[LEN-E] Learning To Love Leni Riefenstahl

[Ron Koster]

Luc pointed out an article to me (off-list) which is well worth reading...

http://www.inthesetimes.com/comments.php?id=359_0_4_0_C

The author (Slavoj Zizek, who I understand is well known in Europe 
for some of his other work) makes some rather interesting and 
provocative points which I'm sure would only invite debate -- as 
proven, in fact, by the various reader comments after the article 
(also worth reading).

What I do find quite interesting myself about this article, beyond 
the subject matter at hand (Leni), is what it teaches us -- by 
example -- about ourselves. Zizek makes the point that to judge (and 
dismiss) Leni's films as being "fascist", etc. is an 
oversimplification and betrays little more than our own ignorance -- 
and then the various readers of this article (those who comment, at 
least) dutifully fulfil and confirm Zizek's observation.

On the one hand we have those readers who condemn Leni (and Zizek) 
with comments like "I could never 'learn to love' someone who made 
NAZI PROPAGANDA" (with that being essentially the entirety of their 
reasons for feeling that way) and on the other hand we have other 
readers/commentators who express a far more diligent and insightful 
understanding of Leni Riefenstahl, her films, the context of those 
times in which those films were made, and not only what it all 
teaches us about her, but about ourselves in our own times -- and 
these latter people invariably are all able to view Leni Riefenstahl 
in a far more sympathetic and favourable light.

Thus, it would certainly seem that this article -- and the different 
reactions to it -- illustrate by perfect example how "hatred" has 
it's roots in nothing more than ignorance and presumption. Whether 
the object of that hatred is Leni Riefenstahl as an individual, or of 
blacks or Jews or Muslims or "infidels", or anyone/anything else, the 
supposed evil that is projected onto that "other" is actually just a 
reflection of ourselves. Through our own ignorance, that "other" 
essentially remains a blank slate, and as a blank slate it 
effectively becomes a mirror, so what is seen in that other is, in 
fact, actually a projection of what is inside *us*, not in them.

And how often have we seen this, over and over again in history, even 
just relatively recent history! Whether it was with the Nazis against 
the Jews, the war in Vietnam, the genocide of Rwanda, or the events 
of 9/11, in virtually all these cases (and so many more), the 
aggressors' motivations all begin with "They intend to so 
such-and-such to us, and so we must destroy them before they do" -- 
and thus the evil that is projected onto that "other" is really only 
a "self"-observation, and, indeed, "self"-confession of what is 
inside the accuser's own soul, which they inevitably then manifest 
into reality as a badge of stupidity for all the world to see.

But alas, I digress (from the list topic of Leni)...

Ron ;)

Woof?... http://www.Psymon.com
Ach, du Leni!... http://www.Riefenstahl.org
Hmm... http://www.Imaginary-Friend.ca