Re: Marxist humoristic propaganda?

[Jukka Laari <jlaari@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

On Sun, 4 Jun 1995, Michael Hesemann wrote:

> In former East-Germany humor and cabaret was almost the only means of pub=
lic
> opposition. Maybe you have heard of Wolf Biermann, who was thrown out of =
GDR
> for his "humor".=20

Yes, and Nina Hagen - though she wasn't so 'political' (I mean, in=20
ordinary sense) as Biermann=B4 But on the other hand, she was tougher=20
phenomenon than Biermann? But more to the point...

> I think you should take the propaganda-effect more=20
> serious, espec. if you think of the weakness of the left movement in=20
> the US. Think of Gramsci`s idea about achieving an ideological hegemony.

Exactly. But I'm not sure whether it should be understood as a mean to=20
produce changes in (people's) thinking processes or as a mean to maintain=
=20
the 'ideology' of leftists.=20

And: does, say, marxist humor produce changes in the minds of=20
non-marxist people, or should that kind of operation be more=20
'apolitical'? I have in mind that british... uhh... Kenny Everett in the=20
late seventies: surely not party political person, but perhaps just=20
because of that people from left and right laughed at his crazy jokes at=20
least in our bar. Or that NBC guy, Jay Leno, does he have any kind of=20
political influence?=20

I don't know that kind of literature. If anyone has some interesting=20
books in mind then, please, inform the rest of us!

> John Heartfield or Kurt Tucholsky are examples for satiric and humoristic
> propaganda. Their heritage should be preserved and developed.=20

Yup. I don't know of english translations, but in finnish there aren't=20
much translations of Tucholsky. And in german I surely miss the points,=20
unfortunately...=20

Yours, Jukka Laari


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