MEAN, MEAN, MEAN Article on Hunter S. Thompson

[TexasLawyer]

from the "Weekly Standard," so what do you expect? Mr. Schwartz, the author, seems to be quite the superior critic, since he can look down his nose at so much of humanity, dahhhhling.


The End of the Counter-Culture
Hunter S. Thompson, 1939 - 2005.
by Stephen Schwartz
02/22/2005 12:00:00 AM

THE SUICIDE of Hunter S. Thompson, aged 65, according to the New York Times, or 67, according to the Washington Post, at his home in Aspen, may definitively mark the conclusion of the chaotic "baby-boomer" rebellion that began in the 1950s and crested in the 1960s, and which was dignified with the title of "the counter-culture."


<snip>


Thompson had much in common with Burroughs and Ginsberg. First, their products were mainly noise. Their books were reissued but now sit inertly on bookstore shelves, incapable of inspiring younger readers, or even nostalgic baby boomers, to purchase them. Thompson claimed credit for the invention of "gonzo journalism," epitomized by his great success, Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, published in 1972. He will inevitably be hailed by newswriters as the creator of a genre. But if his work is taught to the young, it is as an exemplar of the madness of the '60s, not as literature or journalism. Aside from his own later works, including such trivia, bearing his signature, as The Great Shark Hunt, Generation of Swine, and Songs of the Doomed, of what did "gonzo" journalism consist? Thompson left no authorial legacy.

It has long been argued that lasting literature is an impossibility without imitation and emulation, and that although young authors often produce works ridiculously imitative of their idols, real writers grow out of such mimesis to gain recognition for their own, individual abilities. But who can imagine a youthful talent beginning with an exercise in the gonzo style? Thompson produced no others like him, for the same reason Burroughs and Ginsberg generated no schools of novel-writing or verse. One may go further and say they had nothing to teach the young, except to emit a cacophony.

<snip>

His enablers included lefty journalist Warren Hinckle III, who first published Thompson's experiments in incoherent "reportage" in a forgotten magazine called Scanlan's, and pop huckster Jann S. Wenner, the grand ayatollah of Rolling Stone, a tabloid which began as a pop music paper, then tried to make itself over as a serious journal, and is now read by . . . who? For some commentators, the greatest compliment paid to Thompson was the incorporation of a dishonest, heartless figure modeled on him, and named Uncle Duke (after Raoul Duke, the narrator of Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas) into Doonesbury. But that strip is generally known for its tone of dishonesty and heartlessness, and, like the writings of Thompson, seems extremely dated, increasingly unread, and finally irrelevant in its mean-spiritedness.

<snip>

http://www.weeklystandard.com/Content/Public/Articles/000/000/005/274xgjeb.asp

[punpirate]

1. Oh, yes, do let us get back to the...

... very serious business of making money for investors.

I suspect that Thompson's death will spur at least a short revival of interest in his work, and younger people will, indeed, find FLNV, and find a whole new way of looking at, for example, Richard Nixon from FLCT.

[GalleryGod]

2. But Jeff Gannon's a "Man's Man!" I'm Sure!

Schwartz is a typical RW ASS-WIPE!

[depakid]

3. Further inspiration for the "new" Golden Rule

Do unto Republicans as they would do unto you or others.

Not one of them- not one, will ever hear a word of sympathy from me- ever again. As far as I'm concerned, all they deserve is same derision they so willingly bestow on others.

[KlatooBNikto]

4. The Weekly Standard in which this trash got published, is read by who?

Approximately 10,000 readers most of whom receive complimentary copy from Rupert Murdoch.

[DeaconBlues]

5. This bastard needs to have his testicles cut off and fed to him

He has the unmitigated gall to accuse Thompson and others as being "heartless," when he put this evil bullshit out less the 48 hours after the man dies? This Schwartz character must have a big black hole where his soul should be.

[TexasLawyer]

8. but you're assuming

that he HAS testicles. I'm not so sure.

[DeaconBlues]

10. Your doubts are valid

He probably cut off his own nuts and gave them up as an offering to Newt Gingrich a long time ago.

[whistle]

6. Reading this piece, the terms jackal and hyena come to mind....

jack·al

1 : any of several small omnivorous canids (as Canis aureus) of Africa and Asia having large ears, long legs, and bushy tails
2 a : a person who performs routine or menial tasks for another b : a person who serves or collaborates with another especially in the commission of base acts

hy·e·na

: any of several large strong nocturnal carnivorous Old World mammals (family Hyaenidae) that usually feed as scavengers

[Feathered Fish]

7. More than anything

the author of this article is giving himself away as being quite out of touch with reality. I know more people under 30 that have read his books than anyone else.

[ixion]

9. it's ironic, isn't it? how the author spews cacophony

while dissing an author who will be remembered as one of the great writers of his time for writing cacophony?

This person obviously has contempt for anyone who is not an automaton.

Thompson has a legacy, or this creep would have nothing to write about.

[Warpy]

11. What do you expect from people who think "Left Behind"

is great literature?

I didn't always agree with Thompson and sometimes I was downright offended, but he knew how to use language to maximum effect.

It's somehting no right wing hack will ever be capable of.

[ET Awful]

12. So tell me Mr. Schwartz . . .

How many of your writings have become as much a part of the vernacular as "Fear and Loathing?"

How many of your writings have been made into movies.

What you fail to realize Mr. Schwartz is that when you are dead and buried, you will be instantly forgotten as a bitter, old, hateful fool.

Thompson will be remembered.

When you die, nobody outside your immediate circle of friends and family will remember who you are, you will fade into obscurity instantaneously.

Thompson will be remembered. Whether fondly, or with contempt, Thompson will be remembered. You, on the other hand, will be completely forgotten.

The mere fact that you saw fit to address his passing proves that you do, indeed, remember Hunter S. Thompson. When you die, I doubt anyone beyond the distribution area of your local hometown paper will even know, much less care.

Oddly, Schwartz isn't even man enough to include his e-mail address in his spew. Pathetic little weasel isn't he?

[Wickerman]

13. Name another '72 campaign book that is still in print?

33 years in print on a campaign book and this guy dare say -

"Thompson had much in common with Burroughs and Ginsberg... Their books were reissued but now sit inertly on bookstore shelves, incapable of inspiring younger readers, or even nostalgic baby boomers, to purchase them."

Sorry, Ass, many of the titles by these writers sell more in subsequent reissues than in their original press. Burroughs titles don't stay on the shelves. Period. They are also widely stolen. Sad, but true.

And while no fan of the Rolling Stone, I'll bet their subscriber base is much larger than the Weekly Standard.

AND, who Mr. Schwartz, would you call the conservative contemporary of Mr. Hunter? How are his books for '72 holding up? Still in print?

[SpaceCatMeetsMars]

14. It's OK now, poor little Stephen,

original, creative minds are very scary, but the bad man is dead now, so you can go back to sleep.

[SteppingRazor]

15. Don't take any guff from these swine!

I take consolation in the fact that my obit of HST hits South Florida this Wednesday, and my paper's got readership in the six figures. Schwartz can get bent.

[TexasLawyer]

16. Thanks for not speaking ill of the dead

like this moran in the Weekly Standard. I hope you'll post your obit here. In the meanwhile, here's a post I made elsewhere on DU, with a link to a Salon article celebrating HST's life and works:

*********************************

This gonzo journalist always called it like he saw it. His suicide is a real shock.

Hunter S. Thompson

The godfather of gonzo says 9/11 caused a "nationwide nervous breakdown" -- and let the Bush crowd loot the country and savage American democracy.

- - - - - - - - - - - -
By John Glassie

Feb. 3, 2003

<snip>

Listening to his ragged voice, there is some sense that Thompson, now 65, has reined in his outlaw ways, gotten a little softer, perhaps a little more gracious now that he's reached retirement age. "I've found you can deal with the system a lot easier if you use their rules," he says. "I talk to a lot of lawyers."


But do not be deceived. In "Kingdom of Fear" and in a telephone interview with Salon from his compound in Aspen, Colo., Thompson did what he's always done: speak the truth about American society as he sees it, without worrying much about decorum. "Who does vote for these dishonest shitheads?" he writes, referring to the people currently occupying the White House. "They are the racists and hate mongers among us -- they are the Ku Klux Klan. I piss down the throats of these Nazis."

That's his enduring attitude in this new age of darkness: a lot more loathing than fear. The godfather of gonzo believes America has suffered a "nationwide nervous breakdown" since 9/11, and as a result is compromising civil liberties for what he calls "the illusion of security." The compromise, he says, is "a disaster of unthinkable proportions" and "part of the downward spiral of dumbness" he believes is plaguing the country.

While the country's spinning out of control, Thompson says his own lifestyle has been a model of consistency. He still does whatever the hell he wants. In fact, his new book was supposed to be a "definitive memoir of his life," a long look back by the man who rode with the Hell's Angels, who experienced the riots at the 1968 Democratic Convention, and who has smoked more cigarettes, driven more fast cars, fired more weapons and done more drugs than most living people, let alone most living authors. But the book is much more than memoir.

Thompson has long been an outspoken and vigorous champion of civil liberties, at least since a well-publicized 1990 case in which he was charged with sexual and physical assault and possession of illegal drugs -- charges that were ultimately dropped due to an illegal search and seizure. Of course, the writer has distrusted power all his life, and it may come as no surprise that he now believes the administration is "manufacturing" the Iraqi threat for its own political gain and the economic gain of the "oligarchy" (read: the military-industrial complex).

Perhaps Thompson's most disturbing charge is aimed at the American people -- only half of whom exercise their right to vote. "The oligarchy doesn't need an educated public. And maybe the nation does prefer tyranny," he says. "I think that's what worries me."



<snip>

http://www.salon.com/news/feature/2003/02/03/thompson/

[nashville_brook]

21. the sound of hammer meeting nail's head

reptiles as found in the masthead of the Weakly Standard are crafty creatures. they are not stupid, they are scared.

the question is what on godsgreenearth did HST do that has Mr. Weakly's panties in such a wad.

HST was a liberation writer. he showed us the lizards for what they are. they were dangerous and ugly and disturbing and not to be let out of your sight.

mr. Weakly would much rather we went back to shopping and forget such things as the world and other people and a political life that can be a whole lot of fun with the right mix of drugs and attitude. then tom wolf came along and reminded us that per keasey himself, it's time to GRADUATE from the drugs and carry on the fight with both fists.

[Julius Civitatus]

17. The writings of Schwartz are no better than MANURE

compared to Hunter S. Thompson's genius.

[applegrove]

18. Where are the great Neocon books? Oh yeah - they were all written

by Disraeli one hundred and fifty years ago! Or by Hitler 80 years ago.

:shrug:

[bloom]

19. Just like the other day

I saw where the WSJ was dissing Arthur Miller.


It's no wonder the Republicans have so few artists who support them.

[lala_rawraw]

20. Wrong...

The sentiment expressed her is so ludicrous that it can only be published with a straight face in the Weekly Bullshit.

The death of a hero makes rises them into mythical proportions. Does this writer not know history, oops; I forget who I am speaking of.

I guess when Thoreau died that was the end of Civil Disobedience (cap: for title as well). I suppose Gandhi, inspired by Thoreau, left no trace of a movement when he died, and Dr. King, inspired both by Thoreau and Gandhi apparently achieved very little. Uh Huh… in the words of the great and still very much alive Bill Murray, all I have to say to this para-writer is: “moron, your bus is leaving.”

Oh, and who was that Bob Marley guy again? I think this fool of a writer is having hero-envy and perhaps realizing that his moment in time is useless and will be fully forgotten, like most empty shells are, and discarded along with the other small minds on large pay into the realm of non-relevance. Again, and just because I love Murray: Moron (Stephen) your bus is leaving…

I won't even get into the "lasting literature" hubris, given that I would end up bitch slapping him on his absolute kaka of an assessment. Hmmm... did this guy actually study lit or just roll it and smoke it?

[Cocoa]

22. Hunter's screeds were way more entertaining than this one

and infinitely more truthful and relevant.

[Name removed]

23. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[DrWeird]

24. 100 years from now, people will be reading Thompson.

While drunken teenagers will knock over Mr. Schwartz's tombstone, and nobody will bother to pick it back up.

[minkyboodle]

25. furious

I'm furious... if I wasn't so damn depressed about Dr Gonzo's passing I might be losing my mind right about now. Fuck the Weekly Standard and their Krystal neo-con bullshit money!

[98geoduck]

26. Who the fuck is Stephen Schwartz? never heard of him...

[not systems]

29. "Comrade Sandalio"

Justin Raimondo has writen quite a bit about the clown.

Here is an example:

http://www.antiwar.com/justin/j070502.html

[Jack Rabbit]

27. When they die . . .

. . . the neocons will wish they were obscure.

[BBradley]

28. Thompson is irrelevant now? Try telling that to my friends.

We're all 17-20. He's irrelevant now? That's real interesting, but not true in the slightest. Stephen Schwartz has no understanding of the youth today. You wanna know what my friends read Mr. Schwartz? It's not Bill O'Rielly for Kids. It's Kurt Vonnegut, Hunter Thompson, and Tom Robbins. We read Camus, Sartre, and DeBeauvoir. We idolize the people who stood for something. We recognize the contributions of the people who didn't have the prevailing ideals of their generation. My generation may not speak as loudly, but we're saying just as much and it's definately not what you are hearing.

[glitch]

30. Thank you for that! You just brightened this middle-aged day a bit

You are reading my favorites. True classics are beyond generations.

[TexasLawyer]

32. Right on, dawg

that made my day, too.

[minkyboodle]

34. Damn straight!

This 27 year old geezer really enjoyed reading that bit. With all the up with fascism that seems to be popular these days its wonderful to hear your views!!

[RaulGroom]

31. Swine attacking the HST?

I assure you, nothing would have made the Doctor happier than knowing he could inspire such insipid boobery from the maggots, even in death.

[RetroLounge]

33. And still I read Dems on this board looking

for common ground with the right wingers.

Fuck that, I say bury these fuckers...

RL

[SteppingRazor]

35. Here's that obituary I promised --

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=103x108507


I like it because, however brief, it's the only one I've seen that gives the Doc a nod stylistically.
Cheers.

[EC]

36. In the paper today:

"Fear and Loathing" booms since Thompson's suicide - Headline

Article: Sales of Fear and Loathing in Los Vegas and other titles by HST have soared since the gonzo journalist killed himself Sunday. Was No. 15 Wednesday on Amazon.com and reprinting has been ordered. Usually sell about 60,000-70,000 a year of that book, and next printing will be close to that total said a spokesman of Vintage Books.



So skrew you, Mister Who Ever The Hell You Think You Are.....

[BrklynLiberal]

37. Marc Maron really let this guy have it on his show this AM on AAR..

A scathing, blistering, skin-peeling critique of Schwartz and his article.