Gabo: Creation of Gabriel Garcia Marquez

I missed this until just now, WV. Still have about 20 minutes left. Fascinating.

I read several of Garcia Marquez’s novels when I was younger, and some of his short stories, but never really delved into his politics. Of course, in general, most of the writers of the Latin American “Boom” period were leftists, but there were exceptions. Some of them moved across the spectrum over time, too, usually from left to right, unfortunately. I think (but am not sure) that was the case for Octavio Paz and Mario Vargas Llosa, whom I met at a book-signing years and years ago. Though Jorge Luis Borges, if memory serves, remained a conservative, but was basically “apolitical” for the most part.

It’s interesting that most of them could retain their friendships, despite major political differences. I imagine that would not be the case if they were coming of age today.

Thanks for posting this.

The problem/dynamic Marquez had, as laid out in that vid, fascinates me.

I see that issue play out all the time among leftists all over the internet.

I had a short exchange with Caitlin Johnstone on twitter about this topic.

And i got booted off an old british message board (the Lifeboat) because

of this ‘issue’ — Ie., do you refrain from criticizing Castro, Hugo Chavez, Lenin etc (or in my case Assad)

because ‘any’ criticism will just be used by the Capitalist-West to further its biosphere-killing-agenda. In the case of Marquez, he genuinely liked Castro as a friend, but he didnt like the authoritarian stuff. But he chose NOT to criticize Castro because, as he noted it would be used by the West against socialism. The other approach is just to ‘tell the truth’ however you see it.

I go back and forth on this. Its not an easy answer for me. Used to be easy, but I’m not sure anymore. I used to think “just call it like you see it” — but now, I think that may be similar to people saying “I’m color-blind” etc.

I dunno.

 

wv

Orwell was pretty consistent on just telling the truth. Camus as well. I know you know all of this . . . but, they both were lifelong leftists, who often directed their critique at the left. I admire the hell out of both of them for their willingness to suffer ostracism in the service of the truth. But, as you mention, it does come with a ton of drawbacks.

For instance, to this day, conservatives try to use Orwell as a sword and a wedge against the left, most of them, no doubt, not knowing he was a diehard socialist. They assume he wrote Animal Farm, for instance, as a blast against socialism. Nope. He wrote that parable as a description and warning of its betrayal, and the perversely powerful lure of capitalism. Orwell, like Chomsky, consistently said the USSR was never socialist . . .

Anyway, I think today’s context is far more complicated than the WWII era, and the pre- and early post-war years. More stuff is flying at us, from all angles, and it’s tougher to sift through the fog. Navigating this, I imagine, is far more difficult than it was for Garcia Marquez, and I suspect he had it easier than Orwell, Camus, Malraux, and leftists from around the globe in that time frame.