Why is it that I cannot care less about “The Sopranos”.
It’s simple. I grew up in a country (then communist Bulgaria) ruled by “Soprano” characters. When I say “ruled”, I mean “RULED”. There, they were not “outlaws”. They were THE law itself.
We had this saying: “No person can be intelligent, communist, and honest – at the same time.”
The principal “outlaw” character in a totalitarian society is not the banal non-political criminal. People like me, my family, and some (not all) of my friends felt “outlawed.” The “Soprano” and “Godfather” types were political, business, military, and law enforcement leaders of that country of mine – at that time (see note at the end about today’s Bulgaria).
I proudly felt an “outlaw” exactly when I was trying to be as normal (moral and honest) as I could.
That’s something most Americans understandably cannot grasp.
I share the fascination most Americans have for the “outlaw” character in general. I totally understand why especially artists are drawn to the “outlaw” character – creativity and crime both seen as fearless transcendence of established order, etc.
But I definitely cannot get the “mafioso” types – those organized, family loving, money driven, churchgoing criminals – as cultural icons.
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Note (updated Nov’2008):
Today’s Bulgaria is a European Union member (although still considered the most corrupted member country), a NATO member, and US ally in Iraq.
Related video (added Feb’2009):
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