Tuesday, October 14, 2014

Another play, oy vey

As if I needed another play to think about I have lately been inspired to start my play 12 Angry Jurors from Queens which I talked about back in March when I was finishing up with jury duty. Which I really don't need on top of Dark Market, my bachelorette party play and my Marilyn Monroe play. But at least I finished my Bronte play, one less thing to worry about.

It doesn't help that I end up spending hours arguing with people on Facebook, like an idiot. Not that they aren't important issues - the latest arguments are inspired by the Bill Maher vs. Ben Affleck controversy and of course I'm strongly opposed to anti-Muslim bigotry. But I have no illusions that I'm going to change anybody's mind so really these arguments are doing nothing except giving my rhetorical skills a workout. Which, frankly, I really don't need because so few people are any good at all at debating. I was arguing with an anthropologist I respect, last week, and who I assume is smarter than most people, and I was ripping his arguments (not about Muslims) to shreds with no difficulty at all. Very disappointing that I was able to do it, but also kind of scary. If even somebody like that can't hold his own in a debate, well, I guess rhetoric isn't all that important in having a distinguished career in anthropology.

And of course you do not endear yourself to people by ripping their arguments to shreds - exactly the opposite, they hate your guts for it. So all you get out of it is the satisfaction of knowing you ran logical rings around them, for no productive purpose and at the expense of good will. Although I will admit that I get some satisfaction out of slamming anybody who comes at me with a condescending attitude - almost always a man - and then I slowly and methodically eviscerate his argument - and his smug superiority. I'm sorry to say that never gets old for me.

And then on top of that there's all the blogging I do which also takes time away from playwriting - and in spite of all the time I spend I haven't even got around to completing my series on romantic comedy.

Sigh.