler on national TV news. And Johnny Depp having to retract comments he made about how having his photo taken feels like rape...
Why is language so scary to people? Granted, I don't like Hank Williams, Jr and never have. It's just a personal preference of mine. It doesn't surprise me at all that he would make a comment comparing Obama and Hitler. I don't understand how his mind works, but it doesn't surprise me that he would say it.. And the Lars Von Trier thing. It seemed like a super weird comment to make, but it seems kind of over the top -- the international outcry over it.
With Johnny Depp, again it seems like an odd word choice to use during an interview (even more odd though is that the interviewer, a close friend no less, would let a comment like that make it into the printed article!) but why such a big brouhaha?
Why are we so worried about what famous people say? All these things could have been said by some total obscure unknown person (and I'm guessing they have been) and maybe it makes us angry or maybe it doesn't, but basically we get over it, walk away and move on with our lives.
Just all these Thought Police so suddenly, one after another. And so many more serious issues in the world right now. It just strikes me as curious, that's all. Like somehow our individual destinies unravel because of something somebody thought for a few fleeting moments.
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