I read an article about people, and their associations. It was much along the lines of a few conversations i've had with friends about judging people. The particular example in case was Wagner, and how he was associated with the Nazis. I must admit that I haven't really been well read into history and what actually happen in his case. But from what I heard, the story goes that in the past Wagner (who was a german?) was rather liked by the Nazis, and it was often played by them. Later on after the war, the Jewish community (which had been persecuted by the Nazis during the war) came to shun and reject the music of Wagner, because it had been supported by the people that had suppressed them.
Now, I don't know the exact history of Wagner, nor the circumstance around it. But, supposing that Wagner had composed some pieces independently with his own focus, and the German regime had taken it on board - then I can't see that there's anything inherently wrong about the music. Although I might be antagonistic against the regime, it logically shouldn't bias my opinion on the music that they supported. But then, comes the question, what happens if Wagner's music was inspired by the Nazi's, and what they stood for? Would that mean that it might be immoral to support the music as well? Or what happens if he never declared that the regime was the inspiration for his music, but that it was originally based upon this? What should the stance be?
In modern terms, this dilemma has arrived at my doorstep through the movie 'War of the Worlds'. On one hand, it sort of seems like a half-decent action movie (though i've heard from friends it's pretty shit anyway), that I might have been willing to see. On the other hand, Tom Cruise has been publicly supporting Scientology and rejecting medicine and psychiatry, which I have witnessed firsthand its effectiveness and logicality. So, should I be boycotting his movie, based upon his belief? Should I change my opinion of his acting based upon what he believes as a person? Am I supporting his belief by indirectly paying for his work for doing a movie that I may enjoy artistally? I still think that I shouldn't see his movie, but I not sure whether this is based on rationality, or just that I don't like scientology, and think its stupid, even though this may not have a sway upon movie acting.
But as yet I still haven't seen his movie.
1 comment:
I agree with what you said.
Re Wagner, his paternity was a bit of a question mark and he had thought with much resentment that his father was actually a Jew. Anti-semitism boiled in him due to that and he wrote, along his music, some publications/articles propagating anti-semitism. This attracted Hitler, who also resented his own questioned Jewish ancestry. Hitler had fantasies about building Germany like the Wagner's operas, he was very much obsessed with Wagnerian opera and their inflated grandure. He was such a fan that he became intimately close to the Wagner family, all anti-semitic, and used them, Wagner's music, and Wagner's anti-semitic ideas for his own propaganda. As for modern Jews boycotting, there's another angle to it, the Nazi's had Wagnerian and (R)Straussian music to be their soundtrack while persecuting Jews (they heard it all day long in the concentration camps on some days when their families were being killed), it brings back painful memories and deep hatred.
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