Pinko Magazine Hedonism + Activism

Using Pinko Magazine’s faux-patented, quasi-scientific system, we finally end to the age-old debate: who is the best of the Wests?

Is it Cornel West, the man who taught us, although it sounds obvious, that race really does matter? Or, is it Kanye West, the man who brought conflict free and conspicuous consumption together at long last?

The results after the jump…

Round 1: Personal Identity

Cornel West
describes himself as a “non-Marxist socialist” and “radical democrat, suspicious of all forms of authority”.

Kanye West
describes himself as the “Louis Vuitton Don” and “The Christian in Christian Dior”

Round 1 goes to Cornel West

Round 2: Hollywood

Cornel West
has made cameo appearances in the highly original but largely unwatchable The Matrix Reloaded and The Matrix Revolutions.

Kanye West
has made a cameo appearance on the highly watchable, but hardly original, HBO series Entourage.

Round 2 goes to Kanye West

Round 3: Controversial Statements

Cornel West
Made many in the academic community uncomfortable when, in a 2002 interview, he referred to Harvard President Lawrence Summers as “the Ariel Sharon of higher education”.

Kayne West
made NBC executives uncomfortable when, during a 2005 benefit concert for Hurricane Katrina, he said “George Bush doesn’t care about black people!”

Round 3 goes to Kanye West

Round 4: Friends in High Places

Cornel West
has worked as an advisor to Democratic presidential candidates Bill Bradley and Al Sharpton. He was also a prominent endorser of Ralph Nader.

Kanye West
frequently collaborates with Mos Def, A.K.A. Dante Bezé, of The Cosby Mysteries fame.

Round 4 goes to Cornel West

Round 5: Race in America

Cornel West
says White America “has been historically weak-willed in ensuring racial justice and has continued to resist fully accepting the humanity of blacks…”

Kanye West
has suggested that being black was the reason why he wasn’t chosen to open the 2007 MTV Video Music Awards. Kanye said, “Maybe my skin’s not right.”

Round 5 goes to White People

Round 6: Sexual Identity

Cornel West
has said in the documentary All God’s Children “We have too many black gay brothers and lesbian sisters who are suffering because of the petty prejudices that lead us to lose sight of their humanity…”

Kanye West
has said in Entertainment Weekly “I think in the daily life of a black male, we gay-bash way more than we disrespect women. We would call a gay guy a fag to his face. But if we walked up to a woman and said Aiight, bitch! we would know that was disrespectful.”

Round 6 is a Tie!

Tie Breaker: Animal rights

Cornel West
has said, on behalf of PETA “Although most people don’t know chickens as well as they know cats and dogs, chickens are interesting individuals with personalities and interests every bit as developed as the dogs and cats with whom many of us share our lives.”

Kanye West
In his 2004 song “Touch the Sky”, he says “Before anybody wanted K-West beats, Me and my girl split the buffet at KFC.”

And The Winner Is… Cornel West!

About The Author - Stirling McLaughlin is an Art Director, Designer and Illustrator in New York City. Stirling enjoys vegan baking, expensive sportswear and mustard and relish sandwiches. Stirling lives in Manhattan with his wife and daughter. - Visit Stirling's site.