Comments on: The Hit-Man As Philosopher http://amitavakumar.blogsome.com/2006/08/26/vikram-chandra/ Reading Writing Teaching Sat, 05 Dec 2009 13:29:44 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=1.5.1-alpha by: Teju http://amitavakumar.blogsome.com/2006/08/26/vikram-chandra/#comment-382 Sat, 26 Aug 2006 15:07:26 +0100 http://amitavakumar.blogsome.com/2006/08/26/vikram-chandra/#comment-382 The taming of public expression is also part of the desire for "bad guys." Once upon a time, Teddy Roosevelt could act with impunity, as could JFK. They could shoot animals, have sex outside marital borders. The president today can (of course) also act with impunity, but he must constantly give the reassurance that he's not doing anything unusual or wrong. Everyone, from film actors to political leaders, must give the appearance of moral flawlessness. We live in the most intolerant of times. This is part of why Professor Zidane's short course in headbutting proved so popular. It was violence, pure and simple, unscripted, unsanitized. And it resonated with the man on the street, the same man who secretly cheered when Slick Willy got blown in the Oval Office. Predictably, the media called Zidane a "madman"! The taming of public expression is also part of the desire for “bad guys.” Once upon a time, Teddy Roosevelt could act with impunity, as could JFK. They could shoot animals, have sex outside marital borders. The president today can (of course) also act with impunity, but he must constantly give the reassurance that he’s not doing anything unusual or wrong. Everyone, from film actors to political leaders, must give the appearance of moral flawlessness.

We live in the most intolerant of times. This is part of why Professor Zidane’s short course in headbutting proved so popular. It was violence, pure and simple, unscripted, unsanitized. And it resonated with the man on the street, the same man who secretly cheered when Slick Willy got blown in the Oval Office.

Predictably, the media called Zidane a “madman”!

]]> by: Well-wisher http://amitavakumar.blogsome.com/2006/08/26/vikram-chandra/#comment-381 Sat, 26 Aug 2006 14:01:03 +0100 http://amitavakumar.blogsome.com/2006/08/26/vikram-chandra/#comment-381 <i>Either they have come into money, or they just weren’t getting any.</i> It's both: they have short term money by sucking up to the 10 Janpath, but they know it won't last long, so they are increasing their readership by making the site free again. To have it paid - that too at rates higher than print subscription - was an insane idea anyway. Either they have come into money, or they just weren’t getting any.

It’s both: they have short term money by sucking up to the 10 Janpath, but they know it won’t last long, so they are increasing their readership by making the site free again. To have it paid - that too at rates higher than print subscription - was an insane idea anyway.

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