Another great post. Let's see if I can answer the last question: have the cowboys moved to other pastures? I think not. I think through out arts and politics the cowboy is gone. Have you been to a protest recently? They are sad statements on the state of dissent. And what about rock and roll? Surely it could still muster a cowboy or two but the best we got is Winehouse. ho hum.
DH
· 3 months ago
I don't like cowboy types but I like what they represent...that a society is dynamic and looking for original ways to express itself. It's a sign of cultural confidence...a bursting of the seams. Look for where the cowboys are and there you'll finding the leading edge. If you ever find them more in another country; then I'd say that world geography has shifted. I wouldn't be surprised if that happened. Perhaps it already has?
James
· 3 months ago
fascinating post. what about richard ford? does spitting on the author of a negative review of your book constitute cowboy behavior? and what about bolano? he wasn't exactly a celebrity in his time, but his life, i feel, was about as cowboy as they come.
Jason Rice
· 3 months ago
it wasn't just a negative review, but a totally dressing down down from an up and coming author to a master. I'm sure Whitehead will think about that moment for a long time. I don't know how you recover from that? Richard Ford is such a nice man, great writer...he did once shoot a hole in a book of a reviewer who shat on one of his books, and I think he sent it to the reviewer? I can't remember.
jonathan evison
· 3 months ago
. . .i've always perceived ford as less of a cowboy and kind of a whiner . . .
DH
· 3 months ago
In the whiner/cowboy debate, I'd like to say something in favor of whiners...I'd be suspicious of people (who would be most people) who want to cut off debate or expression by dissing somebody's mood.
Isn't paddling against the stream what's it's all about...at least most of the time? It's group-think that's most revolting.
But society means conformism. I wouldn't want to sit in a bar with a whiner or an anti-social cowboy. But slickness in literature...or in bars is worst.
These days we have bar talk and emails that are little more than networking excuses. Maybe going back to the cowboy era would be better.
Maybe whiners/cowboys are to be preferred to someone who wants to network with you. Networking precludes real empathy.
It really is three guys.
· 3 months ago
ford isn't a whiner JE. there are plenty of those to go around.
All Comments
Isn't paddling against the stream what's it's all about...at least most of the time? It's group-think that's most revolting.
But society means conformism. I wouldn't want to sit in a bar with a whiner or an anti-social cowboy. But slickness in literature...or in bars is worst.
These days we have bar talk and emails that are little more than networking excuses. Maybe going back to the cowboy era would be better.
Maybe whiners/cowboys are to be preferred to someone who wants to network with you. Networking precludes real empathy.