Running for Your Life: Kundera Conundrum

Back in late 1980s, the glory days of newspapers, I wrote these two quotes attributed to the novelist Milan Kundera in a journal during one of my early visits to New York City, where I’ve lived for the past thirty-plus years. The material is drawn from an article in the March 6, 1988, edition of the New York Times Book Review.

“Cursed be the writer who first allowed a journalist to reproduce his remarks freely! He started the process that can only lead to the disappearance of the writer, he who is responsible for every one of his words.”

And this from the introduction to Kundera’s play, “Jacques and His Master”: “Death to all who dare rewrite what has been written! Impale them and roast them over a slow fire! Castrate them and cut off their ears!”

Quaint stuff, eh? Milan, now 89 years old, would be ill-advised to be taking out his scorn on the puny power exercised by today’s journalists. The very idea that “words” are so sacrosanct that they are deserving of such fiery defense against simple reporters is laughable. When it comes to the disappearance of the writer, Larry Page and Mark Zuckerberg have long scrubbed the writer from any lasting importance in the culture ….

Next: Running for Your Life: A Brief History …