A Response to My Article

Letter to the Editor

Criticize Celebs, But Don’t Stoop to the Shock-Jock Level
FROM READER

Pussy? Whore? Spearhole? The article “Worshipping False Idols with False Eyelashes” [October 11 issue] falls short of its promise of cultural criticism, and instead rests on the premise created by the very culture it is trying to criticize: when all else fails, say (or do) something crass. Such enthusiastically mean writing is hypocritical in that it embraces the cruel shock-jock mentality even while it derides the culture that created it. Hatred of specifi c superstars isn’t a viable solution to commercialism. In fact, it’s the other side of the same coin; the very act of arguing about whether or not Britney Spears is a whore, a degenerate, or an unfi t mother is crass consumerism no matter what your conclusions are.
The article contains valuable insights into consumer culture, but it is fl anked on both ends by more unfortunate hatred to fuel the fire, and it is my opinion that the author needs to take one step back and gain some rhetorical perspective. There are already too many Perez Hiltons in the world of celebrity writing.