Their Highbrow Hatred of Us - James Traub, NY Times Magazine

[Coastie for Truth]

When the British playwright Harold Pinter was interviewed after learning earlier this month that he won the Nobel Prize for literature, he said that he might well use his acceptance speech in December to "address the state of the world." This could prove to be quite a revelation for Pinter's American admirers, who tend to know much less about his politics than Europeans do. Still, they need only go to Pinter's own Web site to learn that the author of "The Birthday Party" and "The Homecoming" views the United States as a moral monster bent on world domination.

Pinter's consuming anti-Americanism may have had little or nothing to do with the judges' decision to award him the prize. Unlike Dario Fo, the 1997 recipient notorious for his denunciations of the U.S., Pinter has written works that will remain long after his polemics are forgotten. Even some conservatives have applauded the selection. But whatever the intention, the Swedes have given Pinter the most prestigious of platforms from which to broadcast his worldview - a view that has become common currency, albeit in somewhat less toxic form, in the highest reaches of European culture.

Pinter's politics are so extreme that they're almost impossible to parody. "Mr. Bush and his gang," he said in a speech as the war in Iraq approached, "are determined, quite simply, to control the world and the world's resources. And they don't give a damn how many people they murder on the way." Pinter sees the current president as only the most recent exponent of the American hegemonic impulse. The playwright was just as outraged by NATO's 1999 air war in Kosovo. Though the bombing was essentially a last resort in the face of Slobodan Milosevic's savage campaign of ethnic cleansing, Pinter described it as "a criminal act" - the U.N. Security Council hadn't approved - designed to consolidate "American domination of Europe." He complained, in fact, of "the demonization and the hysteria" that accompanied the NATO campaign against Milosevic and the Serbs.

These views are hardly unfamiliar in the United States; you can hear them on any major university campus. Among public intellectuals or literary figures, however, it is hard to think of anyone save Noam Chomsky and Gore Vidal who would not choke on Pinter's bile. But the situation is very different throughout Europe, where the anti-American left is far more intellectually respectable. In the Anglophone world of letters, John le Carré holds opinions similar to Pinter's, as do the essayist Tariq Ali and the novelist Arundhati Roy. These last two publicly root for the Iraqi "resistance" against the infernal machinery of American empire. Roy has conceded that despots like Saddam Hussein "are a menace to their own people" but concludes that there isn't much that can be done about it save "strengthening the hand of civil society" - a comment apparently not intended as a joke.

Long and edited for brevity -- read more

[melody]

1. Is it anti-Americanism or anti-Bushism?

It seems clear to me that Pinter (whom I think is one of the most overrated of all artists, but that's a second issue) is speaking of the Bush regime, not of our culture.

[acmavm]

2. The current thugs is Washington do not constitute the entire country.

And they're the ones hell bent on killing any and everyone that gets in their way.

[melody]

3. exactly - Bushco represents a decided minority

They have their equivalent in Europe, too.

[Coastie for Truth]

4. But, if you look at some DU fora , you wouldn't think so. N/T

[bloom]

5. It is more than BushCo that is pro-war.

Like all of the congresspeople who voted for the war - like so many Americans who were sucked in and support(ed) it.

I think Pinter is anti-war and against whoever is pro-war. And esp. against BushCo and all of their deceit and lies and war manipulations and the fact that the USA is the sole super-power who happens to be abusing it's power - officially supports torture and all of that.

It's up to us to try to counter the perception that Bushism does not equal Americanism. It doesn't help having Biden saying things in the Senate like:

“I want to see the president of the United States succeed in Iraq. It is necessary for the president to succeed in Iraq. His success is America’s success. And his failure is America’s failure. So any good-thinking American would want to see him succeed in Iraq.”


http://biden.senate.gov/newsroom/details.cfm?id=239302&&

[KoKo]

6. Odd article....it ends with this

But we could certainly help our case by boasting about our benevolence less and proving it more - by acting, that is, in ways that seem worthy of a great democracy. We might, for example, take the wind out of the antifascist sails by accepting rules and institutions - the Geneva Conventions, the International Criminal Court, the disarmament provisions of the Non-Proliferation Treaty - that practically everyone save us and a few outright malefactors hold dear. We might cut our farm subsidies to improve terms of trade for impoverished African farmers (and to show up European countries unwilling to do the same). We might tiptoe less delicately around authoritarian regimes in the Middle East and stand up more staunchly for democratic forces. The battle of ideas, after all, is not to be waged only in the Islamic world.

[bloom]

7. It's probably one of those cases

where Americans are "allowed" to bash the USA - just not "foreigners", esp. ones who get Nobel prizes.

[Ken Burch]

20. "take the wind out of the ANTIFASCIST sails"?

(Oh, like in the Thirties when we let Franco take over Spain?)

[cliss]

8. I have 2 comments:

1) the Swedes may be using Mr. Pinter as their 'spokesperson'; in other words, they will award him the prize, and let him what they are afraid to say. I would say that Europe is pretty much united against the U.S.'s lust for world domination. They think we stink.

2) I believe before the last election, the world was willing to give us the benefit of the doubt. Bush's election was subject to a lot of controversy. There was a lot of uncertainty about the legitimacy of the S Court's decision.

When Bush took us to war, I believe the world saw it as HIS decision, not necessarily the entire country's. But after the last election, I believe the good-will is gone. Since Bush was elected "fair and square", now they will cast us in the same lot as him.

[Martin Eden]

21. Yes, the last election

made the American people culpable along with the Bush administration. Even if the election was stolen, enough Americans voted for Bush to enable it.

[Karenina]

24. The contempt one hears

for the U.S. in the cafes and bars on this side of the pond is truly heartbreaking. What's even sadder is it is well-deserved.

[Bridget Burke]

26. The Swedes probably gave him the Nobel because he earned it.

As well as being a playwright, he's written screenplays, directed & even acted a bit.

But I agree that many in Europe agree with his political stand. So do many in the US.

[struggle4progress]

9. Democracy (by Harold Pinter)

Democracy

There's no escape.
The big pricks are out.
They'll fuck everything in sight.
Watch your back.

Harold Pinter Februrary 2003
http://www.haroldpinter.org/politics/god_bless_america.shtml

[struggle4progress]

10. Campaigning against Torture: Arthur Miller's Socks (by Harold Pinter)

<snip> This rattled on merrily throughout the dinner until, finally, Arthur rose to speak. Since he was the guest of honour the floor was his and he made it his in no uncertain terms. He discussed the term democracy and asked why, as the United States was a democracy, it supported military dictatorships throughout the world, including the country we were now in? "In Turkey", he said, "hundreds of people are in prison for their thoughts. This persecution is supported and subsidised by the United States. Where", he asked, "does that leave our understanding of democratic values?" He was as clear as a bell. The Ambassador thanked him for his speech.

After dinner I thought I'd keep out of trouble for a while and went to look at the paintings. Suddenly I saw the Ambassador and his aides bearing down on me. Why they weren't bearing down on Arthur I don't know. Perhaps he was too tall. The Ambassador said to me: "Mr. Pinter, you don't seem to understand the realities of the situation here. Don't forget, the Russians are just over the border. You have to bear in mind the political reality, the diplomatic reality, the military reality."

"The reality I've been referring to", I said, "is that of electric current on your genitals." The Ambassador drew himself, as they say, up to his full height and glared at me. "Sir, he said, "you are a guest in my house." He turned, as they also say, on his heel and his aides turned too. Arthur suddenly loomed up.

"I think I've been thrown out", I said. "I'll come with you", Arthur said, without hesitation. Being thrown out of the US embassy in Ankara with Arthur Miller -- a voluntary exile - was one of the proudest moments in my life.

http://www.haroldpinter.org/politics/politics_torture.shtml

[Karenina]

18. GREAT STORY!!!

Thanks for posting it!

[MasonJar]

11. I hate to be a kiljoy, buddy. It is not only the elites who despise

our war-mongering. The average European is equally appalled. A young Belgium couple that I met on a vacation in Natchez, Miss told me that they did not like our president. I immediately responded that I despised him. They continued that the Europeans love Bill Clinton and that they really dislike Shrub. Those EUers are a smart bunch.

[occuserpens]

12. Effective 10/28/05, theater of absurd is no art

Pinter is a nobody and theater of absurd is no art - thus spake National Review. Stalinists would agree, but at least they promoted Socialist Realism which is still better than nothing. As for neocons, they really have nothing - except for Rush Limbaugh & Co.

Just curious, what absurdist Havel is going to say about his best friends?

As for James Traub, he is more moderate. Traub's attack on Pinter is more Khrushevian: yes, Pinter, is an artist, but this is not "our" art.

1. NR. David Pryce-Jones. Harold Pinter's Special Triteness: http://www.nationalreview.com/issue/prycejones200510280723.asp

2. NYTMag. JAMES TRAUB. Their Highbrow Hatred of Us: http://www.nytimes.com/2005/10/30/magazine/30wwln.html
Pinter has written works that will remain long after his polemics are forgotten. Even some conservatives have applauded the selection. But whatever the intention, the Swedes have given Pinter the most prestigious of platforms from which to broadcast his worldview - a view that has become common currency, albeit in somewhat less toxic form, in the highest reaches of European culture.

http://inplainview.monitor.us.tt/

[Demeter]

13. It Isn't Pinter's Politics That Are Extreme, But Bush's

Bush is a pirate, and the world is not deceived. Increasingly, neither are Americans. The Archie Bunkers of this nation are starting to realize that they are on the front line of being royally f***** over by the BushCo mob family. They are realizing that their jingoistic arrogance is eating their jobs, support systems and futures. You don't get to 39% approval (and I'm sure it's actually much less than that) without cause. Everything Bush has done has contributed to that. The bloom is off the 9/11 rose.

[bloom]

14. The US isn't the only country Pinter "bashes..."

According to israpundit.com (no doubt a terrible site - since they are against Pinter - but sometimes it's nice to know what other people are saying...)

Harold Pinter: Anti-Israel Jew
Plaut's Complaint

Nobel playwriter Harold Pinter not only hates America and Britain, but he also hates Israel and Jews. The fact that he is a Jewish-born hater of Israel is hardly unusual these days in the fever swamps of the Left. Pinter a while ago made these moonbatesque defamations against Israel and Jews:

"Pinter went on to assert that the one situation that outraged him above all else was the Israeli `injustice to the Palestinians,’ which is an issue that exercises many, but he then went on to say, in the context of George Bush’s pursuit of Saddam and his weapons of mass destruction, that Israel possesses these weapons `and has used them.’

Pinter also is quoted there as saying:
"The USA is intent on controlling the world and the world’s resources."
"Bush is on a par with Saddam."

"Please wash the cucumber sandwiches down with a glass of blood, with my compliments." (open letter to George Bush)

‘Israel’s injustice to the Palestinians is an outrage.’

http://www.jewishcomment.com/cgibin/news.cgi?id=11&command=shownews&newsid=371

-----

The thing of it is - if you are against aggressive war - you are against aggressive war - and it doesn't make sense to start making exceptions that excuse some religious groups/countries/affinities and not others. Pinter could see that. It seems pretty clear to most of the people here.

Too bad some people see a Jewish person's (or any other person's) criticism of Israel as being anti-Jewish.

[dutchdemocrat]

15. I have the video and text up here in Flash and WMV

I have the video up (I converted the RealMedia file) into Flash 8 and downloadable as a WMV file from here

http://www.chris-floyd.com/pinter/

It's a tribute page of sorts. Please spread the word. It's important that people see this video or read the speech and they are both on this page.

http://www.chris-floyd.com/pinter/

Cheers

DD.

[Demeter]

16. You Mean We're NOT "a moral monster bent on world domination"?

Could have fooled me, and I live here.

[Karenina]

17. An "amoral monster"

is a more accurate description. :evilgrin:

[thebigidea]

19. whereas this is, what - lowbrow hatred of Pinter?

[CJCRANE]

22. I'd like to see international approval ratings

for GWB vs WJC. That would show if the widespread and increasing Anti-Americanism is anti-Bushism.

(Which I think it is).

[petgoat]

23. Pinter has endorsed WorldCantWait's Call to Action

Your government, on the basis of outrageous lies, is waging a murderous and utterly illegitimate war in Iraq, with other countries in their sights.

Your government is openly torturing people, and justifying it.

Your government puts people in jail on the merest suspicion, refusing them lawyers, and either holding them indefinitely or deporting them in the dead of night.

Your government is moving each day closer to a theocracy, where a narrow and hateful brand of Christian fundamentalism will rule.

Your government suppresses the science that doesn't fit its religious, political and economic agenda, forcing present and future generations to pay a terrible price.

Your government is moving to deny women here, and all over the world, the right to birth control and abortion.

Your government enforces a culture of greed, bigotry, intolerance and ignorance.

<snip>

History is full of examples where people who had right on their side fought against tremendous odds and were victorious. And it is also full of examples of people passively hoping to wait it out, only to get swallowed up by a horror beyond what they ever imagined. The future is unwritten. WHICH ONE WE GET IS UP TO US.

The World Can't Wait! Drive Out the Bush Regime!

Check out the other celebrity endorsers (and the rest of the statement):

http://www.worldcantwait.net/index.php?option=com_frontpage&Itemid=1


This outfit needs to raise $160,000 to establish an office in DC in preparation for
massive demonstrations in January.

[Karenina]

25. Kick!

:kick: