The Progress Party (Fremskrittspartiet) has gotten in some hot water with various novelists and artists due to their culture politics and their recent accusations that the Minister of Culture Trond Giske has appointed nobody outside his circle of friends to the Culture Council (Kulturrådet). An upcoming Anti-Fremskrittspartiet political movement, spearheaded by various culture personalities is accusing Fremskrittspartiet of not playing fair in their election propaganda (duh - as if any party propaganda in the history of the universe was ever neutral and fact-based). Ironically, the latest incident in the culture backlash against Fremskrittspartiet saw author Erik Fosnes Hansen melt down during a radio debate with Fremskrittspartiet's Per Arne Olsen and actually throw pieces of crumpled paper at him. Refusing to apologize, Fosnes Hansen offered the following rationale for his stepping outside the accepted debating practices and resort to tactics favored by elementary school bullies: He deserved it.
So much for Fosnes Hansen being a master debater and wielding the power of language and argumentation. Disregarding for a moment that this political movement is little more than a special interest lobbyist effort (and I do not write this lightly, considering that Fremskrittspartiet's culture politics appears to favor little outside of dansband and soccer), do they really deny that a certain degree of nepotism has occurred in the appointments to the Culture Council? Considering the shallowness of the pool of qualified candidates and the frequent public socialization between Giske and the appointed members, I'd keep my mouth closed. Whether it's deliberate is another question, but sheer statistics suggest that in a small country such as this, it's not possible to avoid.
What's perhaps even more interesting is that this culture mafia is directing their outrage over these accusations exclusively at Fremskrittspartiet. Considering that Venstre's second-in-command Trine Skei Grande has made the same accusations and been even more outspoken by it, that is...
So much for Fosnes Hansen being a master debater and wielding the power of language and argumentation. Disregarding for a moment that this political movement is little more than a special interest lobbyist effort (and I do not write this lightly, considering that Fremskrittspartiet's culture politics appears to favor little outside of dansband and soccer), do they really deny that a certain degree of nepotism has occurred in the appointments to the Culture Council? Considering the shallowness of the pool of qualified candidates and the frequent public socialization between Giske and the appointed members, I'd keep my mouth closed. Whether it's deliberate is another question, but sheer statistics suggest that in a small country such as this, it's not possible to avoid.
What's perhaps even more interesting is that this culture mafia is directing their outrage over these accusations exclusively at Fremskrittspartiet. Considering that Venstre's second-in-command Trine Skei Grande has made the same accusations and been even more outspoken by it, that is...
Posts
14 comments:
Erik Fosnes Hansen should be smart enough to know that if you wrestle with a pig, you will get dirty.
What's perhaps even more interesting is that this culture mafia is directing their outrage over these accusations exclusively at Fremskrittspartiet.
I think it is because FrP has a culture politic that is something of it's own. If they would have their way, Norwegian culture would be limited to football, danseband and DDE, since they do not want to support any arts at all. Personally, I don't believe that the 20-30% of Norway's population that are potential FrP-voters really agrees with that.
Nevertheless,I think it's quite cowardly of the culture nerds to direct the full onslaught of their outrage from the nepotism charges towards FrP.
In this case, FrP is the easy target, whereas Venstre does have cultural credibility. It's like some lo-rent school thug kicking the crap out of the red-headed kid with the coke-bottle glasses and the inhaler rather than the bully who threw a rock at you.
Then again, considering that Fosnes Hansen did not rise to match the debating powers of the FrP representative, perhaps a number of Norwegian authors should keep their chardonnay holes shut.
Nevertheless,I think it's quite cowardly of the culture nerds to direct the full onslaught of their outrage from the nepotism charges towards FrP.
It's actually two separate cases. The campaign against FrP by the "culture elite" isn't because of FrPs critizm of the Culture Council, but due to their culture politics. FrP basically want's to cut all funding and support to culture. If it isn't earning money from the get going, then it isn't worth keeping. The campaign was originally started by a guy in the musicans union (or something like that), the name escapes me, and has been supported by many authors. Among them Vigdis Hjort and Roy Jackobsen. Mr. Fosnes Hansen has also fronted this campaign, and the problem is that he is also a member of the Cultur Concil and one of Giske's 350 closest friends (Fosnes Hansen was on of the 350 guests at Giskes 40th birthday party. I think that is the "proof" of their close friendship). Hence the cases do get a bit mixed up.
So the reason the why the "chardonnay" drinking authors launched a campaign towards FrP wasn't due to the critism of the Culture Council appointments, but due to FrP's lack of support to culture. Fosnes Hansen is both a friend of Giske in the Culture Council and a spokesperson for the campaign agaist FrP. And is not doing a very good job at neither, hence my "if you wrestle with a pig.." comment. With no offense towards all the decent pigs out there being compared to FrP...
;-)
I agree that the two are separate issues and the accusation fom FrP is not the reason for the campaign. I probably did a poor job of clarifying things.
The campaign was ongoing irrespective of the accusations, but I still think it's downright cowardly of the Absinthe-sipping losers...err.. artists only to address FrP when Venstre has been at least just as vocal. That's my beef here.
On the other hand, I think the fact that Fosnes Hansen became a member of the Labour Party because of FrP's culture politics speaks volumes as to his intellect.
Being a scientist, I can tell you that if FrP's view - or lack thereof - of Norway's role in the scientific commmunity was the only dispcrepancy between my personal views and those of the FrP party program, I'd vote for them in a heartbeat. The fact that I'm not going to vote for them is due to the vast number of discrepancies between what I think is right and what they peddle.
If one single, solitary issue which commands a tiny fraction of the GDP completely dictates what you vote - like the merlot-guzzling drama queens, i.e. artists in the case of their livelihood, then I think you're leading a very sheltered life.
On the other hand, I think the fact that Fosnes Hansen became a member of the Labour Party because of FrP's culture politics speaks volumes as to his intellect.
Agreed. Too many voters are single-cause voters. Now there are single-cause party members...
If one single, solitary issue which commands a tiny fraction of the GDP completely dictates what you vote - like the merlot-guzzling drama queens, i.e. artists in the case of their livelihood, then I think you're leading a very sheltered life.
Slightly disagree here. If there is one issue that are really important to you, and a party has the totally opposite view of yourself, you have a decent chance of finding another party that shares your view in that case and several others. I.e., boycotting is different then voting.
PS: What's the beef with drama queens?
Slightly disagree here. If there is one issue that are really important to you, and a party has the totally opposite view of yourself, you have a decent chance of finding another party that shares your view in that case and several others. I.e., boycotting is different then voting.
Sure, but in this case that would be tantamount to stating that FrP is the only political party who wants to deep-six gov't funding of culture not spewed forth by a member of the Brøndbo family. Have you peeped in the equivalent program of KrF?
Have you peeped in the equivalent program of KrF?
No, but lemme guess: "We need to protect our common, christian cultural heritage..."
Close?
Serious, as far as I know, FrP is by far the worst party when it comes to fund culture. So I do believe those merlot-guzzling, chardonnay-slurping, pinet noir-gulping, cabernet sauvignon-nipping cry babies are on to something.
Well; just to play the Devil's advocate for a moment - a role I relish - one might say that the real problem here is that the narrow definitions of culture as portrayed by the Fosnes Hansen Experience and by FrP is that they don't overlap.
It just so happens that the culture that Fosnes Hansen and "his" crew falls within the more generally accepted stereotype of culture, which coincidentally repeatedly fails to put asses in seats.
Well, that's one way of looking at it. FrP just wants "main stream" culture. And it think in reality it is limited to Danseband and football. They actually have a video on their homepage (haven't watched, I don't think my stomach can take it) featuring Liv Marit Wedvik, Stephen Ackels, Trine Rein and William Kristoffersen (son of the lead singer in Ole Ivars, I believe).
The campaign from the artist, as I understand, is because FrP wants to cut "Kunsterstipendet", which is basically give to musicans of musical styles of narrow commercial interest, aspiring actors and authors. Which is pretty far from FrPs definition of culture worth having...
Yet "Metal" falls between both narrow-minded definitions of culture.
Yes, but that's not enough to make me vote on any of them.
..no kiddin
Me either, and I'm actually a metal fan
Now, really, listen. My predicament was this: The mighty leader of Norway's second largest party publicly accused me of some sort of corruption on having been appointed as a member of the Arts Council Norway (Kulturrådet, The Culture Council), on basis of being a friend of Mr. Giske.
Hundreds if not thousands of Norwegians each year participate in publicly appointed councils, whithout being accused of wrongdoing or corruption, and at any rate never before they assume their posts. I will assure you as to the fact that I was appalled, shocked and offended by Ms. Jensen's rethorics and accusations, and since I am not a corrupt person, these caused me to contemplate the following:
I am a social democrat by conviction, tradition and by association. Ms. Jensen would to make that into something suspicious and semi-corrupt in the public mind, without any proof of such, but by hinting to the public consensus in the media. In that respect, she has learned her method from certain American political idols of hers. I felt at the time that there is no shame in being a social democrat, nor a member of the Norwegian Labour Party, and therefore I registered as a member, and made this public the same day. Being a member of a political party or having a particular political point of view has not yet been seen as any hindrance to public service in our society, nor should they. This conspirational image of the state of Norwegian society should not be allowed to persevere.
A large debate ensued, and much to my gratification. Many voters for whom culture and the perserverance of intellectual independence were central issues, did this year not vote with the less extreme bourgeois parties for those reasons, fearing the cultural pecuniary results with a strong FRP in support of or as a part of a Right Wing cabinet.
Throwing a paper ball at the Mayor of Tønsberg during a radio debate was one of the high points of this private summer's campaign of mine, as I knew he would run to Mother to complain, and that I therefore would be granted innumeral appearences in different media to talk about the issues at hand.
Which I did. I am certain that I got my hands dirty by this, by "wrestling with the pig", on the other hand, those few thousand votes on behalf of culture might have had a significant importance.
Sir,
Of course there is no shame in a social democrat of a member of the Labour Party.
That, however, has absolutely no bearing on the fact that you completely lost your cool upon being the recipient of what has sadly become common political warfare even in Norway. Fremskrittspartiet thrives on this strategy, as do representatives from other parties. You might recall how Siv Jensen revamped her public image during debates as a direct result of other parties constantly trying to make her lose her temper.
Losing one's temper doesn't usually poll well outside of your immediate circle of family and friends, and reflects poorly on your ability to conduct a rational debate. Ask H. Ross Perot.
You claim to have done so in order to spark a debate and to enable free media exposure for raising issues. You also claim to having secured as much as a few thousand votes. I'd be fiercely interested in any data you might have to back up such a claim.
Moreover; I've watched at least one televised debate starring yourself prior to the election. What struck me as your most striking quality was your incessant interruption of the other debaters. So; hypothetically speaking, if one of the other debaters had slapped you in the face as a result of your impatience and constant interruption, only to later claim that this was a conscious effort to spark a debate around the lack of civility in the televised debates today...would you have bought that?
Post a Comment