David Mamet: I'm no longer a "brain-dead liberal"

I didn't even know he used to be a leftist. He reveals his new orientation in a Village Voice essay in his typical prose, digressions and anecdotes. I like his style.

It really surprises me that he has been a staunch leftist. All his writing seems beyond politics, focused on character. Everything he talks about in "True and False, Heresy and Common Sense for the Actor" seems so beyond the blind idealism of the left. The whole book's philosophy is based in pragmatism, in a no bullshit approach, think for yourself, do it yourself - don't trust prophets, demagogues, authority-figures.

Reading his new essay I'm a bit worried that he now embraces the right like the newly converted he is, instead of doing his own pragmatic thinking, which I believe he is better at. Why play this label game anymore. Liberals. Conservatives. To me it doesn't really make sense. The big ideologies are now only ghosts haunting us, infecting politics and society with a time-wasting name-calling. We most rid ourselves of them. This is one of the reasons I like Obama. He thinks beyond the divisions created by the ghosts. He is pragmatic and idealistic. As Mamet himself express the link between the two in this quote: "There’s nothing more pragmatic than idealism". The idealism of Mamet has always been pragmatic - focused on the matter, on creating good theater, films - pleasing the audience by challenging them to be their best.

Bottom-line: Even though I'm happy he is not a "brain-dead liberal" anymore, I fear he trying out for a new role as "seen-the-light-conservative", while I much would prefer him to be himself, which I find much more interesting.