Writing.Com General Discussion

Many thanks, everyone, this has been really helpful. I have to say I don't really agree with Steev over the Mozart analogy because we simply can't know., where with Harris, Spector, Simpson et al, we can. Maybe Shakespeare was a mass murderer, just thinking about some of his plots suggests something dark in his makeup.

I accept completely the importance of distinguishing between the individual's behaviour and their body of work. It's a bit like "love the person, hate the behaviour". But, for me, that distinction is sometimes hard to maintain. I agree with Indelible Ink that we can't know the private lives of people we look up to or find entertaining. However, when we do, and modern communication technology makes that increasingly possible, the "baggage" starts to make itself felt. So, for instance, I'm now less enthusiastic about Mel Gibson or Russell Crowe because of a lot of the "baggage". (And I can't forgive Gibson for "The Passion of the Christ".)

Still'n'all, this has been a most interesting conversation, and it has helped me to move my position just a tad. So, thanks to you all.

Regards

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