June 20, 2010

Commentary-photo_3753e.jpg
(Unfortunately, not in the same room at the same time)


An interesting spectrum of opinions, given in this 1971 survey of Contemporary America. Hosted by Newsman Edwin Newman, this was actually a sampling of the program Comment which ran on NBC from the 1960s to 70s, featuring prominent people expressing opinions on events of the day. A lot of people talk about Ayn Rand, but I doubt many people have actually heard her. Tom Wolfe is still popping up from time to time on talk shows. Herbert Marcuse, probably known mostly today as the philosophical driving force behind radical Black Activist Angela Davis during the 60's and 70's, although that would be a very short shrift for someone of his caliber - but popular culture likes pigeonholing. And Anthony Burgess, best known today as the author of A Clockwork Orange. An all around unlikely bunch of people, but an interesting set of opinions nonetheless. I wonder what something similar would look like today.

More importantly, what would it sound like.

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