Starry-Eyed Illusion Hunting

It is the duty of philosophy to destroy the illusions which originate in misconceptions, whatever darling hopes and valued expectations may be ruined by its explanations.


Adapted from Immanuel Kant, Critique of Pure Reason, 1781

Behind The Curtain

To try to disguise oneself by assuming a popular style will not prevent one from falling into universal statements which were supposed to be impossible.

Adapted from Imannuel Kant, Critique of Pure Reason, 1781

Pride Before Destruction

"I remain incredulous that any Democrat who professes liberal values would give a moment's thought to supporting a return of the Fairness Doctrine to muzzle conservative shows. (My latest manifesto on this subject appeared in my last column.) The failure of liberals to master the vibrant medium of talk radio remains puzzling. To reach the radio audience (whether the topic is sports, politics or car repair), a host must have populist instincts and use the robust common voice. Too many Democrats have become arrogant elitists, speaking down in snide, condescending tones toward tradition-minded middle Americans whom they stereotype as rubes and buffoons. But the bottom line is that government surveillance of the ideological content of talk radio is a shocking first step toward totalitarianism."

Camille Paglia
"A rocky first few weeks"
Salon, Wednesday, February 11, 2009

Perfect Practice Is Perfect Performance

I truly know only what I have in memory.

Loitering Ghosts of Truth

A popular ethics wants to suppress bad expressions of character to protect the general welfare, which is strikingly similar to the police.

But the notion of general welfare is hardly a standard of truth. And truth forces its own expression even if it's ugly and unethical.

Third Eye

"As long as you consider the stars
as something above the head,
you will lack the eye of knowledge."

Fredrick Nietzsche

Stars of the Living Dead

"I do lament the gradual disappearance of small, quirky local [radio] shows due to the trend toward national syndication. And I often get bored and impatient with the same arch-conservative message being drummed out 24/7. But let's get real: Liberals have been pathetic flops on national radio -- for reasons that have yet to be identified. Air America, for example, despite retchingly sycophantic major media coverage, never got traction and has dwindled to a humiliating handful of markets. The Democrats are the party of Hollywood, for heaven's sake -- so what's their problem in mastering radio?

Instead of bleating for paternalistic government intervention, liberals should get their own act together. Radio is a populist medium where liberals come across as snide, superior scolds. One can instantly recognize a liberal caller to a conservative show by his or her catty, obnoxious tone. The leading talk radio hosts are personalities and entertainers with huge rhetorical energy and a bluff, engaging manner. Even the seething ranters can be extremely funny. Last summer, for example, I laughed uproariously in my car when WABC's Mark Levin said furiously about Katie Couric, "What do these people do? Open fortune cookies and read them on air?"

The best hosts combine a welcoming master of ceremonies manner with a vaudevillian brashness. Liberal imitators haven't made a dent on talk radio because they think it's all about politics, when it isn't. Top hosts are life questers and individualists who explore a wide range of thought and emotion and who skillfully work the mike like jazz vocalists. Talk radio is a major genre of popular culture that deserves the protection accorded to other branches of the performing and fine arts. Liberals, who go all hushed and pious at Hays Code censorship in classic Hollywood, should lay off the lynch-mob mentality. Keep the feds out of radio!"

Camille Paglia
Salon magazine, January 14, 2009