Readings

The most remarked upon feature of the latest Rob Ford video is his attempt at Jamaican patois, or “fratois.” But Ford's Ja-fakin’ is just another instance in a long line of people rasta-playacting. We look back at our history of ethnic-dialect humour, racial stereotyping for entertainment, and that itch to mimic.

The idea of “cowardice,” as both a military category and a moral concept, holds less water as our society becomes more considerate of the psychological factors—like anxiety—that compound our behaviour. But without a notion of cowardice, do we deserve our notions of bravery?

Godard Forever: Part One, a 17-film retrospective of director Jean-Luc Godard’s early work, begins this Friday at the TIFF Bell Lightbox in Toronto. To mark the occasion we look at the politics and provocations that were the auteur’s long-time trademark.