Monday, November 28, 2005

End Poverty

I have to say I really don't understand all this animosity directed at Billy Collins. There's really no end to people who don't deserve their fame and their status, there's no end to people who set negative forces into the lives of many. It strikes me as juvenile to single out Billy Collins. I feel no more ownership of language as a poet than anyone else and I don't think it matters if Billy Collins happens to write cheap or even exploitative poetry and I don't think it matters that people read it. His success has more to do with the huge disparity of arts culture and pop culture in America, and that's the real problem. We are not going to win anybody over by calling them stupid, by telling them they don't know language or that they don't care about language. Language is not a privilege, it is universal. You're simply not allowed to tell someone that what they like is not worth liking. Not only is it pretentious, it's pointless. Wrestling will continue to be wildly popular in this country no matter how many times you tell the kids that its awful. What we need to do is usurp the likes of Collins but indirectly: with the sheer force and magnitude of our own talents and voices. We don't have to rock the boat when we can sink it directly. -AL

1 Comments:

Blogger Logan Ryan Smith said...

Pro wrestling (i.e., the WWE) is kind of fantastic. Who's telling kids it's awful? Because they're wrong! They're wrong!

Recently Eddie Guerrero, who had been the Smackdown champ, died--in actuality. And they had an episode dedicated to him and his life, and it was beautiful. Beautiful to see these pro wrestlers being articulate and loving about Eddie, and beautiful to see their real emotions show through with tears after all the bad acting they've done on the show.

Oh, and you never know when old wreslters like The Ultimate Warrior or Hulk Holgan will show up.

I miss Andre the Giant most of all.

I think it's time for my lithium.

12:27 AM  

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