THAT BOOK

Auckland-based author & commentator Gordon McLauchlan writes about the fuss surrounding the Kahui book.

In the early days of the telephone, Oscar Wilde was asked to comment on the social value of the new technology. He replied that it depended what was said on it.

I think we can now claim the same of the online social media --that its value depends entirely on what messages it carries.

It may help rally protestors to gather in Iran, or put pressure on the despots in Burma.

Or it may be used to rally mindless masses in New Zealand to ban a book they’ve not read, thus ensuring it will sell many many thousands more copies than if they had kept quiet.

Booksellers are entitled to stock Ian Wishart’s book on Macsyna King, or not, but the idea that they may be boycotted for doing so should be anathema in a free society.

Given the author and publisher it is almost certainly an appalling, tasteless and intellectually bankrupt book, but as long as it doesn’t break the law that will be for readers to decide. (I hope they’re up to it.)

Television and the print journalists failed for about twenty-four hours to manage solid stories on what was going on – and, more importantly, why. Radio New Zealand did best, as usual, in exploring the issues but why these social media hordes want to block the sale remained obscure this afternoon.

Well, I suppose we can assume they don’t have a reason at all, just a stupid, neurotic seizure.

It is, sadly, a very Kiwi response to dreadful social tragedies like child abuse. Don’t state your case and rationally and determinedly monitor Government and their agencies to explore the true causes and to pour resources into helping us all to curb it; just run around in circles and scream and wring your hands.