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DEL.ICIO.USCarlin enjoyed being critic of society
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Handout
Jim Grattan
Sometimes in death a person gains renewed recognition. The death of comedian George Carlin, on June 22 at age 71, has evoked widespread commentary. It is widely recognized that he used wit to puncture holes in sacred beliefs and to point out societal hypocrisies. Most famously, he dared to use on stage the so-called seven offensive words (you can’t say on television). The words are commonly used throughout society but banned on our public airwaves. He didn’t advocate their usage; his point was that a free society cannot ban expressive terminology. Carlin was polarizing. Laughs were his main goal, but he wanted to offend. And, although he claimed disgust with the political process, he was profoundly political. His targets were not simply politicians and the powerful but also the general citizenry. He put the current political environment squarely in our laps: “Everybody complains about politicians. Everybody says they suck. Well, where do people think these politicians come from? They don’t fall out of the sky. They don’t pass through a membrane from another reality. They come from American parents and American families, American homes, American schools, American churches, American businesses and universities, and they are elected by American citizens. This is the best we can do, folks. This is what we have to offer. It’s what our system produces. If you have selfish, ignorant citizens, you’re going to get selfish, ignorant leaders.” In many ways, Carlin was a throwback to the early 20th century, when there was a great deal more debate about our social and economic systems. Carlin, like Eugene Debs, labor leader and socialist candidate for president, was disgusted by our growing inequality of wealth and the ramifications. Said Carlin: “… I’ll tell you what they [wealthy business interests] don’t want — they don’t want a population of citizens capable of critical thinking. They don’t want well-informed, well-educated people capable of critical thinking. They’re not interested in that. That doesn’t help them. That’s against their interest. …” He said wealthy corporations wanted “obedient” workers smart enough to do paperwork, but dumb enough to accept lousy jobs with long hours and low pay. Said Carlin: “And now they are coming for your Social Security money. They want your [expletive] retirement money; they want it back so they can give it to their criminal friends on Wall Street. And you know something? They’ll get it. They’ll get it all from you sooner or later because they own this [expletive] place. It’s a big club and you ain’t in it! You and I are not in the Big Club. …” It’s doubtful that a more politically populist statement could be found anywhere. Also, religion was constantly subjected to Carlin’s biting interpretation. The unsuspecting were often seen leaving his performances angry. What do you think of George Carlin? Did he violate a public trust to provide happy talk? Was his radicalism out of place? Or does the public benefit from the likes of George Carlin in their witty, withering commentary on our society? • Jim Grattan is a software engineer and avid bicyclist. He lives in the Grayson area with his wife, Shirley, and four golden retrievers.
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By Bruce Wilcox
July 2, 2008 3:25 PM | Link to this
“Was his radicalism out of place?”, that’s like asking was Pete Seegers radicalism out of place or Martin Luther Kings radicalism out of place? It was the era of radicalism, the protest era, the era of change, good-by Donna Reed, hello Joanne Mitchell. Carlin’s hero, Lenny Bruce, tore religion apart, defended his First Amendment rights and exposed what hypocrites surround us, Carlin just carried on the torch.
Without the Lenny Bruce’s, the Carlin’s, the Dr. King‘s, the Dylans we would still be living in the make believe black & white world of Father Knows Best. During the fifties the majority turned a blind eye to the injustices that plagued the country, we needed the wake-up call.
These Radicals did bring us change, matter of fact, on this day in 1964 President Johnson signed the 1964 Civil Rights Act into law. Forced the government to end what was a mistake, Viet Nam, and started the Environmental Movement.
The sad part of it all is that Carlin was one of the last to keep the heat on, most just became fat, dumb and happy. This country could use some radicals, we have more hypocrites now then ever, the country is back into a war based on false pretenses, the economy is down the tubes and all you hear is deafening silence.
George, you will be missed, we need a wake-up call.
By One Man's View
July 2, 2008 8:11 PM | Link to this
The reason the question is relevant is that Carlin was supposed to be a funny man - the hippy dippy weatherman. Those who walked out of his performances probably felt deceived.
This country has never delt well with radicals. But that is a topic for another day.
By Bruce Wilcox
July 2, 2008 9:36 PM | Link to this
“Those who walked out of his performances probably felt deceived.”, anyone who after “The Seven Words You Can’t Say On TV” walked out of one of his performances deserved what they got, by then he was well known, long haired and the hippy-dippy weatherman was long gone. Before that he played clubs and bars, if you go to a club or bar to be entertained and walk out because you’re offended you must not have had enough to drink.
The Founding Fathers were radicals, Susan B. Anthony was a radical, Lincoln, Jefferson Davis, Teddy and Franklin Roosevelt, Dr. King, John and Bobby Kennedy and so many more…I guess it’s all in the definition of radical.
By One Man's View
July 3, 2008 12:49 PM | Link to this
My definition of radical would not include those mentioned. Thomas Paine would be. I think more in terms of Eugene Debs, Big Bill Haywood, Robert Ingersoll, and many, many others in the labor movement, probably unknown, from the 1870s through 1930s.
I don’t even regard George Carlin as a radical, per se. Radicalism was part of his routine, but he was a highly paid Las Vegas performer, not a radical.
By Bruce Wilcox
July 3, 2008 2:54 PM | Link to this
My definition of radical is those who break from the accepted norm, those not afraid to be blacklisted, jeered at, banned or jailed for their beliefs or cause.
Carlin, like Lenny Bruce, were both banned and jailed, the Founding Fathers faced jail or worse if the Revolution failed, Jefferson Davis stood up for State Rights, Lincoln paid with his life for ending slavery, both Kennedy’s paid the price for fighting for Civil Rights and the poor, Dr. King both jailed and killed for using non-violence against the likes of the KKK, the Roosevelts used radical and unpoplular measures for the betterment of the country, it’s all in the definition.
As I pointed out, Carlin was banned and jailed when he was starting out well over forty years ago, when some may have walked out on him, thankfully the enlightenment of the sixties did away with the Victorian mentality.
And it is humorous that to be a radical you have to be poor.
By Mark
July 22, 2008 12:52 PM | Link to this
Carlin was simply pointing out how fvcked up this country and it’s people really are. Too bad not enough absorbed that.