A reader asks Matt whether he believes artists—and people in general—should be the squeaky wheel that hopefully gets the grease, or should instead speak softly but carry a big stick.

Matt responds:

I think we should do what we feel we should do.  Some people should keep their mouths shut; others should let all guns fly.  There are enough tensions in the world without putting more tensions on us.  Even those who keep their mouth shut should occasionally blurt out what they really think—and if people don’t like it, then that’s just tough shit.

People who always say what they’re thinking will either be known as blowhards, idiots, or sages.

We are not clones.  It comes down to personal style.  In some cultures, belching at the dinner table is looked on as a great compliment; in others, it’s a terrible thing to do.  It probably depends on the culture and how it’s perceived.

We know all that whether we want to rub other people’s noses in our beliefs, or conform to their beliefs to varying extents, is a matter of personal taste and conviction.  If we go against the status quo, we then become counter-cultural.

I don’t think anyone strives to be the village idiot.  It was formalized in old times that the court jester was the one given the liberty to criticize the king, the spiritual leaders, the great educators.  The jester had the liberty to do and say anything.  It probably brought balance back into a very rigid, structured society.

I remember in the TV movie Shogun, the main character had hung a goose up so the blood could be drained out, and it could be cooked afterwards.  One of the so-called peasants was designated to take it down and dispose of it.  That was a capital offense.  I suppose he died happily.  But it seemed very brutal to me at the time:  how structured a society can become when the sanctity of life is given up for such trivial nuances.

I suppose the how we react is important, but I think how we react should be how we react.  Must we always react in the way we are expected to?  I always call that the “fart in church” syndrome.  It’s always unexpected, fun, and out of context.

Matt