Marketing Ambiguities
I have a lot of ambiguities in my life. I tell my students to break all the rules, but I often find myself towing the company line. I revel in my “Berkeley days,” but warn my kids if I ever find anything illicit in their hands, I’ll cut off their limbs. My novels are smutty, but I live my life as close to Pilgrim as one gets in this century.My so-called ambiguous life is reflected in my feelings about John Lennon. Here is why I love/hate the artist:
- Introspective songwriter who wrote brilliant lyrics, but ultimately a pop star idolized by bizillions
- Gallant husband of a woman vilified by the press, but horrible misogynist
- Part of the Beatles – the group we ridiculed a “Boring Old Farts” during my days in England, but composer of songs that survive generations
- Writer of “Imagine,” but most sardonic person of his time
- And, writer of the saddest song in history -- “Beautiful Boy” (because we all know the outcome), but the man who callously abandoned his first son
There’s a new exhibit of John Lennon, the musical muse. I’m not interested, probably because I don’t want to be swayed in either camp about John Lennon anymore. He is my hero/villain. Leave it at that.
