Editor,
School papers, particularly university publications, have the propensity for lewd, idiotic and bigoted content. The fine line between academic semantics and frat house humor, however, must be carefully kept in balance.
I was particularly perturbed to discover this line crossed in Thursday's issue of the Daily Lobo. I believe stupidity for the sake of fleeting fame has become the most popular and commonly used currency in our country today. Unfortunately, the Daily Lobo has supported this asinine trend with the article "Maximum mischief."
The article on Page 8 introduces us to the topic with a demeaning photograph of a young white male hugging an unidentified white female with her face cut out and the words "Your face here" in its place.
The person being interviewed, but not critiqued, in this article is the self-proclaimed Internet celebrity Max Tucker. It seems Tucker is thrilled to be a stupid, famous alcoholic and 20 years old with hundreds of sexual encounters.
Who really cares?
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The background about Tucker - in addition to the actual interview - reveals no kernels of understanding or depth but simply wallows in the joy of utter narcissistic abandon and social acceptance. The real life of Tucker was never thoroughly examined. If it were, it would undoubtedly reveal the oh-so cosmopolitan reality of severe brain chemistry imbalances.
Perhaps the most disturbing aspect about this article is that Abel Horwitz, the author, is a neighbor and a friend. When he came over to our house last week, ecstatic about his most recent interview, I had no idea what he was talking about. To my horror, I discovered what it was that was making Horwitz tick.
In light of the sheer abandon of critical thinking skills in this country, I still find it hard to believe that Horwitz gave this interview absolutely no original critique or social commentary.
By simply beginning the article with the line "Tucker Max is an asshole," the author in no way removes himself from the tweaked and bigoted values of this young "celebrity." In addition, in using the highly offensive picture from Tucker's Web site, Horwitz acquiesced to the implied values and beliefs of Tucker.
Although humor is quintessential in our everyday lives, ambivalent misogyny toward women, a celebration of profanity and supporting the base-level aspirations of an alcoholic should fall short of making news at our University.
I hope the author understands the incredible power he wields in making, challenging and supporting cultural values in our community. Horwitz is a brilliant individual and writer. However, stooping down to appeal to the masses has made him lose my vote of confidence for intelligent exploration and inquiry in the Daily Lobo.
Mikhayla Harrell
Daily Lobo reader
