New Cities/New Soviets

January 13, 2003

1.13.03

We were watching Naked New York on metroTV, and switching to finale of Lethal Weapon 4 during the commercials, when I was quite suddenly struck by the utter unending solemnity of our society. I mean, good lord! How's a body supposed to function?
I mentioned it to Molly, and asked her when she thought it got to be that way. She said it was a process that had begun in the '70s, but only come to fruition in the 90s. I wonder whether Baby Boomers understand the depth of the failure of the '60s revolution in America.

This solemnity was certainly not just post 9/11. If anything, New York loosened up a little after the attacks--granted, some of that was stunned incomprehension, but I think a good proportion of it was catharsis. The worst has happened to us all, and there are likely no harder hits in the immediate pipeline.

Perfectionism hangs over New York City like a pall. The spectre of the "perfect" body lurks just behind every gaze. I mean, people are denying themselves basic nutrition in the service of weight loss. Whatever else this may do to you, it does not give you a robust sense of humor.
There is a deep need for public space where we cam be funny. And I don't mean an empty street late at night (although that does hold its own special joy), I mean a place where you will be seen by other people, and there is some chance of them joining the joke. I go to Luxx to dance sometimes and be silly--I think most mixed gay/straight clubs would probably have much of the same magic.

Perfectionism has become too deadly serious for America to have much of a physical sense of humor. Everyone with even a half-decent sense of humor finds themselves almost totally driven out of their bodies. People are just too jumpy and humorless to take a joke. Chalk it up to 10 years of brutal layoffs.
Most funny people withdraw from their bodies entirely, but a rare few, like my friend Dave, develop a physical humor so laconic that most people miss it entirely. Physical humor, like any sort of erruption, is dangerous--now more than ever.
MTVs Jackass (sign-in req.) works well (when it does) by making an extreme sport of humor. Humor as a physical test. The body is assailed and tested by a humorous situation. The real danger is not from the outside, the crude danger of flying projectiles and immobile poles, but from the inside, from the very real need to prevent humor from tearing apart their personas. Can they keep a straight face? Watch and find out...
Just look at Lethal Weapon 4 if you don't believe me about American solemnity. Danny Glover and Mel Gibson's hammy mugging against the smooth animal grace of Jet Li says it all.

Posted by Sam at January 13, 2003 01:08 AM

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