Nerve.com - VoiceBox: Toward a More Perfect Union
Nerve has just completed a five-part series of interviews with several media personalities. This five-part series has them ruminating on the state of marriage as part of their Future of Marriage issue. Great idea. I have my own thoughts on these things. I will answer the questions here as they apply to me, but first, some words about the contributors:
 | Margaret Cho represents "right": racial rights, queer rights, women's rights, human rights. I don't know where she gets the energy to do some much in so many areas that she should be awarded by the National Organization of Women, the Asian-American Legal Defense Fund, Gays and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation, and so on. I am told that she is gut-bustingly funny. She looks funny, from her pictures. That is to say that she appears to be quite a funny person, I mean. |
 | Jonathan Ames is a writer and performance artist I know nothing about. However, he is some kind of sexually polymorphous and ambiguous character, and people can't seem to resist the way he can make disturbing ang embarrassing situations seem at least funny. I'll have to try a book one of these days. |
 | Susan Shapiro Barash is another author I haven't heard of before, but from what I can tell she seems like just another annoying "gender studies" expert. Why does "gender studies" really mean "women's issues"? And how does one become a "gender expert"? Is that like being an "ethics" expert? |
 | Keith Blanchard is the editor in chief of Maxim. I don't really know if this is a good thing or a bad thing. On one hand, he's in charge of one of the biggest male stereotyping machines of the past ten years. On the other hand, his career seems to imply to me that he might be more than a knuckle-dragging wanker, and quite woman-friendly. Which makes his choice of editing Maxim even more strange. |
 | I'll be adding her to my blogroll. There is nothing to dislike about her unless you are jealous that she is cooler, better-looking or more fulfilled with life than you are. I expect to be writing about this entry in the near future. Especially the links at the end. (Actually, I may not be so into the "vagina" emphasis. Maybe I'll have to read more of her blog.) |
 | I haven't seen much about Darcy Cosper, except that critics say that she screwed up her first book about a heroine with 17 weddings to go to one season. |
 | Jim de Sève is another gay marriage activist, except that he has a talent for making movies about social justice. In particular, his new movie shows just how divisive gay marriage can be with those who were formerly loved ones. Sounds interesting. |
 | Conservative columnist Maggie Gallagher is President of the Institute for Marriage and Public Policy. I won't get into her book entitled "The Case for Marriage: Why Married People are Happier, Healthier, and Better off Financially" here, but I think that you might as well say that Attractive People are Happier, Healthier and Better off Financially. Because that wants society dictates. But just because society dictates it, doesn't mean it's good for everyone. |
 | Molly Jong-Fast is a young woman with lots of potential, and even more expectations thrust upon her, I would think. She is the daughter of Erica Jong, after all. That said, she seems to be doing fairly well with her writing, although I hope that her sophomore effort in authoring offers more than a played-out story that we've all read. |
 | Dr. Scott Haltzman is a marriage supporter and husband. The difference from other published marriage supporters is that he is 1) male 2) not approaching it from an insufferable Christian perspective. (Not that there's anything wrong with that. Nothing at all.) What I like about Scott is that he is sympathetic to men and doesn't drone on with that post-modern unmarried-men-are-scum rhetoric. Seems like a nice guy. |
 | David Moats is known for very balanced reporting in the Rutland Times, and can be counted on for not alienating those who would disagree with him. He's an old bear, has been around since the 70s. He deftly chronicled the events leading up to Vermont being the first state to grant marriage rights to same-sex partners. When it becomes legal everywhere, I look forward to how he will report on that. |
 | I want to read Ethan Watters' book, Urban Tribes. I'd like to see how he explains my weird behaviour, that is, my advanced age and lack of marriage/kids. Here's a snippet. I wonder what the major conclusion of the book is, though. |
I'm scared about what's to come. Are we all freaks if we haven't been through at least one marriage by 30?? Oh cripes. I'm almost glad I'm internet-less for the week.
Oh shit - I skimmed parts of that series... I can't wait to see your comments. It's very depressing. Oh, any tips for me to make this the best summer of all time? Question for you too, btw - how does one address the "safety" issue when it comes to "hooking-up"? I was considering this the other night - the one-night stand, where's the guarantee that he isn't an axe murderer? Your thoughts? Thanks!
Thanks for not hating me. Your synopsis of who I am seems fair enough. I'm glad you read the Nerve piece--I don't think it changed the world, but it was fun to write and read.