Post AlRHBA5GqM2JV4hcEy by tomjennings@tldr.nettime.org
(DIR) More posts by tomjennings@tldr.nettime.org
(DIR) Post #AlRF8qpDHF9HHXxiUq by mekkaokereke@hachyderm.io
2024-08-28T21:32:50Z
0 likes, 1 repeats
🤔 Fascists love Star Wars. Even though the whole point of Star Wars is that fascists suck, and that the universe would be better without them.🤔 Billionaires love Star Trek. Even though the whole point of Star Trek is that billionaires suck, and that the universe would be better off without them, and that once we get universal basic income and solve SF homelessness, and end the very concept of billionaire, humanity will usher in a real age of technological advancement.
(DIR) Post #AlRHB9MFXk1XFRdf4C by schoeppl@mastodon.social
2024-08-28T21:47:42Z
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@mekkaokereke The sociology of either probably fades into the background for guys that just *really* want to identify with the hyperagential, competent, charismatic and powerful people (men) shaping the fate of the galaxy and "getting shit done".
(DIR) Post #AlRHBA5GqM2JV4hcEy by tomjennings@tldr.nettime.org
2024-08-28T22:01:03Z
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@schoeppl @mekkaokereke People see what they want to see, what they were trained to see.
(DIR) Post #AlSraZRzSYj2v7hkYK by ricci@discuss.systems
2024-08-29T00:53:50Z
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@mekkaokereke Lindsay Ellis did a great video essay about Mel Brooks, and the part that has stuck with me was her discussion of American History X and The Producers. Both are anti Nazi movies, but Nazis love American History X because it makes them look cool and dangerous. Nobody plays "Springtime For Hitler" at their Nazi rallies because it would just make them look silly, there's no way to transmute it into "dangerous"[edit: since some people are boosting this, I better link the video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=62cPPSyoQkE ]
(DIR) Post #AlSraa0NOiEOdlnD9M by mekkaokereke@hachyderm.io
2024-08-29T03:47:22Z
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@ricci American History X is a terrible film if its objective is to speak against racism. If I were a young white man and I watched American History X, and I believed its portrayals of Black folk? I'd feel more justified in my racism.Black people murdered his dad, a hard working fireman. Then tried to steal his stuff. Then murdered his brother in school. But we're not supposed to be racist because it's wrong. We're not supposed to be strong in a cruel world. That messaging doesn't work.1/N
(DIR) Post #AlSraaguqYG6lhhBSK by mekkaokereke@hachyderm.io
2024-08-29T03:50:21Z
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@ricci The reality is that the portrayals of Black people in that movie were trash.The total number of times in US history that a Black student has shown up to a school with a gun and shot a white student, are astronomically low. That's not a thing that happens. It's a thing that racist 2A gun nuts pretend happens.The portrayal of Black people as violent, stupid, or hapless, is a big problem.I hated that movie, and was not surprised that it recruited more nazis.2/2
(DIR) Post #AlSrabC6yZDEKSI652 by billiglarper@rollenspiel.social
2024-08-29T09:35:59Z
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@mekkaokereke @ricci Thanks for your perspective, even though I disagree.The general point of contention seems to be how relatable the bad guy and his motivation should be. In the end that probably comes down to how much you trust the viewer.It's tempting to present fascists as clowns or monsters. Which they quite often are. And as a tool to fight them, this ostracism is imho needed in society.But it doesn't help with understanding fascism and it's draw on people.
(DIR) Post #AlSrabmylUheAnXXXs by mekkaokereke@hachyderm.io
2024-08-29T10:35:03Z
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@billiglarper @ricci Fascinating: my critique is 100% around the portrayal of Black people in the movie. I didn't even mention the portrayal of Edward Norton or any other white character, other than to say that his motivations were relatable given the false and disparaging depiction of Black folk in the movie. My take centered Black folk.But you read it as how relatable Edward Norton's character should be, and if he should be relatable, or clownish or a monsters. Your take centered him.
(DIR) Post #AlSracLigKUZuXnHhA by mekkaokereke@hachyderm.io
2024-08-29T10:37:30Z
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@billiglarper @ricci To agree or disagree with my take, you would need to say something about the depiction of Black people in the movie. Like either: A) I think the depictions of Black people in the movie were fine Or B) I understand why a lot of Black people, especially those that have lived in Southern California and experienced LA racism first hand 🙋🏿♂️, had a huge problem with the movie.
(DIR) Post #AlSrad55xcmwBH1WQC by billiglarper@rollenspiel.social
2024-08-29T11:43:44Z
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@mekkaokereke @ricci I think I get why you are not ok with a movie where all Black characters are criminals, often violent ones. Yes, it's a racist cliché.Personally, I think that's ok in the context of this movie. But that's easy to say for someone who's life is not negatively affected by this movie.What I disagree with is your perception of the messaging. Imho it's not "Don't be strong in a cruel world, just be nice"
(DIR) Post #AlSradrf33dWbtkJ7Y by polotek@social.polotek.net
2024-08-29T15:48:20Z
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@billiglarper @mekkaokereke @ricci can you explain why the racist cliché portrayal of Black people is "okay" to you? Please address explicitly how it impacts people's ongoing negative perception of Black people. And then talk about what elements of the movie you feel effectively offset that harm in order to make it "okay" in your book.
(DIR) Post #AlSraeeE8UU72WT5ou by billiglarper@rollenspiel.social
2024-08-29T11:52:40Z
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@mekkaokereke @ricci What the movie imho does quite nicely is the construction and deconstruction of the "us vs them" worldview. It shows how the protagonists ends up with an "us vs them" worldview, how he gets dominated by it, how it fails him as there is not really an "us". How the protagonists overcomes it. And how the "us vs them" still ruins him as its an self-reinforcing dynamic.It's sometimes a bit heavyhanded, but imho it's quite consistent.
(DIR) Post #AlSragU1JPVajRhyBk by billiglarper@rollenspiel.social
2024-08-29T12:10:20Z
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@mekkaokereke @ricci And yes, the movie takes artistic liberties to take the viewer on this ride and tell it in the length of a movie. Most nazis don't experience violence by PoC. They like this "defender" view, but in reality aren't under attack.And this "the violence gets back to you" is a nice story. In reality, the nazis don't have to worry about revenge attacks. (To me, this stands out more than the location of the revenge attack.)