I know you'll disapprove of my intervention. But, well.
"Neil Gaiman is basically like Joss Whedon: a rich white straight man everyone praises as the champion of minorities, but who’s actually racist and pretty sexist, and also:
Like, in this one, I remember the character Judy- who appears in the deeply problematic 24 Hours section- to be pretty sympathetic, and actually kind of a fashion root. But on re-reading this comic today and yesterday, she actually is kind of a paper-thin dyke stereotype dressed up as something more complicated, who is immediately killed off. She hits her girlfriend and then dies."
He doesn't understand queer culture at all, yet is lauded for merely taking a cursory, bare minimum amount of itnerest in it, dressing it up so suburban white, mostly male kids would lap it up as a "gritty" realistic portrayal of a so-called subversive lifestyle. White, male privilege, I tell you.
Haha hey sap. I don't disapprove, you've caught me at a reasonable time. I understand everything you're saying. Theoretically, Gaiman is inadequate. I've only read American Gods and Stardust and in both I found on close reading inadequate representations of women, and you're right, he isn't radical about crossing types and making characters more...hybrid. On my table lie about 30 texts, whose hearts I have to rip out. It is amazing fun, but also a bit sad. I think Gaiman is a fantastic writer. He writes what he knows, imagines and feels. He also doesn't make any claims of advocating minority groups as far as I know? That probably comes from the hyperactivity of reader response? He is evocative, makes beautiful sentences, and I'm a sucker for magical realist fantasy infused worlds. I'm a terribly sentimental, indulgent reader when not academic, I tend to be moved to tears and woo-ed with not much difficulty, and if you think that is inadequate, remember you are defining adequacy from a point of view that is completely conditioned!haha.And look at how cute he is! I know you'll disapprove of me being apolitical. But, well. :) (But there is no apolitical. Only different kinds of political) and written works, amongst other things, only have as much privilege as you award them. So take away his white male privilege, you're the one who put it there.
Yes, Santa Monica, CA is a world entirely populated by midwestern corn fed white dudes and dudettes. Nary an Asian or Pacific-Islander to be seen, even as a minor character. Black people only appear as bad vampires.
I love Buffy as much as the next guy (mostly because I saw it when I was in high school when I didn't know better, and now I can only perceive it through the prism of problematic childhood nostalgia), but Whedon is a legacy showbiz kid. Just like the HBO Girls girls. Born and raised in showbiz luxury, expensive prep schools, and the hallowed portals of Wesleyan and a foot in the door.
And I even love the Buffy soundtrack, I listen to it often. You're right Pink Moon. Our allegiances are weird. And I'm sure Gaiman is emninently enjoyable. As is the Arabian Nights (!) or Jane Eyre or the Party, or whatever, equally racially problematic in their own way.
But art gets politicized - Neil Gaiman IS championed as the voice of the marginalized (geeks - as if!, LGBT youth, etc). As is Whedon. Arguably, Charlotte Bronte, the creators of Arabian Nights, or Peter Sellers weren't?
And it's disingenuous to say Gaiman doesn't bask in the glow of this unfairly bestowed distinction.
Everyone's political enough to at least suit their needs, I think that's part of our socially conditioned reality. But, why isn't everyone opposed to unfairly inherited privilege?
Bhenchod main talli hoon tu kahan hai babesingh, academics bhadwe hain. I'm still having college dreams everyday. Mait ke mac pe hoon main. Politics ki ma ki chut yaar. I love Buffy and I kind of like Girls without knowing what I really feel for them, I want Jessa's dress in episode 5? The "geisha" dress acc to her ex boyfriend. Maybe I'm too dumb to analyse things. Best of luck for your exam bro. :D If I still had my android you'd know what'd be in your inbox. I wore my mom's Mabelline Perfect Plum today, making baby steps. I dunno why I'm trolling on your blog. :D
I know you'll disapprove of my intervention. But, well.
ReplyDelete"Neil Gaiman is basically like Joss Whedon: a rich white straight man everyone praises as the champion of minorities, but who’s actually racist and pretty sexist, and also:
Like, in this one, I remember the character Judy- who appears in the deeply problematic 24 Hours section- to be pretty sympathetic, and actually kind of a fashion root. But on re-reading this comic today and yesterday, she actually is kind of a paper-thin dyke stereotype dressed up as something more complicated, who is immediately killed off. She hits her girlfriend and then dies."
http://requireshate.wordpress.com/2012/05/05/links-round-up-waters-rising-and-stuff/
http://www.keepyourbridgesburning.com/2012/04/the-sandman-preludes-and-nocturnes/
He doesn't understand queer culture at all, yet is lauded for merely taking a cursory, bare minimum amount of itnerest in it, dressing it up so suburban white, mostly male kids would lap it up as a "gritty" realistic portrayal of a so-called subversive lifestyle. White, male privilege, I tell you.
Haha hey sap. I don't disapprove, you've caught me at a reasonable time. I understand everything you're saying. Theoretically, Gaiman is inadequate. I've only read American Gods and Stardust and in both I found on close reading inadequate representations of women, and you're right, he isn't radical about crossing types and making characters more...hybrid.
ReplyDeleteOn my table lie about 30 texts, whose hearts I have to rip out. It is amazing fun, but also a bit sad.
I think Gaiman is a fantastic writer. He writes what he knows, imagines and feels. He also doesn't make any claims of advocating minority groups as far as I know? That probably comes from the hyperactivity of reader response? He is evocative, makes beautiful sentences, and I'm a sucker for magical realist fantasy infused worlds. I'm a terribly sentimental, indulgent reader when not academic, I tend to be moved to tears and woo-ed with not much difficulty, and if you think that is inadequate, remember you are defining adequacy from a point of view that is completely conditioned!haha.And look at how cute he is!
I know you'll disapprove of me being apolitical. But, well. :)
(But there is no apolitical. Only different kinds of political)
and written works, amongst other things, only have as much privilege as you award them. So take away his white male privilege, you're the one who put it there.
And you don't even know what you've gotten yourself into with Vani by dissing Joss Whedon. prepare to be slain.
ReplyDeleteYes, Santa Monica, CA is a world entirely populated by midwestern corn fed white dudes and dudettes. Nary an Asian or Pacific-Islander to be seen, even as a minor character. Black people only appear as bad vampires.
ReplyDeleteI love Buffy as much as the next guy (mostly because I saw it when I was in high school when I didn't know better, and now I can only perceive it through the prism of problematic childhood nostalgia), but Whedon is a legacy showbiz kid. Just like the HBO Girls girls. Born and raised in showbiz luxury, expensive prep schools, and the hallowed portals of Wesleyan and a foot in the door.
And I even love the Buffy soundtrack, I listen to it often. You're right Pink Moon. Our allegiances are weird. And I'm sure Gaiman is emninently enjoyable. As is the Arabian Nights (!) or Jane Eyre or the Party, or whatever, equally racially problematic in their own way.
But art gets politicized - Neil Gaiman IS championed as the voice of the marginalized (geeks - as if!, LGBT youth, etc). As is Whedon. Arguably, Charlotte Bronte, the creators of Arabian Nights, or Peter Sellers weren't?
And it's disingenuous to say Gaiman doesn't bask in the glow of this unfairly bestowed distinction.
Everyone's political enough to at least suit their needs, I think that's part of our socially conditioned reality. But, why isn't everyone opposed to unfairly inherited privilege?
Ah, enough ranting. Back to work.
good plan.
ReplyDeleteBhenchod main talli hoon tu kahan hai babesingh, academics bhadwe hain. I'm still having college dreams everyday. Mait ke mac pe hoon main. Politics ki ma ki chut yaar. I love Buffy and I kind of like Girls without knowing what I really feel for them, I want Jessa's dress in episode 5? The "geisha" dress acc to her ex boyfriend. Maybe I'm too dumb to analyse things. Best of luck for your exam bro. :D If I still had my android you'd know what'd be in your inbox. I wore my mom's Mabelline Perfect Plum today, making baby steps. I dunno why I'm trolling on your blog. :D
ReplyDelete