Silence and Noise

The Contessa seemed quiet this morning, pensive. "You know what is a terrible tv show?" she asked. "What?" "One Tree Hill." "Oh, I know." "Those are two hours of my life I'm not getting back" "Nope." Then the contessa gave her analysis of the show. She thinks it has to do with Manhood, i.e. the central question is "what is a man?" She gave examples of the male relationships in the show. Then she performed a neat intellectual trick, turning her analysis away from the Freudian, the killing of the father, etc. and concluding that the "Father" in the show is actually the patriachy. The show is feminist, but a low, debased sort of unconscious feminism. "Really?" I asked. The Contessa nodded. "But I don't know I haven't really been watching it." "Me neither." There was a silence. "Have you seen the ads for Nick and Jessica's Tour of Duty?" I asked. "Terrible. You'd think people weren't dying." The idea of the Le Mari et La Femme Simpson in Iraq enrages me, enraged me. I stewed in my chair. The weight of the world pressed down on me. Is this the end? "You know what we ought to do?" "Get coffee?" "We ought to volunteer."