CP Spotlight: Timothy Sexton

Why is Timothy Sexton consistently one of Associated Content's most successful writers? Because he has talent, and unique perspective in a world where apathy is the norm. He routinely inspires other writers to take more risks, and he brings fascinated readers to AC through his articles every day. Here are ten questions for Tim Sexton.

1. You are one of the most prolific writers here at AC. How many articles do you put out per day, and how do you do it so quickly?

Well, writing is my business and unless I produce I don't make money. I think probably the key to my prolific output is a combination of necessity, a wide and varied interest, and the fact that I can compose pretty quickly when typing. As is obvious, unfortunately, sometimes I form thoughts more quickly than my fingers can keep up and the result is an embarrassment of typos. On a really good day I might turn in as many as five or six articles.

2. How did you come to write for AC?God's mysterious ways. I happened to have the unfortunate situation of being a high school teacher in Escambia Co. Florida. Unfortunate because I was falsely accused of doing something and was eventually exonerated due to not only an utter lack of evidence but to overwhelming student testimony in my support. I was not rehired despite not even being given the chance to officially make a statement in my own defense, believe it not. Just in case you are wondering who is responsible for overseeing this debacle, it would be the former Principal Nettie Eaton, the current Superintendent Jim Paul, and his underling Mary Helen Fryman. The worst year of my life eventually led to my being able to devote myself full time to writing, and it all began by reading about AC in an article about freelance writing opportunities on the web. If AC had not existed, I'm not sure what I'd be doing right now.

3. Of all the articles you've written so far, what's your favorite?Well, of all my articles published, my favorite is "Gang of Four and Pop Music as Marxist Critical Theory: A Market of the Senses." It was actually written as a term paper for my critical thought class and I'm proud of it because it combines many of my interests: punk rock, Marxism, cultural studies. (Thank you, Dr. David Baulch!) My favorite article that I wrote specifically for AC would probably be "Nacho Libre: Wrestling with Adorno and the Cult of Celebrity." I like the fact that I was able to successfully combine such seemingly disparate elements as Theodor Adorno and a fart joke movie.

4. Your opinion pieces are always stimulating, what is your goal when writing them?

I know this probably is not what people expect, but I really only have one goal in writing those things. And that's to get things off my chest. I don't really expect to change anyone's mind, but I certainly hope I'll get people to think a little bit.

5. What do you think is the biggest problem our country faces right now, and what is your opinion on how to solve it?

If you're expecting me to say Bush or Iraq, you're going to be disappointed. As far as I'm concerned, Bush and Iraq and the whole darn mess we're in now are just a symptom of much, much larger problem. America is headed down the wrong path not because of any particular party or any particular issue but because capitalism and democracy simply don't work together. They can't work. They have completely oppositional goals. Capitalism is about containing a tremendous amount of power within the hands of a very few and democracy is about equality. As far as how to solve it? I expect this may well be the single most controversial thing I've ever said, but as far I'm concerned there is only way to solve America's problems: Revolution. Until America is prepared to storm Paris Hilton's mansion and forcibly relieve her of her wealth instead of adding to it by watching bad movies and reality shows, nothing will change. And the longer the revolution takes, the bloodier it is going to be.

6. Name your dream presidential ticket.

I assume I have to pick someone alive today? Wow, hard. There is no such thing as a dream ticket in America today. Sorry, but I'd have to back in time to a Eugene Debs/Upton Sinclair ticket to get my version of a dream ticket. But I sure would love to see a Bernie Sanders/Keith Olbermann administration today. At least then we'd have some balls in the White House instead of being stuck with just a nutless Bush and Dick.

7. Who inspires you?

My incredibly smart, funny, beautiful, talented and sexy wife. My scarifyingly smart kids whose future I am genuinely terrified for. The writers of the Simpsons. And Louis Althusser whose theory of interpellation influences almost all my writing now.

8. Are there any publications other than AC where readers can find your work?

There is no particular site that I write for with the prolificacy of AC. But my work is all over the place, sometimes under my name and sometimes not. You never know where my writing will turn up. Heck, sometimes I'm surprised by where I find my writing. 9. Who is your favorite writer? Can't pick just one. If I had to take one single book with me into exile on deserted island, it would A Confederacy of Dunces by John Kennedy Toole. If I had to take the collected works of one author, probably William Goldman because he's just such an entertaining writer that you can read his stuff over and over again. My favorite writer here at AC? Brian Rice, who unfortunately seems to have been disappeared.

10. How do you feel about the personal affronts that you are sometimes faced with when someone disagrees with a particular view of yours?

Okay, to begin with, I love when my work results in intelligent intellectual discourse in which people with opposing opinions choose the comments section as the battlefield for their beliefs. That is the ultimate and it is the only saving grace that keeps me from suggesting the comments should be done away with. The problem, of course, is that it doesn't always happen. I used to be a firm believer in the First Amendment approach and leave all comments alone. But now I routinely delete or block users if they post misinformed opinion as fact, or personal assaults. If someone really wants to go to the trouble of engaging in stupidity as discourse, they can write an article and submit. No more using my page to show the world how incredibly duped by whitey you are. I get writing jobs from my work on AC, it's my portfolio, and as such I believe I have the right to remove anything that I find offensive. Furthermore, I believe I not only have the right but the moral imperative to remove information that is blatantly false. As an example, I have written often about the lack of WMDs being found in Iraq despite the fact that the White House leadership not only said they were there, but knew where they were. In response, I have gotten comments insisting that WMDs were found in Iraq. WRONG! They weren't found, they couldn't be found, they will never be found. I feel it is my duty to remove information contradicts reality because that is another of the major problems facing America today.