Zadie Smith rejects the claim that a president with a two-sided voice might be a good one with the argument for poets. The difference between the poet and president is that while the current president (Obama) might have two voices and duality, poets embody many voices and personas. Therefore the poets surpass the president through the use of imagination. Smith states, "[The republic of imagination] is the only land of perfect freedom. Presidents, as a breed, tend to dismiss this land, thinking it has nothing to teach them. If this new president turns out to be different, then writers will count their blessings..." (193) While great presidents can be good by seeing two sides of an issue, poets can see all angles and so would make a better president.
Thank you for your post..
ReplyDeleteI like what you have to say, that "poets would make better presidents"
Because I do think it takes a multi-perspective perceiving person to run a country as cultural as america. You really have to know all sides and be able to appeal to each in their own way.