this is outrageous! protestors speak out against a high school production of ‘sweeney todd’ and the principal and school superintendent immediately–wait– what? they immediately speak intelligently in its defense and allow the show to go on? oh. well, okay then.

thank you, two guys in connecticut, for standing against what an old friend immortally dubbed ‘the philistine fallacy’, that is, the wrongheaded idea that portraying is the same as endorsing. the first piece of theater i ever saw was a high school production of ‘sweeney todd’, over forty years ago. it did not teach me to be a cannibal; it taught me to be an artist and that there is a space where our worst and best as a people can be safely and thoughtfully regarded. chalk one up in the column of hope.

amanda palmer gave an especially fine ted talk about the art of giving and the nature of asking.
the viddy was brought to me by goldman sachs.
i recommend it highly, witheringly ironic sponsorship notwithstanding.