Do not make Swedish Socialists mad - Bob Dylan still hasn't called back

[DAB]

Bob Dylan called 'arrogant' over silence about winning Nobel Prize | Fox News

COPENHAGEN, Denmark – A member of the Swedish Academy that awarded the 2016 Nobel Prize in literature to Bob Dylan says the American singer-songwriter's silence since receiving the honor is "impolite and arrogant."

Per Wastberg said Dylan's lack of reaction to the honor the academy bestowed on him last week was predictable, but disrespectful nonetheless.

"One can say that it is impolite and arrogant. He is who he is," Wastberg was quoted as saying in Saturday's edition of the Swedish newspaper Dagens Nyheter.

Wastberg said the academy still hopes to communicate with the 75-year-old artist, whose Nobel credits him with creating "new poetic expressions within the great American song tradition."

The academy said it has failed to reach the tight-lipped laureate since he became the first musician in the Nobel's 115-year history to win the prize in literature. The award was mentioned on Dylan's official Twitter and Facebook accounts.

Dylan spokesman Larry Jenkins did not respond to an email Saturday seeking comment.

The literature prize and five other Nobel Prizes will be officially conferred in Stockholm on Dec. 10, the anniversary of award founder Alfred Nobel's death in 1896.

Literature laureates have skipped the ceremony before. In 2004, Austrian playwright and novelist Elfriede Jelinek stayed home, citing a social phobia.

Harold Pinter and Alice Munro missed the ceremony for health reasons in 2005 and 2013, respectively.

Only two people have declined a Nobel Prize in literature. Boris Pasternak did so under pressure from Soviet authorities in 1958 and Jean-Paul Sartre, who declined all official honors, turned it down in 1964.

Although Dylan has not commented publicly on winning the Nobel, privacy and the price of fame have been themes in his music.

It's easy to read a response to Wastberg's remarks in the 1981 song, "The Groom's Still Waiting at The Altar."

"Try to be pure at heart, they arrest you for robbery," part of the lyrics say. "Mistake your shyness for aloofness, your silence for snobbery."

Each of this year's Nobel Prizes is worth 8 million Swedish kronor, or about $930,000.

maybe he doesn't care about your dumb award, given previous recipients. and the fact that you have to bow to the king to get your award may strike Mr. Dylan as something distasteful for a free American who bows to no one. he's off doing what he loves, his bills are paid, and the seats are full. what else does he want or need?

[DAB]

Woodworker Sam Maloof was awarded a MacArthur grant, about $500,000 tax free over 5 years, no accounting required, in recognition of his years of excellent work.

that's an award i'll never win, which is fine. i wouldn't know what to say at the award ceremony. sure, i'd cash the check, but i'm not going to any party.

[Bill]

The Nobel people screwed the pooch by giving their award to a junior senator who won the US presidency. He had done absolutely nothing worthy of a peace prize. In fact, considering the shape of the world today, he has actively worked AGAINST peace.

I wouldn't pick up the award, either, but I'd cash the check.

[99 pewtercoupe]

Originally Posted by bill_daniels

The Nobel people screwed the pooch by giving their award to a junior senator who won the US presidency. He had done absolutely nothing worthy of a peace prize. In fact, considering the shape of the world today, he has actively worked AGAINST peace.

I wouldn't pick up the award, either, but I'd cash the check.

x 1000

It accomplished nothing other than stroking Obama's already over inflated sense of self importance

[Fasglas]

Seems everyone is concerned about this. Winning a NP, at one time WAS an important milestone.

IMO, I suspect Dylan may not desire to LOWER his standards.

In recent years the motives for awarding the prize have become somewhat suspect.

Choking on Norwegian Nobel Kool-Aid | Scragged



Excerpt:

Speaking of which, as ludicrous as Mr. Obama receiving the award a mere nine months into his presidency seems, the rules and deadlines of the Nobel Committee make it clear that he was nominated for the prize no later than ten days after inauguration. Ten days that shook the world! No neophyte ruler in all of history has done more than Mr. Obama must have done in those ten days to persuade the international Great and Good of his transcendent worthiness!

The prize risks looking preposterous in its claims, patronizing in its intentions and demeaning in its attempt to build up a man who has barely begun his period in office, let alone achieved any tangible outcome for peace... It is certainly true that his energy and aspirations have dazzled many of his supporters. Sadly, it seems they have so bedazzled the Norwegians that they can no longer separate hopes from achievement. The achievements of all previous winners have been diminished.

[DAB]

"hey Bob, a bunch of Swedish Socialists think you do great work"

"cool, how many albums have they bought, how many concert tickets have they purchased?"

"umm....none as far as I know"

"if you want to support an artist, you have to SUPPORT the artist. you have to buy what he makes, it's his only source of income, and the only affirmation that he is doing work that people enjoy."

(psst, this applies to all artists and those who make things)

[Jeff '79]

Originally Posted by DAB

"hey Bob, a bunch of Swedish Socialists think you do great work"

"cool, how many albums have they bought, how many concert tickets have they purchased?"

"umm....none as far as I know"

"if you want to support an artist, you have to SUPPORT the artist. you have to buy what he makes, it's his only source of income, and the only affirmation that he is doing work that people enjoy."

(psst, this applies to all artists and those who make things)

They're giving him a big fat check.
If that ain't financial support for an artist, I don't know what is.

Dylan may have his own reasons for his radio silence. So be it.

[DAB]

they can mail him the check without being so snotty about it.

[Jeff '79]

Originally Posted by DAB

they can mail him the check without being so snotty about it.

Radio silence right back would certainly have been the class act.

I hope he breaks radio silence after the check is cashed and lambastes them.

[DAB]

or maybe he's busy writing a song he can sing at the dinner. something about freedom, capitalism, the horrors of bowing to a king and the destructiveness of socialism....

[Jeff '79]

Originally Posted by DAB

or maybe he's busy writing a song he can sing at the dinner. something about freedom, capitalism, the horrors of bowing to a king and the destructiveness of socialism....

or that !

[Craig]

Doesn't it come with a $1M check? I'll accept it for him if he wants...

[Entropy]

Originally Posted by Fasglas

Seems everyone is concerned about this. Winning a NP, at one time WAS an important milestone.

It still is for the scientific prizes. Those are the ones that get very little play in the media, mainly because they are highly technical, and often difficult for non-scientific people to understand. Hell, they're even hard for some of us to understand (the physics one this year is a good example).

Don't lump in all the prizes with the Peace or Literature prizes. The science prizes are still well respected.

[DAB]

downside is that you have to be alive to win one. they take so long to evaluate a scientific discovery, that there's a good chance that the discoverer will be dead before the discovery is awarded.

[American Made]

Dylan being a user of social media and contact info etc is funny as hell. I always picture him spacing out on a porch with a guitar and some good whiskey by his side barely using electricity.

[SQUIRMIN VERMIN 84]

My respect for Dylan went up quite a few notches!

[VatorMan]

Originally Posted by DAB

downside is that you have to be alive to win one. they take so long to evaluate a scientific discovery, that there's a good chance that the discoverer will be dead before the discovery is awarded.

Not really. Here at NIST, we have 5 NP winners. All in Physics.