One of the things I like (and very occasionally hate) most about being in a book club, is having to read novels I wouldn't necessarily choose myself.
Last month we read Jonathan Franzen's latest book. It's called Freedom and it's about a horribly dysfunctional American family. Under different circumstances, this is a novel I would probably have abandoned halfway through. It's compelling, insightful and brilliant, but incredibly disturbing.
I'd like to think Franzen was deliberately exaggerating the extent to which his characters manipulate, deceive and abuse one another, but the tone isn't sensational, it's matter-of-fact. Instead of outrage, there's resignation. He seems to be saying, "like it or not, this is the way things are".
In a culture where coming across as zealous, judgemental, self-righteous or interfering is to be avoided at all costs, resignation is an attractive (and easy) option.
But some things aren't OK, and will never be OK.
Thanks largely to the internet, viewing pornography is becoming socially acceptable. This may be "the way things are", but is that any grounds for excusing, let alone accepting, it?
Just as being accepting doesn't necessarily mean you're more forward-thinking than everybody else, being indignant doesn't necessarily mean you think you're better than everybody else.
It might just mean you're thinking for yourself.
Good post, Emma! I rank 'resignation' right up there with 'tolerance'. I used to think it was most important to be tolerant, before I started really thinking about where I then had to draw the line. At what point was I compromising my own moral beliefs by being tolerant or resigned about other people's?
ReplyDeleteOh... I'd love to see a post from you about when you abandon a book, by the way. I've got an idea about a post brewing, I just have to find time to write it :)
In that case, I'll keep it up my sleeve. Glad to hear you've got something brewing, but the blog will wait - enjoy exploring the big wide world while you still can!
ReplyDeleteI find I'm often resigned about things I'm actually passionate about. The problem is I feel so strongly about it, but feel powerless to change anything, and so as a defence mechanism I resign myself to the way things are. I just take the easy option.
ReplyDeleteAmy, I have that tendency too. But I think there's a distinction to be made between wishing things were different but feeling powerless, and being resigned to the point of deeming something that's unacceptable acceptable.
ReplyDelete