OSC = Oh So Crazy

It's been brought to my attention (thanks to Brian W) that Orson Scott Card, the author whom I quoted as loving Serenity in my last post, is a bigot. I did a search and, lo and behold, there's his name attached to such illuminating pieces of fiction such as "The Hypocrites of Homosexuality" and "Homosexual 'Marriage' And Civilization". Seems he's a hardcore Mormon (with an apparent, ahem, fixation on gays). Who knew?

Which brings up an interesting quandry. So... OSC and I, we seem to disagree on... a lot. Politically, morally, the concept of reality, so forth. But... does that mean I have to be horrified by his praise of a movie I like?

My first instinct was to immediately delete my quote from him in the last post, and forget he ever spoke (or, you know, existed). Since the vast majority of his ravings appear to be... unhinged.

But art's a different beast and it's entirely possible, I think, for two very different-minded people to appreciate the same object (be it a sculpture, painting, film); while they may take completely different things away from it, since what you get from an object of art is completely subjective, you can still appreciate a bit of genius when you see it.

Rereading OSC's review now, knowing now what I do about him, he does focus on the importance of "moral choices" made by the characters in Serenity, which is an obvious priority on Joss Whedon's mind. The conversations between Shephard Book and Mal, through the television series up through the movie, highlight this. So... OSC's got some footing here. Joss just needs to get Simon and Jayne hitched on some distant moon next film, and we'll see where OSC stands then.

Anyway, it's an interesting thing. I thought.