Being a somewhat literary guy, I’ve subscribed to a variety of writing-related magazines in the last few years – Oxford American, Granta, and most recently, The Sun. Let me tell you about The Sun:
Captivating stories.
Penetrating interviews.
Melodious poetry, arresting photography.
Stimulating, thoughtful letters to the editor. A readers-write-in column that’s bound to have a few gems, every single issue.
But man, what a depressing magazine. (Whose idea was it to call this “The Sun”? They should call it “The Cloud.”)
The Sun is a magazine by and for smart, literate, articulate people who feel victimized and powerless.
Victimized because the Evil Capitalist Machine won’t pay them real money to create their art and express their opinions; powerless because they will not accept the reality that everyone has to earn their keep in the world. They’re too smart to allow for traditional conceptions of morality and now they’re wondering why their families are splintered and why all the moms are single and broke.
My favorite soundbyte was when they interviewed some famous activist, I think it might have been Noam Chomsky. They asked him, “What can we do to solve some of the most pressing problems in the world?” and he said, “The first thing we need to do is abolish all nation-states.”
Eliminate all the countries? (Wait, I thought you guys valued diversity.) This was my first clue that perhaps these people aren’t dealing with the “is” part of ‘how the world is.’
Why am I bringing this up? I mention this because there’s a very large number of people out there – most of whom directly or indirectly are fed and clothed by you and me – who believe that commentary is productivity, they believe that protest is a form of action, and that criticism equates to forward progress.
Commentary is not productivity. Protest is not action. Criticism is not progress. If the single moms aren’t eating, you don’t blame the current administration, you man the soup kitchens and offer them jobs to work in your company. If the environment is going down the toilet then you show people (by example) how to function without destroying it, in an everyday practical way. You develop alternative energy sources yourself, you don’t ask for more government money so somebody else can do it.
Ever notice that half the ads in National Geographic are for drugs and SUV’s? Here on the right you see a disclaimer from Mother Jones, a publication that embraces very specific views and versions of political correctness. The advertisements they run sometimes run contrary to their aims.
I think it’s just fine that Mother Jones takes a stand on certain issues and I think it’s just fine that they accept advertisers who don’t. Still, how many books and magazines about not killing trees are printed on paper made from trees?
Don’t let people who merely talk make you feel guilty because you’re one of the few who does. Somebody’s always going to show you their clean fingernails and try to make you feel inferior because yours are dirty. If you succumb to that, then you’ve just added to the list of confusing messages, impediments and Action Prevention Demons that stand in the way of progress.
