One of the reasons Genesis is so poignant is because it reads like a children’s story that sets out to explain why the world is such a terrible place — why we have to suffer, and why we seem to live, as a species and as individuals, with a sense of having irretrievably lost some vast, beautiful, and unnamable thing.
“To ban an opinion is to ban not only the right of a person to express that opinion but also everyone’s right to hear it. In such circumstances the claim to be offended is no more than an assertion of moral superiority—an article of political faith, which, like religious faith, will brook no challenge.”
Richard King 2011, ‘Offence goes viral’, Meanjin Quarterly
—Gotye (featuring Kimbra), ‘Somebody that I used to know’
“…I do not think I ever opened a book in my life which had not something to say upon woman’s inconstancy. Songs and proverbs, all talk of woman’s fickleness. But perhaps you will say, these were all written by men.”
“Perhaps I shall. Yes, yes, if you please, no reference to examples in books. Men have had every advantage of us in telling their own story. Education has been theirs in so much higher a degree; the pen has been in their hands. I will not allow books to prove anything.”
Jane Austen, Persuasion
—Jane Austen, Persuasion
“…you should remember that the too beautiful have their own category of cautionary tales. The beacon of beauty brings out the wolves. It also awakens envy in the aging mother or step-mother, who will leave the beautiful child out in the woods or send out a hunter to bring back her heart.”
George Megalogenis describes Julia Gillard and Tony Abbott arguing over what to do with asylum-seekers. He’s right, it would be funny, but it’s really not. Great article.
Gillard and Abbott are the self-absorbed bogan couple arguing over which neighbour should look after their pet greyhound while they take a holiday. He says that family from Nauru seems nice. “Don’t be silly,” she sneers, “they’ll feed it doughnuts.” She says the Malaysians next door are safer. “Knock it off,” he yells, “they’ll beat the damn dog.” Everyone in the street can hear them fighting, but they look the other way and pretend to be grateful when the call comes to mind the pooch.
It would be funny if Gillard and Abbott were just playing politics.
George Megalogenis 2011, ‘Diplomacy is lost amid our leaders’ backyard squabbling’, The Australian, 24 September 24.
River Phoenix, one of my very first loves, would have been 41 today.
That means he was 16 when he played 12 in Stand By Me? I am somewhat less of a perv than I thought!
John explains to Bob why sexual harassment wasn’t the harmless bit of fun he thought it was in the good old days.
“The days when the strong did what they wanted and the weak put up with it because they had no choice. And in their weakness and submission they may even have misled the strong to imagine that taking what you want, because you want it and because you can, is not just acceptable, it’s the natural order of things.”
John Birmingham 2011, ‘Man up, Bob, and stop shifting blame’, National Times, 5 July 2011.
