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Spirituality
He's a Magician Who Believes Only in Reality
Penn Jillette calls himself an a**hole, but he's not.
Posted August 9, 2011
Most books about atheism by atheists are more serious than not. After all, religious belief or the absence thereof can be weighty topics. Not so, however, to entertainer and magician Penn Jillette, who is half the team of Penn & Teller.
God, No! Signs You May Already Be an Atheist and Other Magical Tales by Penn Jillette is a series of humorous essays about Jillette's philosophical views. (His politically-themed rants later in the book are the least funny, but maybe that's because I don't agree with them.)
The man and his personality are big, loud, smart, and extremely extroverted. He writes:
An idea we hear all the time: Atheists are arrogant and don't think they need god, because they've got it all figured out. I think people who make that accusation are confusing style with content. I'm a loud, aggressive, strident, outspoken atheist, and I'm an asshole--but what I'm claiming is not in any way arrogant. It couldn't be more humble. It's just "I don't know."
HUMILITY?
I asked Jillette why he claimed asshold status, seeing as he doesn't come across as mean or undependable. Was it to seem humble? His response:
I am in the fortunate position to have met many people who are extraordinary. You don't call yourself polite after you've met B.B. King. You don't consider yourself kind after you've met the women who did home care for my mom and dad as they were dying. You don't think about being brave, after you've met astronauts. No one is funny compared to Gilbert Gottfried. Few people would use the word "smart" to describe themselves after having supper with Richard Feynman and no one is "cool" after playing guitar with Lou Reed. I've been around enough to have to push pretty hard to even see myself as an asshole. The word to me is not just aggressive and rude (both of which I can be), but also a bit of a loser (which I also am). The word does seem humble to me, and I certainly have more than enough reason to be humble.
In his essays, the only detectable meanness shows up when he shares his devotion to libertarianism (pro-Ayn Rand, anti-Michael Moore), with (to me) amazingly shortsighted comments like "Government should do nothing beyond protecting individual rights... It does not take a village."
Still, I found this new book to be very funny, especially when he writes about his pathetic failed attempt to get turned on or get any attention at all in a gay bath club (just for the experience), or when he describes taking out an atheist-leaning Orthodox Jew for a bacon-filled meal. He has some definite (and excellent) views about Jewish atheists:
I don't understand atheists who claim to also be Jewish . . . because their moms were Jewish. That's not a genetic rule, that's a religious rule, and if you're not religious, you don't follow religious rules. . . . I love my mom and dad, and my sister and nephews and children. I identify with them. But I don't see how being identified with people you've never met because of "race" is anything but racism pure and simple.
His view on atheism vs. agnosticism is clear:
If I ask you "Do you believe in god?" the question is not general, it's specific. It's asking you to report on your thoughts. It's not "How far can your reason take you in matters of god?" it's more like "Are you hungry for some razzleberry pie right now?". . . If I ask you if you believe in god, I just want to know if you have an imaginary omnipotent friend who you really believe lives outside of you in the real world. And if you don't, let's sit down and split a razzleberry pie.
On atheist parenting:
If your childhood trust was not abused with faith or if somehow you kicked it in your travels down the road, your work is done. You don't have to worry too much about your children. You don't ever have to teach atheism. You don't have to teach an absence of guilt for things they didn't do.
He quotes someone who wrote on Jame's Randi's Swift web page: "Atheism is a religion like not collecting stamps is a hobby."
A COUPLE QUESTIONS
A friend suggested I ask Jillette if there was ever a subject proposed for Bullshit that wound up not airing, because it turned out not to be bullshit? (The controversial Showtime series Penn & Teller: Bullshit! has been nominated for 16 Emmy awards.)
We aired them all except for parts of one on ghosts, that was just too sloppy (it was shot before we really had the idea clear). It wasn't not aired for content. There were many that we watered down as we were writing (hypnotism, climate) because we learned more. There was a lot of research done during the story pitch stage, so by the time we were writing, they were all pretty well vetted.
A final question and answer:
Q: And now a psychological question: Because you're a popular entertainer with many public platforms for your strong (and usually ultra-rational) views, does that help you vent the steam that would otherwise make your brain explode at the extreme stupidity of many people's irrational beliefs? Do you take every "confrontation" seriously and at times run out of patience?
A: I don't encounter stupid people. Everyone seems smart and good to me. I've been and am wrong about so much and changing information all the time, that . . . well, there's a lot to learn. I have huge tolerance for eccentricity and crazy. I like the full dynamic of humans. "Stupid" is a word I use in jest but I rarely feel it. My dad was a patient man, and all I really want is to be more like my dad.
At times, God, No! feels like a vanity effort. His Penthouse letter is embarrassing, and the way he shapes the book around the Ten Commandments doesn't really work as well as he probably expected it to. And his political views. And his stridency. But I laughed, and I am, overall, happy that someone so out in the open speaks up regularly for a naturalistic worldview.
Jillette's solo exposure includes appearances on shows ranging from Howard Stern to Glenn Beck, and in the op-ed pages of The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, and LA Times. He has appeared on Dancing with the Stars, MTV Cribs, and hosted the NBC game show Identity.
This site contains many relevant links, as does the Penn & Teller official website.
Copyright (c) 2011 by Susan K. Perry
