tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6731242543254491491.post6691387500715497263..comments2023-12-20T17:20:22.032-05:00Comments on 99 Seats: Does Theatre = The U.S. Senate?99http://www.blogger.com/profile/11955916620902994495noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6731242543254491491.post-57818066977185716562009-12-08T01:22:54.428-05:002009-12-08T01:22:54.428-05:00@joshcon - I'm with you on the nihilism front....@joshcon - I'm with you on the nihilism front. I was seriously telling a friend of mine that, these days, the best I think we can hope for is that the U.S. collapses before we cause an environmental catastrophe. It's a dark place in my mind these days.<br /><br />@Parabasis - It's not a perfect metaphor and it's not about the operational or mechanical reality of the situation, I freely admit. It's partly a feel thing, but it does hook up with the banana republic metaphor, because banana republics are inherently un-democratic, but cloak themselves in the trappings of democracy. I think if you took many of the statements made by our senators and swapped out "health care reform" for "diversity" and "taxpayers" or "voters" or "constituents" for "subscribers" or "audience" or "stakeholders," a lot of the arguments would still hold true. Many of the tactics, as well.<br /><br />I think, when you talk about suing for equal representation, even as a spitballing idea or a conversation starter, the thought of how these institutions see themselves factors in, and I think most theatres do think of themselves as democracies, with the leadership not just hired, but "selected" by the community (I'm not saying that's the truth, but that's the perception). Given that, it's not quite like working for just any company or large corporation. Not that the large question isn't valid, but that it leads into places of self-valuation as well as the reality on the ground.99https://www.blogger.com/profile/11955916620902994495noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6731242543254491491.post-40437219864390399932009-12-07T18:48:17.232-05:002009-12-07T18:48:17.232-05:00God, I've become such a nihilist. I'm so h...God, I've become such a nihilist. I'm so hurt and angry that a really nasty part of me doesn't care what happens to America. I kind of hope we all fail.(This must have been how Johnny Rotten felt.)joshcon80https://www.blogger.com/profile/13493227172042089467noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6731242543254491491.post-21763730802826145442009-12-07T17:01:33.675-05:002009-12-07T17:01:33.675-05:00I don't think theatre equals the US Senate at ...I don't think theatre equals the US Senate at all. I think your banana republic post was a lot more spot on. We don't elect artistic directors, we have no say in who they are, nor do we have any say who the boards of the theaters are etc.Parabasishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00344587527624080394noreply@blogger.com