Why is he so revered in America? It’s because most Americans think that being a “rebel”, being someone who “challenges the system/status quo/the man/etc” involves making lots of noise while simultaneously being very careful not to actually affect anything whatsoever. It’s sort of a magic trick of self-promotion that seems to satisfy certain groupings of male, middle-class, educated Americans. What’s most impressive about the trick is that the conjurer is just as convinced as his audience that it’s not a trick at all.

jb says: Hi Shawn. I also loved the Natalia Ginzburg quote. Your remarks about Hunter S Thompson’s popularity are intriguing and perceptive. I’ve seen it work many times. Certainly, in this instance it’s an American thing, but I don’t think it’s confined to the States. Works just as well in the UK and the rest of Europe.