Those Who Loved America
Øystein Martinsen (reader), Tom Hetland, Hilde Restad + guest (TBA)
Jens Bjørneboe’s 1966 essay Those Who Loved America was written against the backdrop of the ongoing Vietnam War and portrayed the United States as morally and democratically bankrupt. At the same time, the US had been Western Europe’s saviour, guiding light and cultural hegemon, particularly in the years following the Second World War.
This evening at the House of Literature invites a renewed discussion about the United States and its role as a democracy, ally and cultural role model. Can the US still serve as a source of inspiration at a time when the Trump administration is dismantling American democracy?
The evening begins with a reading of Bjørneboe’s essay, followed by a conversation between former Aftenbladet editor-in-chief Tom Hetland and US expert Hilde Restad, author of USA – en nekrolog (USA – An Obituary).
The discussion will also explore the cultural dominance and appeal of the United States, and whether attention should continue to turn towards the US and the tech oligarchs monopolising the attention economy.
