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Day: 7 November 2012

An American abroad: Obama’s re-election

Written by Luke Luttman on . Posted in Opinion.

In assessing the implications of an additional term for President Barack Obama, it does help to look to his first. Yet, while a lot of Americans and Brits alike have criticized President Obama for failing to deliver on the promises of the inspiring 2008 campaign, I am always adamant about defending him. Any democratic president faces tremendous obstacles. Firstly, the president has substantially less power domestically than many think. The American government is designed to be slow. There are enough stages in which a bill can be defeated to leave thousands dead every term, and of the ones that make it, those with noteworthy impact are relatively few and far between in any term. Even Democrats in congress are hardly progressive by the standards of other liberal democracies, especially when it comes to economic policy. More importantly, the tea party movement has ushered in a level of stubbornness that has left congress the most ineffectual it has been since the middle of last century.
Secondly, any Democratic president has to engage with highly prevalent views that might be outrageous elsewhere. Fox news is largely successful in reflecting the views that many actually hold, not just creating them. For example, it is not uncommon in America to blame the impoverished entirely for their circumstances. If a commentator characterizes the less fortunate as ‘the moocher class’, people will not just be unaffected by it, many will feel vindicated. Thus, it comes as no surprise that when Obama permitted a mild adjustment to the constraints of welfare by allowing more exceptions to the requirements, it instantly became fuel for him to be attacked. He was still re-elected, but it is easy to see that to go much farther would be politically dangerous. It is also important to keep in mind that welfare in America is meagre by British standards.
Democratic presidents also have to work with a country in which an argument against government involvement in anything instantly gains traction. The free market is not just something useful in America, it is part of our identity. The strange result of this is not just a strong aversion to business regulation, but also to the promotion of social good, even when the private sphere is failing fairly blatantly. Hence, in the phases where a public option was still considered, Obamacare was instantly couched as some egregious infringement upon the delicate relationship between a patient and their doctor. For some reason, this scares many more than being at the mercy of private healthcare institutions which are not only out of reach for millions of Americans, but morally indifferent to denying coverage if they can get away with it. When Fox News makes allegations of the institution of death panels, it aligns pretty well with how a lot of the public conceptualizes the government. Half of Americans rejected Obamacare without the public option.
An extension of this idea that the free market is intrinsically good becomes manifest in the perception that a good old-fashioned businessmen will be better at ‘running’ the economy. The contradiction in electing someone who is averse to the government even involving itself in the economy is lost on many.
These might seem like the views of the far right. The problem is they are not. Romney not only obtained the majority of Caucasian voters and men, but in a CNN poll, was also perceived by most Americans as better for the economy. Many of those who voted for Obama will not have done so because they reject the economic and fiscal principles of Republicans. They will have made a trade-off for the sake of rejecting the religious right and social conservatism.
Against this backdrop, how has Obama performed? Obamacare not only leads to coverage for an additional tens of millions of Americans, but it imposes taxes to do so in a country where such a measure is largely perceived as an overstretch of government power. In a country where homophobia is so prevalent that polls have just recently given the edge to same sex marriage supporters, the Don’t Ask Don’t Tell policy was repealed. In the face of economic catastrophe, Obama managed to push through a stimulus that independent sources claim averted a full-scale depression. He did this in a country where the government is largely perceived as an obstruction to the economy, not a catalyst for its improvement. It is easy to underestimate how important these sorts of measures are in a country like America.
With a Republican house, the next four years probably won’t be a golden age of progress. I am still relieved. In the face of adversity and hostility to liberal and progressive ideas, not only has Obama made strides in the way of policy, he managed to get re-elected.

 

How To Dress Well

Written by Jordan Thomas on . Posted in Music.

Having not been to an out right, definitive ‘gig’ in a while How To Dress Well served as unapologetic reminder of the format.

A small dark, dingy basement offering overpriced drinks and a modest stage. Tick.  A young, handsome man bashfully emerging from a crowd in which his ‘trendy’ attire had previously afforded him anonymity, being applauded rapturously by excitable fans. Tick. A small group crowded round the stage singing each and every word whilst staring adoringly at the project’s curator, Tom Krell and thus completely ignoring the unoriginal brooding image projections. Tick. An obnoxious heckler whose unintelligible, declarations, questions, or maybe even suggestions (?) are apparently collectively understood and considered to be very funny by everybody but me. Tick.  However the evening failed to tick one crucial box; an exciting experience created by an engaging performance.

Perhaps it is a the strain of the European tour promoting the new album Total Loss, or the pressure of immense hype from the likes of Pitchfork, but the band seemed tired and were incapable of reaching the emotional climaxes expected of the “chill wave” darlings. Krell’s insistence that the “beats” be blasted as loud as possible in order to create intensity backfired. The sound quality was poor and his voice was overpowered.

A far more captivating decision was his to sing a dedicated a capella version of ‘Clown Town’ as an encore. The beauty and fragility of his voice when stripped of any distraction was magical. An entire evening of hearing the simplicity and delicacy of his naked sound would have been far more successful in creating a sincere atmosphere. But the crowd were predominantly very happy and gushed to congratulate him and themselves, reminding me not only of the gig format, but a feeling that pervaded my entire teenage years; what have I missed?

 

What’s On: in spoken word this month

Written by Phoebe Chambre on . Posted in Uncategorised.

Tales of Whatever #14
7.45, 14th November, The Castle Hotel, Oldham St.
Free

This live storytelling night sees participants tell a true story off the cuff – no notes and no props. This one looks as if it will be as popular as ever, so get there early and hunker down with an ale or two and get ready for the halcyon comfort of storytime.

Bad Language’s Second Birthday
7.30pm, 28th November, The Castle Hotel, Oldham St.
Free

Champions of the spoken word, the local literature organization Bad Language has been holding a mike up to new writing talent for two whole years now. They began gathering language lovers together at the local to listen to a democratic blend of fiction, non-fiction, and poetry. And now they’re celebrating in traditional style, with readings from established Bad Language voices like Rodge Glass alongside the open mic acts – and there are still slots left, so one of them could be you.

Scroobius Pip
7.30pm, 4th December, The Ruby Lounge
£10 Advance

The genre-bending spoken wordsmith is taking his show on the road, and will be playing in Manchester in early December. His combination of wit and grit has propelled poetry out of its seemingly permanent resting place in the hands of GCSE English teachers, earnestly angsty teens, and beret-wearers, and onto CDs. Any day now it’ll get onto the World Wide Web.

Bond vs Smiley

Written by Joelle Jefferis on . Posted in Books.

The latest James Bond film, Skyfall, has just been released, and there’s been a lot of talk of British-ness. It seems that Bond has become synonymous with a certain concept of British-ness that begins with the Union Jack and Her Majesty and ends with Aston Martins and sharp suits. James Bond’s image is one of a stalwart protector, serving the greater good.

However is Bond really what we consider a “true Brit” or in fact the idealisation of what Brits are not? Last time I checked, us Brits were famed for our addiction to tea and dedication to the perfect queue, and yet James Bond invokes images of suaveness and seduction. Forgive me the blasphemy, but isn’t that meant to be Italian men?

Ian Fleming developed the character of James Bond after working in the Naval Intelligence Division during World War II. He said that Bond was an amalgamation of all the agents he met doing this work, and that there really was at least one agent who wore hand-stitched suits and was chauffeured around in a Rolls Royce.

However, I’d like to suggest a different literary spy as a bastion much closer to real British-ness and that is John Le Carré’s creation, George Smiley. Smiley was first introduced to readers in Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy as a middle-aged spy who, after being forced into retirement, returns to espionage in order to search out the Russian mole in the British Intelligence Service.

As a character he is superficially less exciting than Bond. Far from international playboy, Smiley is easily pictured as a small, grey, accountant-type figure whose wife has left him for someone more debonair. It’s this though that I think makes Smiley all the more the true Brit – despite his life crumbling around him Smiley faces it all with a stoicism and determination that reminds me only of the image of the British Bulldog.

In comparison, James Bond is just too flashy. He may be based around real agents but those were agents of a bygone era, of an overly privileged class whose work was mostly to protect the cosy gentlemen’s clubs that they all frequented. Le Carré presents Smiley’s real opposition in Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy as being just this type of agent. They are charming, sure, but one of them is the mole who is betraying their country. After all, this is what it comes down to, patriotism. Despite being betrayed by the service, George Smiley dedicates himself to finding the mole for his country. We know that all James Bond does is “for Queen and country”, but he seems to get a little too distracted by other women along the way.

Ultimately, I say that the true British spy is the one who is more likely to order a cup of tea than a martini, shaken, stirred or otherwise!

Book Club: Francesca Freeman, 22, archaeology student

Written by Phoebe Chambre on . Posted in Books.

Book Club: Hi Fran, what are you reading?
FF: I’m currently reading two books, The Life of Pi by Yann Martel and Nelson Mandela’s autobiography, The Long Walk to Freedom.

Why are you reading it/them?
The Nelson Mandela because I’ve had it for a really long time and I’ve always meant to read it; I’m now taking two modules this term associated with the slave trade and Africa and I thought it would tie in quite well.
I’ve read The Life of Pi before, and I’m actually reading it with my boyfriend. It’s a bedtime read. We take turns reading a chapter aloud.

How lovely. The Life of Pi’s a strange breed of ‘fantasy’ fiction, right?
Yeah I like things like, things like Game of Thrones. I love things that form complete worlds you can put yourself into. I like the everyday stuff as well. But if it’s everyday the book kind of has to work harder to capture your attention.

Do you think it’s therefore more difficult for realistic books to be successful, because, like fantasy genres, you have to believe in them, but they are tied to a reality that we all know and experience?
Yes, in some ways. I think everyday books depend on a lot of investment in the characters on the part of the reader. For instance I never invested in the characters in Wuthering Heights. Whereas in Jane Eyre I completely identified with the characters, despite the story being really extreme. So in that respect you have to have a deep investment in the characters, regardless of the genre or the setting.

I would have to agree that there are so many ‘realistic’ fiction books that are just unbearably bad, because you have to find that balance between a captivating story and an accurate portrayal of reality. In that sense, it really has to reflect the reality of the reader, for you to be able to invest in them.

Yeah, I think I know what you mean. I’m reading short stories by Miranda July at the moment, and the stories don’t confine themselves to realism, in the sense of completely realistic depictions. But still you somehow really understand the stories on some kind of deeper, physical level – beyond the words and the intellectual understanding of them, which only sketch this other meaning. And this suggests that these stories are reflecting your (the reader’s) reality, but a part of it that can’t be communicated in words. I think when a story or book does this, for me this is what only fiction (and maybe poetry) can do at its best. And it’s both unsettling and satisfying.
Well, it still comes back to the characters, for me. I have to associate with a character, and that’s the only way I can enjoy a book. Wuthering Heights is the perfect example of that. I didn’t identify with any of the characters, so I can’t appreciate it at all, not on any level. I want to be absorbed by a book.

I agree. I want to be completely compelled by a book, for reasons that I don’t necessarily understand.
I haven’t read stuff in ages, though. Because I’m always reading uni stuff, it’s just not a break.

I know, it’s terrible. OK, real question now. Paperback or e-book?
Paperback! I have a strong hate of ‘e-readers’. I basically think that they are wrong and unnecessary, and completely take away from the experience of reading. They’re not physical. And you need a physical connection to the story; turning the pages is a big part of reading.

I know, I feel like e-readers are the buyable sign that we’ve taken a wrong turn and it’s too late, we’ve now destroyed everything good about the world. But I don’t allow myself to say this, for some reason I force myself be moderate and say things like ‘well, they’re good for old people’, and people with bad backs. But if you don’t endorse them at all, do you allow yourself to buy any books on Amazon?
No, I don’t buy any books on Amazon.

Really?
Yes, why so surprised?
Ok, well I have bought a couple of course books. But I draw the line at ‘pleasure’ books. I tend to buy them at charity shops.

I like the idea that buying some physically is so dependent on chance. If you buy something in a charity shop or even a small bookshop you are reliant on their selection, and on stumbling across things.
Yeah, Amazon is really the death of browsing. I only go there if I need something specific.

Do the books that you’re currently reading come anywhere near making your Top 10 desert island books?
I remember Life of Pi being really good, but it’s a bit disappointing second time around, possibly because I’m reading it aloud rather than in my own head.

What are you going to read next? Do you have a list of classics that you feel almost morally obligated to read? I’ve never read any Dickens and this is the source of a real sense of failure.
No, I literally just look at the back of the book. I really don’t like reading stuff just because there’s loads of hype about it. It’s almost always a mistake. That happened with 50 Shades of Grey, and One Day.

Yeah but those two books were hardly meant to be classics, most of the ‘hype’ was about how terrible they are.
I know, but they were still disappointing. The same thing happened with Atomised, that Michel Houellebecq book that I read because a friend recommended it. I just like to come across books, and then my reading list is just my bookshelf. I’m working my way across it.

The ‘Argo’-naut

Written by Sophie James on . Posted in Film.

Ben Affleck is a case of the child star made good. Starting his working life on PBS’ children’s series The Voyage of Mimi his career since has been filled with ups and downs but has seen him become one of the few to conquer within the three main disciplines of film-making: screenplay, acting and directing.

Having acted in various TV shows, as well as directing his first short, the curiously named I Killed My Lesbian Wife, Hung Her on a Meat Hook, and Now I Have a Three-Picture Deal at Disney (1993), it wasn’t until 1997 that Affleck was plunged into the critical spotlight with his stunning screenplay debut: Good Will Hunting. Not only did this receive great critical acclaim and public attention, but also consolidated his life long friendship with Matt Damon (his 10th cousin once removed, if you’re to believe everything Wikipedia tells you!). The screenplay was amazing and the few scenes featuring Affleck were said to be the best of the film – Ben Affleck was becoming a household name in Hollywood.

As an actor he’s done some good things – Shakespeare In Love, Daredevil and the cult-classic Dazed and Confused to name a few – but he’s also had disasters, plumbing the depths with Pearl Harbor. Despite being a box office hit, the critics were famously unimpressed, banishing Affleck into acting oblivion.

How was he to come back after that? Very easily. It seems that such blunders only caused Affleck to regroup and regenerate – coming back as director and writer of Gone Baby Gone in 2007. An adaptation of the novel by Dennis Lehane, Gone Baby Gone may not have been a box office success, but won him much industry acclaim with the award for Best Directorial Debut from the National Board of Review. From then on the only way has been up for Affleck. The Town (2010), which not only starred, but was written and directed by Affleck, was this time praised both by critics and box office. Grossing $150 million worldwide, The Town was nominated for nearly every film award under the sun.

But with all of these achievements, the best and most appealing thing that Ben Affleck has proved is that, he’s only human. No matter what your opinion is, there haven’t been many who have been able to successfully venture into, and maintain, a career in acting, directing and screen-writing simultaneously, so a few mistakes can be forgiven. To keep going even after having been frequently named  “the worst actor ever” and having endured a relationship with, and then a highly-publicized break up from, Jennifer Lopez, shows some skill!

With his most recent film Argo (out on November 7th 2012) already receiving rave reviews and being tipped for multiple Oscar nominations, could it be that in the future Ben Affleck’s name will be said in the same breath as Quentin Tarantino or Woody Allen as a multi-talented actor-director-screenwriter? Who knows, but it certainly looks like Affleck is doing all he can to beat back the critics and prove us all wrong time and time again.