Comments on: A mind-dulling work of staggering PC-ness http://blog.ianhamet.com/2007/12/a-mind-dulling-work-of-staggering-pc-ness/ A love-hate relationship with humanity. And movies. Tue, 06 Jan 2009 15:19:57 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.7 hourly 1 By: Ian http://blog.ianhamet.com/2007/12/a-mind-dulling-work-of-staggering-pc-ness/comment-page-1/#comment-52246 Ian Mon, 28 Jan 2008 22:31:32 +0000 http://ianhamet.wordpress.com/2007/12/30/a-mind-dulling-work-of-staggering-pc-ness/#comment-52246 That cliche is obnoxious, but it doesn't hold through all of film history. I can count the number of films in which capitalism and business are indisputably good on one hand. Stretch it to calling business neutral, and I might have to take off my shoes, but I'd still have some toes to spare. Contrariwise, I can rattle off any number of films that portray soldiers as noble, intelligent, and other positives. I could do it without even including WWII-era productions. The soldier-as-psycho-killer is (mostly) a post-Vietnam War thing. (Even in anti-war movies, soldiers themselves may be portrayed well.) As for your last sentence... I'm tempted to ask if you were forced to view the <cite>Manchurian Candidate</cite> remake, but that's only the most flagrant example of many. That cliche is obnoxious, but it doesn’t hold through all of film history. I can count the number of films in which capitalism and business are indisputably good on one hand. Stretch it to calling business neutral, and I might have to take off my shoes, but I’d still have some toes to spare.

Contrariwise, I can rattle off any number of films that portray soldiers as noble, intelligent, and other positives. I could do it without even including WWII-era productions. The soldier-as-psycho-killer is (mostly) a post-Vietnam War thing. (Even in anti-war movies, soldiers themselves may be portrayed well.)

As for your last sentence… I’m tempted to ask if you were forced to view the Manchurian Candidate remake, but that’s only the most flagrant example of many.

]]> By: Kevin Baker http://blog.ianhamet.com/2007/12/a-mind-dulling-work-of-staggering-pc-ness/comment-page-1/#comment-52245 Kevin Baker Thu, 24 Jan 2008 04:02:24 +0000 http://ianhamet.wordpress.com/2007/12/30/a-mind-dulling-work-of-staggering-pc-ness/#comment-52245 <i>So no, I do not care to subject myself to yet another movie that portrays the desire to be in business as a sign of mental deficiency, that sees success in the capitalist arena as a sign of moral depravity, no matter how well-done it might be.</i> How about another movie that portrays soldiers as either poor dumb schmucks who joined only because they couldn't get a job otherwise, or bloodthirsty psychopaths with veins in their teeth squealing "kill, kill, KILL, <i>KILL</i>...." or, well, you get the idea. And, of course, the only reason the military gets sent to war is because of evil capitalists out to make a buck... So no, I do not care to subject myself to yet another movie that portrays the desire to be in business as a sign of mental deficiency, that sees success in the capitalist arena as a sign of moral depravity, no matter how well-done it might be.

How about another movie that portrays soldiers as either poor dumb schmucks who joined only because they couldn’t get a job otherwise, or bloodthirsty psychopaths with veins in their teeth squealing “kill, kill, KILL, KILL….” or, well, you get the idea.

And, of course, the only reason the military gets sent to war is because of evil capitalists out to make a buck…

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