Miklos Vamos at PostGlobal

Miklos Vamos

Budapest, Hungary

Miklós Vámos is a Hungarian novelist, screenwriter and talk show host. He is one of the most read and respected writers in his native Hungary. He has taught at Yale University on a Fulbright fellowship, served as The Nation’s East European correspondent, worked as consultant on the Oscar-winning film Mephisto, and presented Hungary’s most-watched cultural television show. Vámos has received numerous awards for his plays, screenplays, novels and short stories, including the Hungarian Merit Award for lifetime achievement. The Book of Fathers is considered his most accomplished novel and has sold 200,000 copies in Hungary. Close.

Miklos Vamos

Budapest, Hungary

Miklós Vámos is a Hungarian novelist, screenwriter and talk show host. more »

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All Comments (16)

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Yadgyu :

Freedom of speech is overrated. Governments should have the final word in what type of media its citizens are exposed to. People who are exposed to too many opinions only end up confused. Governments don't mislead people; they lead people to the right things. Why should the media be trusted anyway? All the media wants to do is sell things to people, giving people the false idea that knowledge is power. People may know a great deal but still are unable to change things. Sometimes, it's better off to not know.


Censorship doesn't cause problems, too much information does.

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Henrik of Hungary.blogsome.com:

I can be considered a fan of the author. Still I'm confused about some of the points he tries to make with this article so I will be "impolite" enough to challenge ;)

Does really freedom of speech and market economy are the ones having any negative effects on the quality of media-products? Or is it rather the quality required by the readers has to be targeted by the for-profit media? How do we tell what is worthwhile to read and what limit of "death and sex" should be allowed in media? Who would have the responsibility to draw the line?

Should we tell or force the people what quality literature products they ought to read and watch? No, of course not. Should they have a chance to make this decision on their own? Yes. Does pure for-profit attitude lower the chances of niche products (some good, other horrible) to reach the audience? Yes indeed.

But these are all trivial. Art should be something that gives pleasure to those living with the opportunity to enjoy it. You cannot force anyone to enjoy the works of Picasso if she/he does not like it at all. And in a market economy those not finding novels tasty enough and who are searching for something else (maybe "death and sex") should and will find sources to turn to. And where there is demand there will be supply. If there are overwhelming demand there will be overwhelming supply, having "unfortunate" effects on taste and demand.

So I think the question is not whether there is imbalance. There is. We should try to act not to let the spiral of self-justifying taste-formation get out of control. I think what would be beneficial if simply we could figure out a way to avoid control of taste and demand. Yes, I know I'm such an idealist and I'm proud of it. The main "catch 22" of freedom of speech and market economy is of course the tendency for opinion-leading (and sometimes opinion-misleading) media to emerge.

And finally all the described phenomena is not unique or special to Hungary (as well pointed out by Mr Vamos also). So if the closing remarks were just far metaphors about the scandal and reactions that are happening nowadays in Hungary I think the point is well made. We are a young democracy. A young democracy has traits we should be proud of and value these. But it has other traits we should realize and be shamed of and work against so when we get to celebrate the 100th birthday of our new Democracy (in about 80 years) we would find something wonderful worth of cheering. I wish I could be there with you then Miklos :)

Warm regards,
Henrik Schneider of Hungary.blogsome.com

Goateed coffeehouse type:

Ah, the dictatorship of bland taste muffles true art again. It is indeed frustrating that "Git 'R Done," the most inane and irritating phrase yet conceived in the English language, can be uttered ad infinitum across the airwaves, while all the poets seem to have disappeared...

I would love to expound upon this topic. But alas, now I must drive my volvo to the sushi and latte store. Adieu

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