posted 04-04-2001 12:10 AM               

Secondly, I found it interesting that Bateman draws his own life in political cartoons. It definitely shows a different understanding of what is and is not "political." Many people think of "political stuff" as what happens in Washington or their state capital, something separate from themselves. This is yet another reason why people don't like to talk about politics. If we're going to be literal about etymology, political is anything that affects us as a community. Makes perfect sense to me. Moreover, doesn't drawing abstracted giant whales and caricatures of figures just serve to further disconnect these figures from us? The whole less human thing and all. I'm just saying.

posted 04-04-2001 12:11 AM               

That said, there are some reasons for optimism in the interview. For starters, say what you will about Corporate America calling the shots, it's pretty darned cool that a guy like Bateman makes a living skewering the actions of our government and institutions. I'd love it if we as a society were a little more receptive and responsive to that criticism, but it's a start, and a good one. Also, it's worth noting that our system and our society puts tools like Flash into Bateman's hands, making it easier and cheaper for artists to create and distribute their work. Heck, I'm sitting here in an apartment in Philadelphia with more processing power than some businesses may have had ten or twenty years ago, and hopefully using it to do some good and have some fun along the way. There's something to be said for that.