Some time in the last century when I was studying English, there was something called exegesis; this was explained to me as the difficulty of separating the writer from his or her work, or the actor from his or her political opinions.
So it came as a terrible shock to me to discover that political beliefs with which I did not agree, were in fact cherished opinions by actors or artists whose work I liked.
But gradually I have come to believe that it is increasingly difficult to divorce the work from the man (or person). So I have watched this unfolding saga of Ken Loach and his films with some curiosity.
To recap: Mr Loach, who has a well-established cultural reputation for his film work, does not care for Israel. He expresses this animosity by appointing himself as the spokesman for all right-thinking people in the film world, urging them to boycott the screening of Israeli films and urging film festivals to stop celebrating Israeli films.
In return, Nurit Shani, the chief executive of Israel's main distribution company, Lev Films, announced at the Haifa Film Festival that all profits from the screening of Mr Loach's films in Israel would go to the promotion of Israeli cinema. The biter bit, you might think.
I have a much simpler solution. I won't go and see Mr Loach's film, Looking for Eric, although I believe it is a well-made comedy. I just can't bring myself to put money in Mr Loach's pocket.
Similarly, I have a feeling of nausea when I read the near-universal praise of Roald Dahl, whose story, Fantastic Mr Fox, has just been made into a well-received film. Roald Dahl was someone who, shall we say, disliked Jews more than absolutely necessary. I daresay, therefore, that the Dahl estate will live without my few quid to go and see his film.
This is not a boycott. I don't believe in boycotts. This is my personal choice. Sometimes it is worth remembering who is the brain behind the hand.