William Gibson on "Toughness"

As I have remarked in the past William Gibson's nonfiction, even taken on its distinctly postmodernist terms, can be very uneven--but at his very best Gibson can and does offer an important insight, strikingly phrased.

One, rather off-handedly presented in his tribute to Japanese film actor Takeshi Kitano, referred to how toughness and its display is so often "simply the pornography of fascism."

The words ring as true for me now as when I first read them. Indeed, I suggest that the reader watch very carefully the way "journalists" use the word "tough" in referring to politicians and their policies, all too revealing of the real sensibility of many of those who not only would never present themselves as fascists, but indeed react with outrage whenever anyone uses the word at all (even in reference to literal fascists).