Mostly a collection of her reviews and essays from The New Yorker, they are both insightful and illuminating. They clarify one collateral benefit of my love of watching TV: it provides an enlightening prism through which to view the progress of society at any given moment. Which shows are made, which shows are accepted, and which shows are regrettable are for some an easier marker of the greater social movements of the time.
The centerpiece is a crucial new essay which gives excellent thought about what to do about great works of art that are made by artists who are (now revealed to be) terrible people.
As someone who writes book reviews on this site, I am a believer in criticism. I never knew there were non-believers until reading [b:Better Living Through Criticism: How to Think about Art, Pleasure, Beauty, and Truth|25614595|Better Living Through Criticism How to Think about Art, Pleasure, Beauty, and Truth|A.O. Scott|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1439885886l/25614595.SY75.jpg|45425798] but I am also a believer in "de gustibus non disputandum est" so you may subject me to the criticism of being inconsistent. However, I also believe that a foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds. I knew Ms. Nussbaum from Echo (the online site she mentions in this book) and already knew my taste and hers were very different. I mean, she likes "reality" TV for god's sake.
But she writes like a smart person and makes interesting observations about the shows she likes and doesn't like and I begin to wonder "Is she right? Do I …
As someone who writes book reviews on this site, I am a believer in criticism. I never knew there were non-believers until reading [b:Better Living Through Criticism: How to Think about Art, Pleasure, Beauty, and Truth|25614595|Better Living Through Criticism How to Think about Art, Pleasure, Beauty, and Truth|A.O. Scott|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1439885886l/25614595.SY75.jpg|45425798] but I am also a believer in "de gustibus non disputandum est" so you may subject me to the criticism of being inconsistent. However, I also believe that a foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds. I knew Ms. Nussbaum from Echo (the online site she mentions in this book) and already knew my taste and hers were very different. I mean, she likes "reality" TV for god's sake.
But she writes like a smart person and makes interesting observations about the shows she likes and doesn't like and I begin to wonder "Is she right? Do I like the wrong things?"
Of course Emerson dealt with this in that same hobgoblin essay, but I just can't understand how someone smart can like a show that's dumb. Or, perhaps I don't want to understand. People watch for different reasons and are offended by different things. E.g. I wasn't expecting reality for Mrs. Mazel and the stupidity of the plot didn't matter because the plot was the least important part of the show. It's more like song lyrics than drama.
Best part, for me anyway, is her discussion of whether you have to reject the art of a sexual predator.
