Meanwhile, in Showbiz News

Kevin Williamson pokes through the mental wreckage of writer and actress Lena Dunham:  

Lena Dunham is fond of lists. Here is a list of things in Lena Dunham’s life that do not strike Lena Dunham as being unusual: growing up in a $6.25 million Tribeca apartment; attending a selection of elite private schools; renting a home in Hollywood Hills well before having anything quite resembling a job and complaining that the home is insufficiently “chic”; the habitual education of the men in her family at Andover; the services of a string of foreign nannies; being referred to a homework therapist when she refused to do her homework and being referred to a relationship therapist when she fought with her mother; constant visits to homeopathic doctors, and visits to child psychologists three times a week; having a summer home on a lake in Connecticut, and complaining about it; writing a “voice of her generation” memoir in which ordinary life events among members of her generation, such as making student-loan payments or worrying about the rent or health insurance, never come up; making casual trips to Malibu; her grandparents’ having taken seven-week trips to Europe during her mother’s childhood; spending a summer at a camp at which the costs can total almost as much as the median American family’s annual rent; being histrionically miserable at said camp and demanding to be brought home early; demanding to be sent back to the same expensive camp the next year.

That’s the first paragraph. From there on in he’s less forgiving. 

Comments

[Sam]

People in their twenties are writing memoirs...?

[David]

People in their twenties are writing memoirs...?

Evidently, Ms Dunham finds herself fascinating and therefore, naturally, thinks you should too. Though her life as reported, not least by Dunham herself, may be of interest to psychologists.

[Nikw211]

Some extracts from Willamson's superlative review:

Dunham describes herself as an “unreliable narrator,” which in the context of a memoir or another work of purported nonfiction means “liar,” strictly construed.

Lena Dunham never actually writes that she was raped by a mustachioed campus Republican named Barry at Oberlin College […]

[However] this [accusation of alleged rape] is, needless to say, a gutless and passive-aggressive act. Barry is not a character in a book; he is a real person, one whose life is no doubt being turned upside down by a New York Times No. 1 best-seller containing half-articulated accusations that he raped a woman in college, accusations that are easily connected to him. Dunham won’t call him a rapist, but she is happy to use other people as sock puppets to call him a rapist. She doesn’t use his full name, but she surely knows how easily it can be found. She wouldn’t face him in a court of law, but she’ll lynch him in print.

Gosh.

She really is the voice for a generation.

[David]

Presumably the book was written to enhance Ms Dunham’s social position, to draw us into her fascinating self – sorry, life. But as reported, and quoted, the impression given is hardly flattering:

The crudeness of her memoir’s prose, in contrast with the deft writing of her television series, may very well be yet another affectation, [but] the crudeness of her thought is inarguably genuine: In the midst of a rather detailed revenge fantasy, and having confessed the pain she feels when good things happen to those she despises, she writes airily that she is above being “jealous” (she means “envious”) and too fine ever to be “vengeful” — five pages after contemplating a future course of action that she herself describes as “vengeful.”

Given things like the above, and the much more squalid episodes recounted in the article, I’m not sure how Ms Dunham expects readers to react. Based on what I’ve seen of her, she strikes me as oddly oblivious to how she seems.

[Minnow]

Yes, it pisses me off too when people are talented AND privileged. It's just so unfair.

[Nikw211]

Morning Minnow,

How about people who are disingenuous liars and who are willing to slander a man's reputation for life, but who are also unwilling to even be clear as to whether or not the crime they accuse him of committing even happened? Does the unfairness of that piss you off too?

And what about the trivialisation of a serious criminal act - doesn't that piss you off too?

[ACTOldFart]

Please, please at some time in the future let Ms Dunham and Laurie Penny be locked in the same room together. They deserve each other.

[RY]

Minnow. Outside of the exceptional financial security underpinning her life, I don't think reading this makes one think she was 'privileged'. It more makes you think her parents need a slap.

[Steve 2: Steveageddon]

I'm not sure who Lena Dunham is - is she in some sort of reboot of The Golden Girls?

I liked The Golden Girls. Especially Sophia, she had the best lines. Blanche had the best sex stories. Rose had the best silly moments. And Dorothy had the best shoulder pads.

Though I doubt anybody likes the Girls as much as this lady does:

http://www.teamjimmyjoe.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/tattoo-girls-5.jpg

[David]

Though I doubt anybody likes the Girls as much as this lady does

Holy smoke.

[WTP]

This excerpt which I read over at Ace of Spades, I found most disturbing:

If there is such a thing as actually abusing a child through excessive generosity and overindulgence, then Lena Dunham’s parents are child abusers. Her father, Carroll Dunham, is a painter noted for his primitive brand of highbrow pornography, his canvases anchored by puffy neon-pink labia; her photographer mother filled the family home with nude pictures of herself, "legs spread defiantly." Self-styled radicals from old money, they were not the sort of people inclined to enforce even the most lax of boundaries. And they were, in their daughter's telling, enablers of some very disturbing behavior that would be considered child abuse in many jurisdictions -- Lena Dunham's sexual abuse, specifically, of her younger sister, Grace, the sort of thing that gets children taken away from non-millionaire families without Andover pedigrees and Manhattanite social connections. Dunham writes of casually masturbating while in bed next to her younger sister, of bribing her with "three pieces of candy if I could kiss her on the lips for five seconds . . . anything a sexual predator might do to woo a small suburban girl I was trying." At one point, when her sister is a toddler, Lena Dunham pries open her vagina -- "my curiosity got the best of me," she offers, as though that were an explanation. "This was within the spectrum of things I did."

Even if this is "unreliable narrative", it's disturbing.

[Minnow]

"How about people who are disingenuous liars and who are willing to slander a man's reputation for life"

If it's a slander, she should be punished. If it isn't, he deserves what he gets.

[David]

While Williamson is sharply critical of Ms Dunham’s vanities and behaviour, he’s also interested in how that behaviour came about, how it was apparently enabled by her somewhat bohemian parents. That seems to be the point of the piece. As he says, “It is an easy thing to mock, and it deserves mocking, but it also deserves understanding. She did not get this way by accident.” Hence the recounting of her parents’ often bizarre indulgences. I don’t think Mr Williamson finds their wealth or “privilege” distasteful per se, but rather their lack of normal parental boundaries. One needn’t follow from the other.

[David]

There’s a footnote to the “Barry” story over here.

[Minnow]

Ah, so it turns out she doesn't accuse any named person of rape but, by coincidence, there was someone called Barry at college at the same time as her and so over excited journos might think it was him. Until he explains it wasn't. But she is still evil.

It is a strange review. If you were not paying attention you might miss the fact that Dunham has only come to prominence because she is an excellent and extremely successful writer. The idea that she has been ruined by her childhood will seem strange to less wildly successful and talented writers, I think. There is a cheesy seam of writerly envy running through the whole thing

[Rafi]

The idea that she has been ruined by her childhood will seem strange to less wildly successful and talented writers, I think.

So narcissism doesn't matter as long as you end up rich?

[Steve 2: Steveageddon]

Oh Minnow, you are a card.

so it turns out she doesn't accuse any named person of rape

No, it seems she merely heavily implied it, in a slippery, dishonest and Wormtonguey sort of way that would leave readers in no doubt as to what she meant, but wasn't specific enough to allow the sort-of-accused to clear his name in a court of law.

I can see why you're a fan.

[Minnow]

"So narcissism doesn't matter as long as you end up rich?"

So long as you end up an artists. Not that I see much evidence of narcissism beyond the norm.

[Minnow]

"No, it seems she merely heavily implied it"

No, she didn't. She described an incident in two different ways with an unidentified man.

[Steve 2: Steveageddon]

Minnow - No, she didn't. She described an incident in two different ways with an unidentified man.

See what I mean?

She describes a sexual encounter with a man - hardly "unidentified" because she tells us his name, the college he went to and when he was there, and his position at that college - enough information for anybody with access to Google and two minutes to spare to identify him.

Then she describes the sexual encounter as non-consensual. Then she quotes a roommate saying "you were raped".

Predictably, this led to the following sort of headlines, which I found with two seconds of googling:

Lena Dunham on coming to terms with being raped: 'I told the story and I feel less alone' http://www.independent.co.uk/news/people/lena-dunham-on-how-she-overcame-date-rape-experience-i-told-the-story-and-i-feel-less-alone-9769532.html

Lena Dunham’s Story of Rape Is a Must-Read http://time.com/3445018/lena-dunham-not-that-kind-of-girl-rape-essay/

Lena Dunham says she was raped by college Republican http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2014/oct/5/lena-dunham-says-she-was-raped-by-college-republic/

Lena Dunham Opens Up About Being A Rape Survivor http://m.huffpost.com/us/entry/5915328

I'm assuming that this lady has a publicist and that her publisher has a lawyer. They would have known exactly how her not-quite-allegations would be covered by the press.

Has anyone representing her sought to clarify her insinuations? Not as far as I can tell. So she's happy for that version of events to be repeated in the media, while she nudge-nudge wink-winks at it and receives sympathetic coverage as a "rape survivor".

As I said, I can see why you're a fan. Why be forthright and honest when you can drip poisonous innuendo and have people salute your 'bravery' for doing so?

[Minnow]

"She describes a sexual encounter with a man - hardly "unidentified" because she tells us his name"

She made up the name. All we know about him is that he was a Republican. Unless she made that up too, which she may have.

[Steve 2: Steveageddon]

Minnow - show me where she said she made up the name "Barry".

There's a good laddie.

[Minnow]

We can assume she made it up because the Barry that the press has identified among the apparently tiny number of campus republicans turns out not to have known her. And she keeps saying that her memoirs are unreliable.

But if I am wrong perhaps you can show me where she said she didn't make it up.

[Steve 2: Steveageddon]

Oh Grima - I mean, Minnow (sorry!). When I said you were a card, I should have specified the card I had in mind: the joker.

How quickly you segue from:

She made up the name.

To:

We can assume she made it up

Hmmm. Quite a difference between those two statements, as fans of facts and logic will note.

And then, having been caught lying, you gamely try to put me on the back foot, suggesting I should provide evidence of her saying that what she wrote was true.

Well, it was worth a try Minnow. But I fear you're out of your depth bandying crooked words with me.

[Farnsworth M Muldoon]

"Yes, it pisses me off too when people are talented AND privileged."

Privileged, yes; talented, hardly.

[Anna]

I can see why you're a fan.

That.

[R. Sherman]

@Minnow

It's really quite easy to deal with this issue. "I met a guy--let's call him 'Mortimer'--who raped me in college." That's how it's done. She did not. And as David's link in the comment above indicates, her failure to do that has led to some unfortunate collateral damage. Ruining the lives of innocents means nothing if that ruin advances one's own career and/or whatever the great narrative is at the moment.

The fact is, by her own admission, Dunham sexually abused her sister who was six years her junior. She is excused because she's connected and rich. That is, if you are rich and a pervert, you are merely "eccentric" and celebrated for your genius. If you're poor and didn't attend the right prep school, you're just a pervert.

[Minnow]

"Hmmm. Quite a difference between those two statements, as fans of facts and logic will note."

Nothing to get quite so excited about. Read it as 'I believe she made up the name and the evidence supports me'. If you know anything different, perhaps you can show us why. Or were you lying when you said you knew she hadn't? After all she says over and over that what she writes should not be taken as true. That is what 'unreliable narrator' means. You're welcome, I am here to help with any other comprehension difficulties you may run into.

[Minnow]

"Ruining the lives of innocents means nothing if that ruin advances one's own career and/or whatever the great narrative is at the moment."

Getting phoned by a journalist is a bit annoying sometimes, I grant you, but I don't think it is fair to say it ruins your life. That's a bit harsh.

"The fact is, by her own admission, Dunham sexually abused her sister who was six years her junior."

She describes sexual games with her sister when she was a child, but even the hatchet jobber in the linked review doesn't believe half of it. If her sister doesn't mind, why should we?

[Minnow]

"Privileged, yes; talented, hardly."

As my old mum would have said: 'You should be so untalented.'

[Steve 2: Steveageddon]

Minnow - Nothing to get quite so excited about.

Indeed. I'm not excited. Finding out you're a slippery liar is like finding out that Elvis liked cheeseburgers. Not exactly the shock of my life.

[Minnow]

So that is a no, then, you cannot support your claim that 'Barry' is the real name of a real person? Is it what you call a 'lie', then? I need to ask because you have an - ahem - unconventional way with the meanings of words. I don't mean sophisticated terms like 'unrelibale narrator' which you can perhaps be forgiven for not understanding, but normal words, like 'lie'.

[Steve 2: Steveageddon]

She describes sexual games with her sister

Sexual games is it?

"At one point, when her sister is a toddler, Lena Dunham pries open her vagina"

Just "games".

I wouldn't let you near my kids, Minnow. I bet you get that reaction a lot though.

[David]

Is anyone else here tiring of Minnow’s trolling and habitual dishonesty? A show of hands, if you would.

[R. Sherman]

If her sister doesn't mind, why should we?

Ah, yes. The defense of pedophiles everywhere. "Bitch was asking for it."

[Anna]

Is anyone else here tiring of Minnow’s trolling and habitual dishonesty? A show of hands, if you would.

Oh yes. Definitely.

[Minnow]

"Just "games".I wouldn't let you near my kids, Minnow. I bet you get that reaction a lot though."

Like I said, probably not even 'games' in that instance, even the reviewer didn't believe it happened. But when children poke around with each others'sexual parts, I think that is games, yes. What are you going to do, call a SWAT team?

Interesting how big some people can be on punishing petty thieves with instant justice and accusing children who touch other children's genitals of being perverts, but when it comes to men raping women, weeell ... they prefer to be a bit more 'nuanced', careful of the attacker's rights, don't want to be too hasty, rapists are people too you know! Makes you wonder why.

[Rafi]

A show of hands, if you would.

*Raises hand*

[Minnow]

"Ah, yes. The defense of pedophiles everywhere. "Bitch was asking for it.""

I think the 'paedophile' in this case was eight years old.

[sk60]

A show of hands, if you would.

He/she is pretty boring now.

*Raises hand*

[Minnow]

"Is anyone else here tiring of Minnow’s trolling and habitual dishonesty?"

An example of dishonesty would be interesting. I mean more that just disagreeing with someone else.

[David]

Minnow,

If anyone sufficiently curious wants to plough through almost any thread of length in which you’ve taken part, they’ll find evidence of your methods, or habits, or whatever it is they are. And hey, I don’t have to prove anything to you, assuming that were even possible, on any subject, ever.

Your welcome here is exhausted. Play nicely somewhere else.

[ac1]

A parental welfare state is just as perilous for the ethics of children as the state's one is.

[Steve 2: Steveageddon]

David - I don't think I've ever come across someone who is quite as shameless in their mala fides as our Minnow. It's like arguing with an Old Testament serpent.

If this were the Colosseum, I'd give him an imperial thumbs down and let the lioning commence.

Please tell me you own a lion. If not, I will happily lend you a fluffy cat. She may be small, but she has razor sharp claws.

[R. Sherman]

@Minnow,

I think the 'paedophile' in this case was eight years old.

No. You raised the defense. I believe I correctly assume you are above the age of majority. And thanks for the British condescension with the word "paedophile" in quotes. Very much appreciated.

[David]

Please tell me you own a lion.

Well, I very rarely, almost never, smite from on high – I think I’ve done it maybe five times in over seven years. And I have seen some of you having fun (I think) in attempting to alter Minnow’s view, or professed view, on all kinds of subjects. But as sk60 said, after months of the same manoeuvres and evasions, and the endless condescension, it gets a little boring.

[rjmadden]

A show of hands, if you would.

Absolutely.

[rjmadden]

I see I was too late. ;-)

[R. Sherman]

Well, I very rarely, almost never, smite from on high . . .

Yes. But you must admit, it's fun when you give in to your inner Zeus and let the thunderbolts fly.

[David]

Of course now I may get a taste for it.

[Steve 2: Steveageddon]

Minnow and friends -

https://33.media.tumblr.com/e61d6ac216806464bffcb9be8ab8c509/tumblr_mxzhofiIbG1s2wio8o8_500.gif

[David]

Heh.

[Steve 2: Steveageddon]

David, smiter of the trolls:

http://94.136.40.103/~ukfilmnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/thor-dark-world-hammer-lightning.jpg

[David]

See, now you’re just trying to flatter me and appease my terrible wrath.

Hey, this could work.

[Karen M]

A show of hands, if you would.

Also late but glad you did.

[Mr-Ohms]

Hmmm - reality is a little more like this.....

http://27.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_kuy371WjG51qaqddyo1_500.png

[Tim Newman]

If her sister doesn't mind, why should we?

Erm, isn't that rather the whole point about that age of consent thing? That toddlers are not in a position to "not mind" somebody fiddling with their privates. This is Roman Polanski all over again.

[David]

Hmmm - reality is a little more like this.....

Don’t shatter their illusions. I’m only thinking of them, you understand.

[The Lurker on the Threshold]

A show of hands, if you would.

Oh, yes. Late - but the votes just piled in too quickly.

[mike fowle]

My hand is in the air (plus a shameless bribe).

[wtp]

Call it piling-on if you will, but I'd still like to register my approval. I don't think I've ever endorsed a ban-hammer outside of outright racism/antisemitism/raw unqualified hate, but as I said before the graffiti was becoming quite tiresome.

As to Steveageddon:

David - I don't think I've ever come across someone who is quite as shameless in their mala fides as our Minnow. It's like arguing with an Old Testament serpent.

I've found you don't have to venture far into ivory tower academia, especially in the area of philosophy, to find many schools of such fish teaching young minds to think and doing it with our tax dollars, US/UK and I presume beyond. I can even name one or two who use this sort of reasoning and teach "ethics" of all things.

[Henry]

Is anyone else here tiring of Minnow’s trolling and habitual dishonesty? A show of hands, if you would

Aye

[David]

My hand is in the air (plus a shameless bribe).

Well, for a while it was kind of interesting to watch someone enacting some of the rhetorical manoeuvres I’ve tried to highlight over the years. A live example, as it were. But the benefits of that are soon outweighed by other factors. Not least that attempting discussion feels pointless if you know in advance that no significant error will ever be conceded, no matter what you say or how much evidence you provide.

I see from the spam filter that Minnow would have us believe that he/she has been banished to the Phantom Zone unfairly, on account of daring to disagree with other commenters here (and by implication, with me):

[W]hat anyone interested will find in those other threads is just that sometimes I don’t agree with some of the other people who post on here. And some of them don’t seem to [be] used to that. And some - cough ... Steve ... cough – can’t really keep up. That’s all.

Yes, speaking truth to power, modestly, right to the bitter end. And yet… others who’ve disagreed with me and this heathen rabble, often at length – and including of course several members of this heathen rabble - are still very much welcome here. Whether they’re articulate, like Dr Dawg and Georges, or bizarre, like Sandwichman and Far-Centre Loony, or just abusive morons, like rv. (Oh, I miss rv.) Which suggests there might be something else to consider, beyond mere disagreement.

Also, bribery works.

[Lancastrian Oik]

Oops- too late putting my two penn'orth in.

Never liked him/her/it anyway.

[Jeff Wood]

I think - cannot be sure: it was a few lifetimes ago - that I had a touch of the Minnow in me when I was a teenager.

Then I grew up. Oddly, I have a lot less to say these days, though I am always pleased to read folk, mostly much younger than me, who have excellent bullshit detectors.

[jkrank]

What Jeff Wood said. When I was in my 20's, my version of winning an argument was not evidence, but 'cleverness.' Indeed, evidence was something I demanded of other people.

But then I got a job that required results and direct consequence for being wrong.

[The original Mr. X]

If I may pile in on the video/link fest, I find this clip to be rather appropriate:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R5kPUFxXYLs

[Nikw211]

Good Lord!

Anyway, for anyone interested in the continuing theme of young privileged middle class women shamelessly trivialising serious crimes such as rape and sexual assault and exploitation this is a little related.

For what it's worth, I don't think Dunham is lying as such – I actually think it's worse than that.

Claims to have experienced rape, sexual assault or exploitation clearly seems to have become the must have blemish du jour for the aspiring Radical Feminist and she is simply following that trend as a voice for her generation might be expected to.

Just as there was once a time when it was modish among aspiring Leftist radicals from well-to-do or affluent backgrounds to root around in their family tree until they could dig up an Irish navvie or perhaps a Bradford mill hand amongst their ancestors as proof of the correct political background, so it now seems the thing to do for certain young women is to tell all the world that they have been a victim of rape.

I think this is why it is so common with such confessions that the supposed victim doesn't actually seem to be sure what happened and has to have it explained to them, or that they don't realise until a good while later what's happened to them.

I assume this is supposed to convey the effect of being numbed by a trauma beyond words, but more often than not it just reeks of absolute bullshit.

And of course the moment anyone starts to suggest that, they've immediately fallen into the well-laid trap about the long history of victims who are ignored or never believed.

Similarly, when it is suggested that they go to the police if they truly believe that they have been the victim of this crime, this is the opportunity to wheel out derisory comments against police 'bastards' and the apparently dismal prosecution rate for alleged rapists – something which is always and ever seen as a failure of the justice system.

"When I walked home, it didn't occur to me that I had been raped." declares the author of this prime example of the genre.

I may sound quite harsh, but all this "There can be no debate because rape" shite has got to stop, it really has.

Apart from anything else, I find it an inexcusable insult to anyone who has actually experienced this crime and to their families and loved ones - which include men, fathers, brothers, husbands, sons - but who I've never seen heard or mentioned as being collateral.

To exploit rape in order to advance dubious political goals or enhance one's celebrity status is an absolute and total fucking disgrace.

[Steve 2: Steveageddon]

When I was 17, my dad was so ignorant I could barely stand to be in the same room as him.

By 10 years later... well, he hadn't really changed. But I had come to the realisation that I was an obnoxious little shit and it was testament to the man's self restraint that he only gave me the one half-hearted punch in the mouth the day I was kicked out of the house. God knows I deserved it.

I'd like to say being in the forces taught me to grow up, but to be honest it was more like school and I was a mouthy little bastard there too. I got to do a lot of guard duty and cleaning for my witty retorts. I used that time to hone my comedy routines further.

For some reason, my genius was never rewarded with a promotion to general. However, I can proudly say that Britain didn't lose a single war on my watch.

It wasn't till I had to fend for myself, without parents, teachers, or NCO's to tell me what to do or put up with my nonsense, that I learned anything.

If I had a time machine, I'd probably steal historical artifacts of value and get a selfie taken with Elvis Presley. But I'd also drop in on my younger self and give him a shoeing.

Then I'd build a palace on the proceeds of my chronocrimes and own the world's biggest collection of cats.

[dicentra]

Not that I see much evidence of narcissism beyond the norm.

SO revealing, that.

And thanks for hitting the Mute button. He had definitely overstayed his welcome.

[Lancastrian Oik]

Ms. Dunham shares more than a few traits with Laurie Penny.

[dicentra]

I think the 'paedophile' in this case was eight years old.

I had two younger sisters and it never EVER occurred to me to pry open their pudenda at any age.

Or are we going with the "erection equals consent" theory?

[Hal]

Ehn. Showbiz news?

Or merely commentary on someone that occasionally winds up in the vicinity of showbiz occurrences, without any actual discussion of some production or another?

I have a definite interest in storytelling and playing with pictures, and thus movies and theatre and related Stuff . . . and rather only very irregularly bother with reading news feeds that are flagged as Entertainment.

EntertainMENT news is all about the processes and occurrences and productions and is quite interesting.

EntertainER news is merely the latest entirely boring round of who threw up on whom which time . . .

. . . and both extremely separate concepts keep getting labelled as the same.

[Steve 2: Steveageddon]

Hal - you never heard of Bing Crosby or Danny Kaye getting up to the shenanigans modern entertainers do.

Modern entertainers are rubbish.

[RY]

That was when what people could 'do' had greater value than what they 'seemed to be'.

[Henry]

Re Minnow:

yes, evasiveness; carefully choosing which arguments to ignore; then pouncing on an opportunity to score a minor point; condescension; and so many unclear implications: of arguments, but mainly implied criticisms...

The intent did seem to be to spoil the fun - certainly not an honest exchange of views - and indeed I tended to groan inwardly when I saw Minnow's name, followed by the tortuous to-and-fro.

[Franklin]

If you think Lena Dunham is an intriguing case, have a look at her father's paintings and her mother's photos. They may explain some things.

[David]

Eep.

[dicentra]

Lemme guess: NSFW

I'll have to wait until I get home to see that, if at all.

Girl needs therapy but instead gets an enormous stage to play out all her pathologies.

Yay us.

[David]

Lemme guess: NSFW

Pretty much. Especially daddy’s handiwork.

[dcardno]

Well, I was wondering about our friend Minnow. Mainly "how long 'til we're done with him?" I can't disagree with the outcome.

[RY]

Just looked up NSFW - bit sheltered, slightly shocked. Many aspects of her parents' Art seem to have been reproduced in the way she has fashioned herself for public consumption: exhibitionism, provocative staging, calculated vulgarity and a desire to offend. In these instances, without any discernible deeper meaning. Much safer constituents in two - dimensional artworks than in a real-life human being.

[The Lurker on the Threshold]

RY - Not to mention highly conventional and very adolescent, although I may just be paraphrasing your observations.

[Steve 2: Steveageddon]

wtp - I've found you don't have to venture far into ivory tower academia, especially in the area of philosophy, to find many schools of such fish teaching young minds to think and doing it with our tax dollars, US/UK and I presume beyond. I can even name one or two who use this sort of reasoning and teach "ethics" of all things.

I think you're spot on, both in general and specifically in this case.

[RY]

The Lurker on the Threshold - Yes, highly conventional, and adolescence is the theme that runs through all of it. With an absence of anything real to say, it creates something of an intellectual vacuum. Although there will always be a market for it as it appears 'eye-catching' and 'edgy' and therefore desirable.

[R. Sherman]

@Steve

However, I can proudly say that Britain didn't lose a single war on my watch.

Neither on mine. Though I watched from my couch in the middle of the USA. That's how you got Port Stanley back.

Send me a ham at Christmas.

[Mr-Ohms]

"...I had a touch of the Minnow in me when I was a teenager"

"Ieder mens heeft een Minnow in zich. Voor sommige ongelukkige komt de Minnow echt naar buiten."

[Hal]

Progressive or conservative? Brian scans betray the disgusting truth

Oh, piffle.

Clearly instead of scanning Brian, they should have been scanning Susie or Freddy or Charles or Wilma, and then everything would have been perfectly fine . . . .

[Steve 2: Steveageddon]

R. Sherman - I'll send you two hams if you keep Piers Morgan and Russell Brand.

[RY]

Please, please keep Russell Brand! Anything to get him off the BBC. God help us, he might want to run for Mayor of London. It's like a nightmare.

[Lancastrian Oik]

My Brian was "hardwired" to be devoutly Catholic and Leftist when I was 18 or so.

Now it's agnostic, cynical and libertarian.

But then again, I am a product of Britain in the 1960s, so it probably wasn't put together properly in the first place.

[Jonathan]

Alas, poor Minnow.... That reminds me, I'm having fish for dinner tonight. No doubt he'll be back in another form.
As for Dunham, I think her Fathers painting has scared me Gay.

[Mojo]

Another narcissist in show biz. Shocker.

It seems she's at least minimally talented as a writer, but that doesn't make her interesting enough to care about. Lots of minimally talented writers out there, most of whom don't shove their weirdness in my face. I prefer it that way.

[dicentra]

Another narcissist in show biz. Shocker.

Yes, but in Minnow's tribe, having talent — ARTISTIC talent, that is — exempts you from any and all rules, standards, morals, and judgement.

You're too VALUABLE to Humanity, ya precious thing! Express yourself to us unworthy mortals without restraint or internal control.

[RY]

In Minnow's tribe, being a talented artist should mean someone has special status. But if said artist demonstrated they held the 'wrong' views on the 'right' issues, they'd be pulled to pieces by those (including Minnow) who disapprove of their opinions. Talent doesn't count if you're not in the right club.

[RY]

Sorry for banging on, but if Lena Dunham were pro-life,and hadn't voted for Barack Obama, she almost certainly wouldn't have had her career. Regardless of talent.

[David]

I don’t follow celebrity tattle and could have happily lived in ignorance of Lena Dunham and her pronouncements. There are only so many cartoonish narcissists you want in your head at any given time (and Laurie Penny got there first). But Ms Dunham, who says her parents coached her to feel talented and attractive, strikes me as a woman whose career is based on rationalising her own colossal self-involvement. Hence the memoir from someone in her twenties and its inadvertently comical contents. From what I can make out, her chief accomplishment is a TV series that expects us to empathise with obnoxiously self-preoccupied people who whine to each other about situations of their own making, and of course themselves.

Though at a time when Russell Brand is invited onto supposedly serious news programmes, on practically every channel, to share at length his thoughts on global economics, a subject he apparently knows nothing about, I suppose you have to pay celebrity figures some kind of attention.

[MikeG81]

Apparently she's now annoyed that people didn't like her abusing her younger sister.

[Pellegri]

I was actually surprised to see at this, Minnow's last blog appearance, that he did not evince any kind of internal consistency. Surely Lena Dunham's behavior is as predatory and climbing as any corporate CEO repressing their poor, doomed employees, but she deserves all praise and high honors because...art?

Yikes.

I suppose if I'd read more closely I'd've discovered the total cognitive dissonance before, though.

[Joan]

she strikes me as oddly oblivious to how she seems.

Ya think?

http://www.truthrevolt.org/commentary/lena-dunham-threatens-sue-truth-revolt-quoting-her