Theory-mongering and the holocaust

“An iron law of avant-garde art is that theorizing expands to fill a void of talent.” And when the untalented theory-mongering avant-garde approaches the Holocaust, there’s special trouble. According to George Will.

I’m talking about a George Will column in 2002: on exploiting the Holocaust intellectually.

Will surveyed Holocaust-related games and toys and avant-garde exhibits and academic theories. He associates this stuff with “the explosive growth of Holocaust studies [which] has turned that genocide into a ‘wonderful, creative teaching opportunity.’” (So such wonderfulness and creativity is tragically ironic, such “growth” lamentable.)

In the end this piece becomes another excuse for skewering liberal, facile academia, for “what hope can there be for even minimal decency and understanding when today’s intelligentsia is hospitable to trivializations of a huge tragedy?” Here’s your link to the whole article.