Reader says humor dilutes seriousness

Dear Joe,

I've just discovered your web site and absolutely love it. It is nice to know that there are someone who thinks deeply about things, realized what is happening to himself, and understands that everyone is responsible and accountable for his own actions. I just wish that people can be reached without one resorting to humor, entertaining headlines and exaggerations -- thus diluting the seriousness of one's messages.

I am an immigrant from Vietnam and growing up in California. I have figured out most of this stuff on my own as well (especially about the elites/capitalism and the brainwashing/indoctrination) as from reading the New York Times every day. It also help that I do travel a lot.

Keep up the great work. I am looking forward to your book.

Danielle

------

Danielle,

Oh how I agree with you about American writers being forced to use humor to dilute and somewhat trivialize the content.

The very fact that a writer must dance and clown to be heard, even by the left, says much about the jaded American psyche. The first rule is that everything must come packaged as entertainment.

So I dance. It's better than exploding from holding it all in. But I never forget that any kind of audience is a privilege, an opportunity to get Americans thinking about a subject.

In art and labor,

Joe