The Shakespeare Conference: SHK 18.0580 Wednesday, 5 September 2007
[1] From: Skip Nicholson <
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Date: Tuesday, 4 Sep 2007 08:15:00 -0700
Subj: RE: SHK 18.0577 Shakespeare and Big Brother
[2] From: Margaret Hargrave <
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Date: Wednesday, 5 Sep 2007 11:57:09 +1000
Subj: Shakespeare and Big Brother
[1]-----------------------------------------------------------------
From: Skip Nicholson <
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Date: Tuesday, 4 Sep 2007 08:15:00 -0700
Subject: 18.0577 Shakespeare and Big Brother
Comment: RE: SHK 18.0577 Shakespeare and Big Brother
As Neil Postman used to point out, Joseph Goebbels held a Ph.D. from the
University of Heidelberg in 18th century romantic drama. In addition to
showing a notable lack of "decency, kindness and love of fellow human
beings," he instigated the brownshirts' 1933 Bebelplatz burning of works
by such writers as Heine and Mann. (How he would fare on Big Brother
remains perplexing.)
Cheers,
Skip Nicholson
South Pasadena, CA
[2]-----------------------------------------------------------------
From: Margaret Hargrave <
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Date: Wednesday, 5 Sep 2007 11:57:09 +1000
Subject: Shakespeare and Big Brother
You are indeed fortunate if, in the United States, you do not have the
_Big Brother_ program. This surprises me. We in Australia have it--so I
suppose that, if it didn't start on the other side of the Pacific, it
must have started in the UK! From all accounts, it is crass.
I have had to endure watching it once or twice when visiting a relative.
Briefly: contestants are sequestered in a house and their every move is
recorded on video cameras placed in, apparently, every corner of the
residence. This allows a voyeuristic public to see personality clashes,
etc. Some scandalous goings-on have been reported in the press--a
notorious racist comment to a Bollywood actress who was a fellow
contestant in the UK version and, in Australia, the 'turkey slapping'
incident. Incredibly lewd, crude stuff! This is 'reality' television.
The title is, of course, derived from Orwell's great, black satire. Each
week the public votes for one housemate to be 'evicted' (I think) -- I'm
not sure if other contestants are involved in the process. The winner
receives a huge amount of money. As far as I can make out, the (usually
young) people who enter do so in the hope that it will boost pop star
aspirations.
The _Big Brother_ phenomenon has led to people associating the phrase
with the ghastly TV show, not with Orwell.
A retired secondary school English teacher based in Sydney, I have had
conversations with colleagues who truly believe we are entering a new
Dark Age, in which there is shallow, if any, knowledge of history,
philosophy and the truly great works in music and literature. I concur.
What sort of age is it when Bob Dylan is described as the world's
greatest-ever songwriter, and few have heard of Franz Schubert or have
listened to Richard Strauss's _Four Last Songs_? Sorry: I could go on
and on. I am reminded of what Hesse described in _The Glass Bead Game_.
Margaret Hargrave
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