Tim Blair has a wonderful dissection of the old canard about how offensive things are good because they "make you think":

A year or so ago I was in some radio debate with a Michael Moore supporter. Moore’s errors and exaggerations didn’t much bother this guy; more important, he kept repeating, was that Moore “makes you think”.

What doesn’t? A book filled with blank pages will make you think, even if that thought is only: “Hey, this is so much better than Stupid White Men.”

See? I’m a normal person. So I believe I speak on behalf of all normalkind when I say: “Making you think” is not a defence. In fact, it’s usually an indication that something idiotic is happening:

Organisers of an art show in Scotland that features a sculpture of Mickey Mouse flying an airplane into the World Trade Centre have defended the work, saying it was about "making you think".

Just like Mike: "Bowling for Columbine" is that rarest of beasts: A movie that makes you feel, and then makes you think.

Strange that nobody ever uses this line in the case of, say, Ann Coulter, with whom many disagree. Disagreement isn’t a barrier to thinking: "I feel controversial art, even if you don't agree with it, if it makes you think, it's a good thing," said Lawrence sculptor Bastian.

Even urine has thought-making properties:

And i can totally see why someone would find "Piss Christ" offending, and it's definitely not on my favorite list, but it makes a statement, and it makes you think.

All of these quotes make more sense if you replace “think” with “sick”.

Posted by John at 09:04 PM  |    |  

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