The event was held deep in the belly of Hobart’s subterranean art gallery, Mona, the cavernous space with one huge wall hugged by Sidney Nolan’s enormous snake mural. To my right, on a long couch on a makeshift stage, sat our esteemed guest for an evening’s debate about the representation of women in art.
Before proceedings kicked off, I checked to see that my guest was happy with where she was placed on the couch. She looked me directly in the eyes, and with added twinkle, gave me a succinct answer: “I don’t give a fuck.”
With that, Professor Germaine Greer gave all of us permission to do the same. And with no fucks given, the evening turned into an engaging, enlightening and occasionally fiery discussion.
Being on a panel with an individual responsible for writing – like it or not – one of the most significant feminist texts of our times, who possesses a startling intellect and is known for eviscerating folk whose arguments aren’t up to scratch on the facts, is equal parts daunting and terrifying.
Agree or disagree with Greer – and everyone has a view – as our discussion unfolded, I realised that there is something utterly glorious about watching someone who is truly liberated through knowledge in full flight.
Greer is capable of returning serve on a smorgasbord of ideas thrown at her. If you’ve thought about it, she’s probably thought about it more. Sadly, though, I feel that she is mainly rolled out these days for panels because she happily courts controversy. She gives good quotes, that are often far too complex for these clickbait times of polarised views and simplified outrage.
We Australians haven’t really got their heads around the fact that people can have both intellectual rigour and a sense of humour at once. Greer, who has both, knows exactly what she’s doing.
Intellectuals are an anomaly in Australia. Good ones, that is. Entertaining ones. Funny ones. Greer survives it all by having a healthy sense of self and by avoiding social media, which she calls a vomitorium. She suggests that because we get only one star to nurture, we shouldn’t waste that star on internet trolls who spew forth opinions. Twitter, Facebook and the like are just another way of people yelling at one another in the town square.
Terror abated, I walked away from the evening inspired. The discussion provided a bagload of thoughts about the representation of women in art, which was entirely the point, but also an even stronger reminder that education is power.
It’s important we foster a new generation of young ’uns who don’t give two fucks and have the intellectual rigour to back that up. Even if they aren’t always agreeable. True power and liberation comes through education. That is why it – and those who hold it, as Greer does – are feared.
Education should be accessible for all. Education is how we make a better Australia. I hope we still want that.
