Tim Minchin article in the Guardian

[hipsterfun]

‘It was unbearable’: Tim Minchin on life under Trump and the collapse of his $100m movie

The bit about #MeToo was a bit or maybe I’m feeling a bit oversensitive...

It was a bit I wasn't sure where he was trying to go with it. Probably one of those situations where it's better to say nothing at all.

I'm generally a fan of Tim and whilst I can appreciate it must be gutting to have a big project fall through I struggle to sympathise massively with someone who has a very successful career by any standards. Just the option to move your family to any city you choose for a better life is very fortunate.

Still I wish him well and am glad he has overcome his depression.

Eek, I read this and felt a bit 🤔 as well.

I don't like the metoo bit, but at least he sums it up with "Don’t be such a fucking narcissist, it’s not about you. This isn’t the time for powerful white men to have thoughts about that topic."

I generally like Tim Minchin's work, but I'm a bit wary of him. I think he's one of those mostly-good blokes who is a little bit too aware of how mostly-good they are, and so miss when they could be better.

Eg I really hated that poem of his - Storm - that became a cartoon and an illustrated book. The intentions in it were good (evidence-based reason) but it just came across as a ten-minute rant by praising Rational Evidence-Based Man over Silly Emotional Woman.

I can see why his #MeToo comments might have raised eyebrows here, but at least he's marginally self-aware that this isn't about him.

Of this moment of reckoning, Minchin says, “I guess I feel scared that I’m going to get hurt – but I keep saying to myself, ‘Don’t be such a fucking narcissist, it’s not about you. This isn’t the time for powerful white men to have thoughts about that topic.’”

I wasn’t sure what that bit meant, but perhaps it was clumsily written.

My initial thoughts on that section was that he seemed to be saying that he might be accused of inappropriate behaviour, but that seems such an odd thing to imply.

So far, the people who are falling seem to be bad. But I don’t think life is simple, I don’t think people are evil or good.

Sounded like he was worried the ‘good’ guys might be next.

He does sound nervous. But (especially having recently recovered from depression), is that just generalised anxiety or is he actually feeling guilty..?

It does sound like a guilty conscience tbh, but I can empathise with general anxiety so I know it is at least possible that he's just picked the concern up for no reason. I guess time will (maybe) tell...?

I can’t remember where I read/heard it, but I like someone making the point that women’s fear of men has made them sensitive to their feelings and behave in ways that don’t offend them, so perhaps it’s good for men to be scared and extra cautious in the interactions with women for a bit...

It does sound like a guilty conscience. Though given he had written about ending up drunk in a hotel room with a woman who wasn’t his wife, I guess he has things he feels guilty about.