Why do so many artists and intellectuals give support to really evil forms of political radicalism? Artists, writers defend Castro. How does one explain the shameless hypocrisy of someone like Garcia Marquez, who says he opposes the death penalty “in any place, for any reason, in any circumstances,” claims to have given secret aid to Cuban dissidents for years, and asserts general intellectual and moral leadership, but refuses to give an account of himself—“answer unnecessary and provocative questions”—with regard to his inveterate friendship and support for Castro?
It seems to me part of the answer is that artists and thinkers must put their work in relation to something ultimate to complete its significance and understand what it is. Unfortunately, they’re not all universal prophets. Most have a particular talent that consumes all their effort and skill. On other issues, and on matters of ultimate significance, they must rely on other people, and to think critically would be a distraction. Emerson observed that “the greatest genius is the most indebted man.” It is equally true that a lesser genius can be the most imposed-upon man, if he has the misfortune to be born into a corrupt intellectual culture.