![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
Gore Vidal, the elegant, acerbic all-around man of letters who presided with a certain relish over what he declared to be the end of American civilization, died on Tuesday at his home in the Hollywood Hills section of Los Angeles, where he moved in 2003, after years of living in Ravello, Italy. He was 86.
-- New York Times
“There is not one human problem that could not be solved if people would simply do as I advise.”
-- Gore Vidal
I didn't really know the man and his work, but for a vague understanding that he was an intellectual warrior for the liberals and progressives. I first developed a fondness when I came across a quote of his during the pornography debates of decades past on whether porn causes men to go out and rape. As best as I can recall his quote, he said, "The only thing that pornography ever provoked is masturbation." It was then that I knew he was on my side, at least for a lot of issues. As with Noam Chomsky, after 9/11, I feel that he went too hard on the anti-American line.
I also recall the connection between him and the late Christopher Hitchens. For a time, Mr. Vidal was looking toward Hitchens as his protege, but I suppose Hitchens developed enough of a reputation on his own and did not really rely on Vidal, which churned up some ill feelings. Though, considering Vidal's prolific novels, it does occur to me that this is one measure in which it could be said that Hitchens fell short. That is, he never wrote a novel. This does not diminish his work and his reputation, I suppose, but it is a significant limitation, and maybe it was this that kept Hitchens a little humble about his accomplishments, not having any "1984s" behind his name, something that could better endear his memory to the masses and the future.
-- New York Times
“There is not one human problem that could not be solved if people would simply do as I advise.”
-- Gore Vidal
I didn't really know the man and his work, but for a vague understanding that he was an intellectual warrior for the liberals and progressives. I first developed a fondness when I came across a quote of his during the pornography debates of decades past on whether porn causes men to go out and rape. As best as I can recall his quote, he said, "The only thing that pornography ever provoked is masturbation." It was then that I knew he was on my side, at least for a lot of issues. As with Noam Chomsky, after 9/11, I feel that he went too hard on the anti-American line.
I also recall the connection between him and the late Christopher Hitchens. For a time, Mr. Vidal was looking toward Hitchens as his protege, but I suppose Hitchens developed enough of a reputation on his own and did not really rely on Vidal, which churned up some ill feelings. Though, considering Vidal's prolific novels, it does occur to me that this is one measure in which it could be said that Hitchens fell short. That is, he never wrote a novel. This does not diminish his work and his reputation, I suppose, but it is a significant limitation, and maybe it was this that kept Hitchens a little humble about his accomplishments, not having any "1984s" behind his name, something that could better endear his memory to the masses and the future.
