(no subject)

[moon_custafer]

A >200-post Making Light thread on the recent Bradbury controversy, which (as is often the way with Making Light comment threads) veers off into other equally interesting topics, including that of age, health and personality changes. Due to current events in this family, I found it rather poignant.

Comments

[boywhocantsayno.livejournal.com]

I didn't realize it had turned into a full-fledged controversy (though his comment about thinking George W. Bush is "wonderful" may spawn one).

I found this bit, quoted from the 1979 coda to F451, rather interesting:

"Every minority, be it Baptist / Unitarian, Irish / Italian / Octogenarian / Zen Buddhist, Zionist / Seventh-day Adventist, Women’s Lib / Republican, Mattachine / FourSquareGospel feel it has the will, the right, the duty to douse the kerosene, light the fuse…"

I didn't think anyone had used the word "Mattachine" since, oh, 1970 or so. (The Mattachine Society was the first gay-rights organization, founded in 1950 by Harry Hay, though it didn't disband until 1987. Hay also founded the Radical Faeries, who are still around - montrealais attended one of their gatherings recently.)

But back on topic - of course, people's opinions and attitudes change over time. Who was it who said, "Anyone under 30 who is not a socialist has no heart - anyone over 30 who is has no head"? (I don't necessarily agree with that, though I've never been a socialist myself. :) )

[moon-custafer.livejournal.com]

"Controversy" may be too strong a word, but I couldn't think of another term except "kerfuffle." which sounds too silly. Several people have brought up the 1979 coda as evidence R.B. is backtracking, or, given his age, maybe just can't remember anymore. Think is, if you'd asked me a week or so ago, I'd have said "everybody, including Bradbury, thinks F451 is about censorship, but really it's about apathy," so I'm ambivalent about this, though I'd started viewing Bradury's opinions a bit warily in the last few years anyhow.