"But I am tired of being overwhelmed. Why should I admire somebody for his ability to manipulate me? In other realms of life, this talent is known as demagoguery. There are better reasons to turn to art, better reasons to go to the movies, than to be blown away."—Leon Wieseltier on "Munich."
I remember a friend a few years ago saying that his favorite recreation was sitting with his daughter in a big armchair with a take-out Chinese dinner and a stack of videos. My response was horror: I realized that for me, a visit to a movie was excruciatingly painful.
A few weeks later, I sat waiting for Gladiator to start, waiting as in the dentist's chair for an unpleasant but necessary procedure. I find that I enjoy the experience—usually—but not the anticipation, because I know my emotions will be juggled by the director, and I will be &ldquot;overwhlemed&rdquot; or moved or toyed with.
Posted by ronlusk at December 9, 2005 08:32 PM