Morrissey on Guardian

[CrookedLittleVein]

The 'you can't help but feel' part of the quote is crucial. Unfortunately, people will focus on the 'subspecies' part. So, the interpretation will be 'Morrissey says the Chinese are a subspecies' as opposed to 'Morrissey finds the commonplace and casual cruelty to animals in China so bewilderingly awful and alien that he is left with no choice but to perceive the perpetrators of these horrific acts as 'other' in their inhuman behaviour.

He isn't saying the Chinese are a subspecies or even that he believes the Chinese to be a subspecies. He is only giving us his intuitive and emotional reaction to something undeniably monstrous. He is helpless to feel anything but, he tells us, and right or wrong or political correctness are neither here nor there when it comes to these feelings.

I'm sure Morrissey is only too aware that intellectually, his comments can be picked apart, criticised and even ridiculed but this rather misses the point.

Clearly, this is a topic which compels Morrissey to put the boot in and he hasn’t the patience for nuance.

Well, he never has been one to shy away from a hornets nest.

And so it begins: http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/2010/sep/03/morrissey-china-subspecies-racism

And on a brighter note: http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/2010/sep/03/morrissey-simon-armitage-interview

 

[Dave2006]

Its now online http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/2010/sep/03/morrissey-china-subspecies-racism

Dave

 

[billy scissors]

The 'you can't help but feel' part of the quote is crucial. Unfortunately, people will focus on the 'subspecies' part. So, the interpretation will be 'Morrissey says the Chinese are a subspecies' as opposed to 'Morrissey finds the commonplace and casual cruelty to animals in China so bewilderingly awful and alien that he is left with no choice but to perceive the perpetrators of these horrific acts as 'other' in their inhuman behaviour.

He isn't saying the Chinese are a subspecies or even that he believes the Chinese to be a subspecies. He is only giving us his intuitive and emotional reaction to something undeniably monstrous. He is helpless to feel anything but, he tells us, and right or wrong or political correctness are neither here nor there when it comes to these feelings.

I'm sure Morrissey is only too aware that intellectually, his comments can be picked apart, criticised and even ridiculed but this rather misses the point.

Clearly, this is a topic which compels Morrissey to put the boot in and he hasn’t the patience for nuance.

Well, he never has been one to shy away from a hornets nest.

And so it begins: http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/2010/sep/03/morrissey-china-subspecies-racism

And on a brighter note: http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/2010/sep/03/morrissey-simon-armitage-interview

"Cant help but feel" and "Cant help but thinK".Same difference

 

[Dave2006]

Armitage said Morrissey was typically and deliberately provocative throughout the interview. "I thought at the time it was a dangerous thing to say into a tape recorder. He must have known it would make waves, he's not daft," he said. "But he's provocative and theatrical, and it was one of dozens of dramatic pronouncements. I'm not an apologist for that kind of remark, and couldn't ignore it. But clearly, when it comes to animal rights and animal welfare, he's absolutely unshakable in his beliefs. In his view, if you treat an animal badly, you are less than human. I think that was his point."​

Dave

 

[Dave2006]

Morrissey said in a statement tonight: "If anyone has seen the horrific and unwatchable footage of the Chinese cat and dog trade – animals skinned alive – then they could not possibly argue in favour of China as a caring nation. There are no animal protection laws in China and this results in the worst animal abuse and cruelty on the planet. It is indefensible."​

Dave

 

[Dave2006]

The singer appeared to have left little room for explanation in his controversial comment, he added. "What are the apologists going to say this time? It looks like in his old age Morrissey has forgotten to include the ambiguity, like he has done in the past. Maybe he just doesn't care any more."

He added: "For Morrissey's hardcore fan base, no matter what he says he can do no wrong, but this is not going to make those in the media feel favourably toward him and lots of doors will be shut to him that maybe had been ajar in the past."​

This quote always rings true for me: “The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated” Gandhi

I can't help but feel that most of the world thinks the same way as Morrissey on this one - why else would the rest of the world stand by and allow the Chinese state to treat its people the way it does?

Why do western governments turn a blind eye to human rights abuses? Why do we not protest at the way the state squashes the media and free speech? Why do multi national corporations trade with them? Because they feel that Chinese citizens are not worth as much as other people - they will work for a pittance, and if they get lippy the state will squash them.

China is a global super power because it treats its own people as a subspecies. The fact that people treated like this go on and have little or no respect for animals is hardly surprising. If their government gave their people more respect then in turn the people would give their animals more respect. But why would the government do such a thing when they are being so successful and being wooed by the rest of the world.

Dave

 

[Dave2006]

On a fan's note.... photo by Jake Walters....

Dave

 

[Stanley the 2nd]

I'm glad the interview appeared on the guardian website as it saves me from having to buy a copy in the morning.

Whatever peoples feelings of the chinese and their animals, this all reflects very poorly on Morrissey. It's the token Morrissey quote and the press will have a field day with this. He is coming across as more and more bitter and out of touch with the public.

"Morrissey" and "embarrassing" - two r's and two s's.

 

[Dave2006]

My choice bits:

"Where's home?"

"I'm very comfortable in three or four places. When the world was a smaller place, Manchester was the boundary. But it's a relief to feel relaxed in more places than just one. I know LA well, but it's a police state. I frequent Rome and a certain part of Switzerland. And I know this city very well."​

Come on Moz - it's always Manchester.

He has also penned an autobiography, which he assures me is "almost concluded".​

"Will you keep on doing this till you fall over, or will there come a time when you decide to pack it in and paint pictures or plant an orchard instead?"

"The ageing process isn't terribly pretty… and you don't want yourself splattered all over the place if you look pitiful. You can't go on for ever, and those that do really shouldn't."​

The photos by Nadav Kander were horrible so were replaced by the pics of the cat.

Dave

 

[TheReader]

I thought it was very average. Bit disappointed. Will still be buying the paper tomorrow though - as a souvenir. I think the pics will be better than the interview. Well - if there are more...

 

[Dave2006]

Some links to scans on the main page. Including the silver trainers

This one credited to Jake Walkers

Dave

 

[CrookedLittleVein]

"Cant help but feel" and "Cant help but thinK".Same difference

Feeling and thinking couldn't be further apart, surely?

 

[Worm]

1. On the subject of human rights, China is routinely described by "respectable people" as behaving inhumanely.

2. Hyperbole is second nature to Morrissey, as anyone who has read any of his interviews knows.

3. Are people now alerted to the horrendous abuse of animals at the hands of various Chinese businesses?

4. Are people now alerted to the fact that Morrissey is (a) still mucking about and (b) still releasing records?

5. It was still a dumb choice of words. He has more than enough wit to have chosen a different, but equally splashy, way to convey his thoughts on animal torture in China.

But the real story, as ever, will be the idiots in the press posing as Concerned Citizens, trying to outdo each other in trumpeting their "enlightened" pieties to the world. Never any outrage about real abuses against either animals or humans, never any speaking truth to power, never the faintest squeak of protest against the vile infestation of stupidity and pornography that passes for contemporary pop culture. The peasants will always light the torches and grab the pitchforks for Morrissey, though. That's true loyalty.

 

[Girl-with-the-Thorn]

Feeling and thinking couldn't be further apart, surely?

I agree. Feeling- emotional. Thinking- intellectual. In my view, anyway.

1
. On the subject of human rights, China is routinely described by "respectable people" as behaving inhumanely.

2. Hyperbole is second nature to Morrissey, as anyone who has read any of his interviews knows

Good points.

2. Are people now alerted to the horrendous abuse of animals at the hands of various Chinese businesses?

3. Are people now alerted to the fact that Morrissey is (a) still mucking about and (b) still releasing records?

I hope so.

But the real story, as ever, will be the idiots in the press posing as Concerned Citizens, trying to outdo each other in trumpeting their "enlightened" pieties to the world. Never any outrage about real abuses against either animals or humans, never any speaking truth to power, never the faintest squeak of protest against the vile infestation of stupidity and pornography that passes for contemporary pop culture. The peasants will always light the torches and grab the pitchforks for Morrissey, though. That's true loyalty.

I can't really say anything to this except .

 

[CrookedLittleVein]

1. On the subject of human rights, China is routinely described by "respectable people" as behaving inhumanely.

2. Hyperbole is second nature to Morrissey, as anyone who has read any of his interviews knows.

3. Are people now alerted to the horrendous abuse of animals at the hands of various Chinese businesses?

4. Are people now alerted to the fact that Morrissey is (a) still mucking about and (b) still releasing records?

5. It was still a dumb choice of words. He has more than enough wit to have chosen a different, but equally splashy, way to convey his thoughts on animal torture in China.

But the real story, as ever, will be the idiots in the press posing as Concerned Citizens, trying to outdo each other in trumpeting their "enlightened" pieties to the world. Never any outrage about real abuses against either animals or humans, never any speaking truth to power, never the faintest squeak of protest against the vile infestation of stupidity and pornography that passes for contemporary pop culture. The peasants will always light the torches and grab the pitchforks for Morrissey, though. That's true loyalty.

As always you make a good point. The word 'inhumane' is regularly trotted out and nobody bats an eyelid. Overuse has rendered it largely ineffective. 'Subspecies' at least admits the recipient of the insult has ties to the human race, if one step removed. Inhumane (not human) should be more offensive, and yet...

I'm not certain now whether Morrissey was calculated or careless in his use of the word.

Never a dull moment.

 

[Bluebirds]

Raggatwin's comment on the GU blog is quite valid: "Is Morrissey's career taking a similar trajectory to Brigitte Bardot's..."

Good for him to still being opinioniated in his views and not towing the party line but to call a nation of 1.4 billion people a subspecies is a little crass! Especially in an interview with the liberal poet Simon Armitage which is to be published in the the liberal Guardian...

Still thats probably why he said it, as the adage goes all publicity is good publicity. And you know he does have a bit of past form for this kind of thing. I think it helps his self-persecution complex.

I won't be boycotting my local Chinese emporium anytime soon though. They do veggie food as well nowadays.

 

[Bluebirds]

I doubt his trainers were made in a Chinese sweatshop either!

 

[Franissey]

 

[Soil Falling Over]

We know he's literate, so look up "Subspecies":

a subdivision of a species, esp. a geographical or ecological subdivision.

SUB does not (necessarily) mean lesser, it refers to a subdivision. Anglos/caucasians (if that term is OK) are a subspecies, then, aren't they? He may have intended it with a bit of acid, but I think to get up-in-arms over the word is a bit dumb. That's how I read it anyway..

 

[Amy]

I think I should just stop reading Morrissey interviews. Every time I read one lately, I like him less and less.