[HeXetic]

> Marilyn Manson famously told Michael Moore in 2002’s Bowling for Columbine that, rather than saying anything to Harris and Klebold, if given the chance, he would instead opt to listen to them, because “that’s what no one did.”

Wrong. The quote wasn't about talking to the perpetrators. Moore was asking Manson what he would tell the victim's parents, the community, the other kids at the school, and he said he would listen instead.

It then cuts to Moore interviewing two surviving kids from the school.

[kiwicopple]

Link for anyone looking: https://youtu.be/lrHFB2KP8fc?t=222

  Moore: "If you were to talk directly to the kids at Columbine, the people in the community, what would you say to them if they were here right now?"

  Manson: "I wouldn't say a single word to them, I would listen to what they have to say. And that's what no one did."

Regardless of who he was talking about, this is an amazing response from someone who had been vilified for the events that had happened.

[doublerabbit]

His music may be not everyone tastes but Manson is genuinely a decent person.

[jakkyboi]

I went back to the clip and while you are right, that was the question - im almost certain Manson heard "the kids at Columbine" and took it to mean Harris and Klebold and answered that question, not the one that was asked.

[HeXetic]

Maybe, but I don't think so. Before this interview, Moore shows a number of clips from news networks and other talking heads blaming the crime on all sorts of things -- video games, music, etc. Then later Moore interviews the very level-headed parent of a victim who says nobody from any news organization tried to talk to him or listen to what he had to say.

The idea I believe Moore is trying to convey is that news people told the community & survivors why this happened, placing blame according to their own biases (or those of their corporation), instead of asking and investigating and listening. This ties into the title of the film and the result of the next interview with the two survivors: the perpetrators were also heavily into bowling, so how come nobody was blaming that?

Manson may still have misinterpreted the question but his answer does make sense in the context of what Moore shows -- that nobody went and actually listened to the people in the community.

[watwut]

Why would you assume that? It makes no sense.

Definitely not considering history of that shooting interpretation.

[dehrmann]

As I got older, remembered Marilyn Manson, and did some research about him as a phenomenon, and in a lot of his interviews around the time he was (un)popular, he came off as thoughtful, intelligent, and articulate. And dressed like a freak, but that's his schtick.

[seppin]

Also, what an amazing power to give to someone as a reward for their violence.

[dagav]

Yeah, plus we already know what they had to say because they wrote numerous blog posts before hand. They wanted to cause as much carnage as possible to take revenge against reality.