tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19209018.post7259113689685226220..comments2024-03-28T14:32:19.334+00:00Comments on Who Would Have Believed The Singularity Would Be So Stupid?: Avatar, Multiculturalism, and the Death of the WestPastoriushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03169561459129778670noreply@blogger.comBlogger30125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19209018.post-21848371095402478892012-11-19T15:29:41.536+00:002012-11-19T15:29:41.536+00:00RatWyn [url=http://www.bootsshowjp.com/]ugg austra...RatWyn [url=http://www.bootsshowjp.com/]ugg australia [/url] ZuiVzl http://www.bootsshowjp.com/ VvuDib [url=http://www.mutonbu-tsu.com/]UGG ブーツ[/url] OdbDpj http://www.mutonbu-tsu.com/ SjoGyc [url=http://www.australiabestboots.com/]ugg メンズ[/url] UtgCxz http://www.australiabestboots.com/ PhuUeo[url=http://www.bestbootsjapan.com/]ugg ブーツ[/url] OfgTzu http://www.bestbootsjapan.com/ ObzWpe [url=http://www.bootshotsales.com/]アグ ブーツ[/url] RdlFks http://www.bootshotsales.com/ BrpYll [url=http://www.bootssaletojp.com/]ugg ムートン[/url] QbbNwr http://www.bootssaletojp.com/ LooDnvAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19209018.post-28391568751627134582010-01-09T14:45:28.034+00:002010-01-09T14:45:28.034+00:00Avatar sounds like an inflated version of what Dis...Avatar sounds like an inflated version of what Disney did to Pocahantas a couple decades back. A pretty but poisoned fairy tale. <br /><br />Cameron tried to hammer the "evil capitalists" theme into Titanic, mostly via Bruce Ismay (a sitting duck if there ever was one) and the character played by the execrable Billy Zane. (I'll never forgive him for not actually drowning Zane. Given the mechanics of that set, he had plenty of opportunity.)<br /><br />But the Titanic overwhelms everything else with its human drama, and Cameron wisely chose to emphasize a young woman's journey to her own freedom and to focus on the romance with a young man who personified that freedom. But even Cameron admits that Avatar is more about the "green" and anti-capitalist message. I'll take him at his word and pass on it, thanks.revereridesagainnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19209018.post-30855630290724759242010-01-09T13:43:42.084+00:002010-01-09T13:43:42.084+00:00By the way, the conditions described in the book G...By the way, the conditions described in the book Grapes of Wrath are wrong. A company town is wrong. A place where the corporation controls not only the wages paid, but the cost of goods and services, and the living conditions of the workers, that is wrong.<br /><br />If THAT is what was going on with Nike in Indonesia, then that is something shameful.<br /><br />I do not know what was going on with Nike in Indonesia. I have never read on the subject.Pastoriushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03169561459129778670noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19209018.post-80011887566848007292010-01-09T13:39:43.122+00:002010-01-09T13:39:43.122+00:00Epa said: They did what NIKE did in Indonesia. The...Epa said: They did what NIKE did in Indonesia. There is NO EXCUSE for knowingly paying wages which keep people living in cardboard boxes in the city and claim that's better than they were when they were starving in the jungle.<br /><br /><br />I say: We may not like the idea of people living in cardboard boxes, but why would people work to live in such a way, if they did not feel it was better than what they had before?<br /><br />How much should a corporation pay? Are people entitled to a plywood house, rather than a cardboard box? Are they entitled to meat in their rice at every meal?Pastoriushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03169561459129778670noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19209018.post-37289916117612212222010-01-09T11:10:32.021+00:002010-01-09T11:10:32.021+00:00Epa,
I am not sure what MOH stands for. And...Epa,<br /><br /> I am not sure what MOH stands for. And, you have read an account one way and I another. According to what I read UFC workers were not in cardboard boxes.<br /><br /> But, the point is not that the West has never done rotten things. Again, slavery stunk. But in the long sweep, we are a boon. And, multiculturalism's long portrayal of all cultures being pristine, except us, does our nation no good.<br /><br /> And, again, you could say it is nice to appreciate subcultures. To some extent. But, again, all totaled, the focus is destructive. It blinds us to progress and evils in other cultures.<br /><br /> I think we agree on the above, if not details of UFC. <br /><br /> BTW, if you're interested, read the account in UFC, read the pan-american dream by Lawrence Harrison.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13125582808962457170noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19209018.post-16008110865611647332010-01-09T05:43:11.152+00:002010-01-09T05:43:11.152+00:00Back on the topic of the Avatar movie, here's ...Back on the topic of the Avatar movie, here's another interesting commentary on the movie. This time from David Brooks. <br /><br /><a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/08/opinion/08brooks.html" rel="nofollow">The Messiah Complex</a> <br /><br />It talks a lot about the movie and his interpretation of it.Damienhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02691850040385670009noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19209018.post-33650519314770920742010-01-09T04:09:50.295+00:002010-01-09T04:09:50.295+00:00Medical,
What does that have to do with this post...Medical,<br /><br />What does that have to do with this post, and who among us are you calling Marxists? I'm not a Marxist, Pastorius is not a Marxist, Epaminondas is not a Marxist, midnight rider is not a Marxist, Christian Soldier is not a Marxist, and Culturist John is not a Marxist. Second of all, what makes you think any of us support what happened with the governments of those societies?Damienhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02691850040385670009noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19209018.post-31115190014106427362010-01-09T03:21:12.558+00:002010-01-09T03:21:12.558+00:00Boycott "World Cup 2010". South Africa a...Boycott "World Cup 2010". South Africa and Zimbabwe (formerly Rhodesia) have been TOTALLY DECIMATED since they have come under black rule. You clueless and delusional Marxist fools who pushed for black rule should quite literally be shot dead for the murderous destruction you have caused. http://censorbugbear-reports.blogspot.com/Larryhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12254885881347846017noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19209018.post-72272768542875799132010-01-08T21:49:36.097+00:002010-01-08T21:49:36.097+00:00@john..just do some research on Smedley Butler, on...@john..just do some research on Smedley Butler, one of I think only TWO, two time winners of the MOH.<br /><br />See what he had to say on the ground about UFC and the banks that worked with them.<br /><br />Sorry, they are not a model of capitalism. <br /><br />They did what NIKE did in Indonesia. There is NO EXCUSE for knowingly paying wages which keep people living in cardboard boxes in the city and claim that's better than they were when they were starving in the jungle.<br /><br />That is NOT Ayn Rand's enlightened self interest. That's greed.<br /><br />And THAT's the WSJ talking about it.Epaminondashttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04811906954763827459noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19209018.post-91861630408469302362010-01-08T20:07:14.483+00:002010-01-08T20:07:14.483+00:00Pastorious,
The question for me is not only w...Pastorious, <br /><br /> The question for me is not only will I plunk down $16.45!!! for the 3-D version; the question is what is the net effect of this being the worlds' most popular movie? We live by our myths.<br /><br />No, it doesn't say all capitalism is bad. But it is the ONLY capitalism within this film. It is clearly a US corporation.<br /><br />BTW, there was a book called, I believe, the Pan-American Dream. The guy who wrote it also wrote with Samuel Huntington. It went into detail about the United Fruit Company (UFC). United Fruit Company provided schools, hospitals, jobs, and a national infrastructure that no other previous indigenous entity did. I do not buy that we were evil there or that capitalism did not enhance folks life there.<br /><br />During our expansion of the African slave trade, we did harm Africans. That said, it pre-existed us as the Islamic slave trade and the British spent large sums, lives, and years, trying to put down the slave trade. We are not unique for having slavery, we are unique for having stood against it. That was a Western gift to the world.<br /><br />The film sometimes looks, my friend told me, like Apocalypse now. Again, was this (as the left portray it) the evil warring West disturbing the peaceful indigenous? The Vietnamese nearly killed the Cham people to where they now only live in Cambodia. And, when we left the place turned into a hell hole. The only reason they are emerging is because they are doing business with us.<br /><br />The analogy to Vietnam is not UFC, it is to Korea. In Korea we did the same thing as in Vietnam, but we won. Ask the people of the South if they aren't glad we won. Ask the people of North Korea if it wasn't good that we spent our lives trying to spread our values. Oh, wait, you can't speak to North Koreans!!<br /><br />Anyhow, this leftist multicultural myth is damaging. If you apply it to Islam it is very dangerous as it, as I said, justifies 9/11 and recruitment in our universities of jihadists. Sigourney Weaver is, BTW, just like the leftist professors I studies with - anti-military and so much smarter than everyone else. Is it any wonder that British university experience radicalizes jihadis?<br /><br />www.culturism.usAnonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13125582808962457170noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19209018.post-88172333027410819292010-01-08T18:47:03.914+00:002010-01-08T18:47:03.914+00:00Epaminondas,
Good point, and it might well be if ...Epaminondas,<br /><br />Good point, and it might well be if society as a whole didn't have a problem with attacking primitive societies that clearly weren't a threat to us just to get valuable resources.Damienhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02691850040385670009noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19209018.post-7998050192129740812010-01-08T18:28:53.527+00:002010-01-08T18:28:53.527+00:00In fact Damien, for all the qualifications made ea...In fact Damien, for all the qualifications made earth could be run by a fascist conglomerate like a govt-GE goop melange, or a bunch of Mugabe'sEpaminondashttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04811906954763827459noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19209018.post-42891235746358061572010-01-08T18:15:21.758+00:002010-01-08T18:15:21.758+00:00Pastorius,
I said it was a stretch to say that it...Pastorius,<br /><br />I said it was a stretch to say that it was anti capitalism. For one thing even through they were part of a private corporation, the greediness and aggression of the bad guys' was never blamed on the free market. I guess that you could assume that, because it doesn't say anything against that idea, but it doesn't really say that either.Damienhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02691850040385670009noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19209018.post-45752377450650902222010-01-08T18:13:45.959+00:002010-01-08T18:13:45.959+00:00This comment has been removed by the author.Damienhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02691850040385670009noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19209018.post-15721368350925358972010-01-08T18:09:07.547+00:002010-01-08T18:09:07.547+00:00Rumcrook,
In the real world the people running co...Rumcrook,<br /><br />In the real world the people running corporations sometimes to evil things, and they sometimes do evil things to make money, but given the track record of other economic systems that's hardly an argument agianst free market capitalism. I agree with Epaminondas. A movie can portray people, including the heads of big corporations doing evil things motivated by greed, without being in any way shape or form, pro socialism or anti capitalism.Damienhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02691850040385670009noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19209018.post-48336308088155523722010-01-08T18:08:25.026+00:002010-01-08T18:08:25.026+00:00This comment has been removed by the author.Damienhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02691850040385670009noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19209018.post-46305346465982024482010-01-08T16:14:26.242+00:002010-01-08T16:14:26.242+00:00Epa asked: Ar we the mirror image of humorless com...Epa asked: Ar we the mirror image of humorless communists who can see nothing but the dialectic and offenses against it?<br /><br /><br />I say: Now, THAT is a brilliant question to ponder. There's a book in that question.Pastoriushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03169561459129778670noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19209018.post-58464268506127032892010-01-08T16:12:20.660+00:002010-01-08T16:12:20.660+00:00By the way, Rumcrook's points are all very imp...By the way, Rumcrook's points are all very important to ponder. Great comment.<br /><br />All this being said, the movie could STILL be excellent.<br /><br />The question is, does one want to spend one's money on a movie which is anti-Western/anti-Capitalism, and ultimately anti-Freedom, if that is, indeed, what this movie is?<br /><br />I've spent an awful lot of time consuming art with this message. It doesn't bother me much. Some of my favorite writers (Henry Miller, Paul Bowles, Henry David Thoreau, etc.) are anti-American and anti-Western. I still love their writing.Pastoriushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03169561459129778670noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19209018.post-63086268183880578662010-01-08T16:08:22.567+00:002010-01-08T16:08:22.567+00:00@rumcrook, "the core thier is a message that ...@rumcrook, "the core thier is a message that the western culture is evil."<br /><br />United Fruit Company WAS EVIL.<br />Google Smedley Butler<br />So what?<br />Greed and brutality is NOT western culture but it happens.<br />Greed is not capitalism.<br />The Spanish brought disease and within a hundred years these continents suffered a loss of indigenous population which in % DWARFED that of 1346-1350 making them ours, easily. That's the way IT WAS<br /><br />You can as easily argue it takes a white guy to save the 'colored blue-ies' from the thievves and killers (who are DIVERSE, btw) as the "THEME" if you are looking for a negative theme.<br /><br />Or argue the core is if you don't have the technological edge live on a planet which is one giant net of synapses.<br /><br />I don't buy that's the core.<br />The core is Sam Worthington and Zoe Saldana.<br /><br />Is the core of "It's complicated" a vicious blast of the navel gazing american middle class, american culture, fixated on stupid bourgeois concerns? Or is it a comedy?<br /><br />Ar we the mirror image of humorless communists who can see nothing but the dialectic and offenses against it?<br /><br />NOT ME.Epaminondashttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04811906954763827459noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19209018.post-1679468615825125662010-01-08T15:55:28.324+00:002010-01-08T15:55:28.324+00:00Once again, having not seen the movie, my comments...Once again, having not seen the movie, my comments don't much apply ...<br /><br />But, you know what they ought to make a movie about? They ought to make a movie about how British Imperialism made life BETTER for the people of Africa and the Middle East.<br /><br />Everything the West has touched has gradually become better. Since we left Africa and the ME, life has gotten worse.<br /><br />I wonder how the Blue Meanie creatures in James Cameron's mind would grok that?Pastoriushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03169561459129778670noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19209018.post-84840296281984991302010-01-08T15:43:33.769+00:002010-01-08T15:43:33.769+00:00sorry epp its still upsetting to see that at the c...sorry epp its still upsetting to see that at the core thier is a message that the western culture is evil.<br /><br />thats the big lie of multiculturalism, that we are all equal, but the reality is that in a western state the cultural immigrant is considered "more equal" coddled and in most situations the western ideal is considered the defacto guilty party that isnt being "sensitive enough"<br /><br />the onus is allways on the cultural westerner to be understanding and see how bad and evil they are as the basic assumption<br /><br />also its nature worship going on in this film set up as a higher state of being and more noble.<br /><br />fuck that. I no tree that anyone has ever prayed to has ever saved a life.<br /><br />nature is cruel and all you have to do to confirm that is watch national geographic channel and watch a wilderbeast get shredded by a crock trying to cross the river. <br /><br />nature is not god. thier is no reason in it.<br /><br />western thought and philosophy has tried to raise humanity above nature because we yearned to see a life better than the cruel death nature provided.<br /><br />this film has the message that a nature worship tribal life is more noble than our western life and thats a crock of shit.<br /><br />the aztecs were nature worshipers and how many millions had thier hearts cut out on thier alters? but somehow the spanish conquitadors were the real bad guys.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19209018.post-20884207728111528112010-01-08T15:10:45.520+00:002010-01-08T15:10:45.520+00:00I haven't seen the movie, so I can't comme...I haven't seen the movie, so I can't comment. <br /><br />But, check this out:<br /><br />http://www.weaselzippers.net/blog/2009/12/video-director-james-cameron-admits-avatar-movie-nothing-more-than-liberal-propaganda.htmlPastoriushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03169561459129778670noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19209018.post-23725133301116844482010-01-08T14:52:17.508+00:002010-01-08T14:52:17.508+00:00I just think you are too ready to find offense. If...I just think you are too ready to find offense. If you want to find that, differentiate between this and Valley of the Wolves.<br /><br /><br />That is something which offends, not this.<br /><br />This is PURE.<br /><br />PURE FICTION.Epaminondashttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04811906954763827459noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19209018.post-11018793272767901222010-01-08T14:13:03.572+00:002010-01-08T14:13:03.572+00:00I think the attempt to distance the Marines from A...I think the attempt to distance the Marines from America died with the "shock and awe" and "fight terror with terror" remarks. <br /><br />This was not a random story. The idea of the West being evil bullies that rape the earth is a liberal ur-myth. It needs to be fought.<br /><br />And, yes, if there was one bright side of the film it was the special effects. If the rest of the West was as cutting edge as our film industry, we'd never have to worry about our economy. The effects were mind-bogglingly great.<br /><br />But that makes this even more dangerous propaganda. The whole world will go see how fighting the rapacious American military in the name of "the People" is a great and noble endeavor.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13125582808962457170noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19209018.post-42887050980029685112010-01-08T13:06:30.894+00:002010-01-08T13:06:30.894+00:00I couldn't DISGAREE more strongly.
In fact I ...I couldn't DISGAREE more strongly.<br /><br />In fact I could craft an argument which states when things go south, BECAUSE ALL HUMANS ARE WEAK (and upon the receipt of riches... all self conscious life), it is the conscience of western man, through ENLIGHTENED SELF INTEREST - which goes to the rescue of those who cannot act for themselves.<br /><br />Those who see racism and cultural messages might consider the underlying racism is that these 'natives' can never save themselves, it takes the white guy and the product of the white culture to pull their asses out of the fire.<br /><br />BUT IT'S ALL... ALL BUNK.<br /><br />Want to see a political movie? ... download <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0065234/" rel="nofollow">"Z"</a><br /><br />There is NO MORE political message in this flick than the rich gal poor boy motif in Titanic, the military war on 'russian water tentacles', the company saving 'aliens' for commercial use in Titanic, Abyss, and Aliens .. all Cameron products.<br /><br />All story inventions are slaves to the SUCCESS OF THE SUSPENSION OF DISBELIEF against the background the main tension:<br />BOY MEETS GIRL<br />BOY GETS GIRL<br />BOY LOSES GIRL<br />BOY GETS GIRL<br />i.e. - the inescapable theme of EVERY MOVIE LOVE STORY<br /><br />This movie is a technical triumph on a simple story. The acting especially by the marine -- actually MERCENARY COMMERCIAL GUARD, colonel, Stephen Lang who can sell it is EXCELLENT. The idea that a technology has been invented which allows us to see actors ACT thru this kind of imaging is a TRIUMPH for a new genre.<br /><br />Those of you who naively say they refuse to see this movie are being silly. See it for yourselves.<br /><br />Too many people like the athiests planting signs on the sides of buses are TOO READY TO BE OFFENDED.<br /><br />Go enjoy a very quick 2 hours and 45 minutes of ENTERTAINMENT.<br /><br />Mrs Epa and I have seen it TWICE. Both times it RAN BY. RAN.<br /><br />It's a science fiction movie. Not "Z"Epaminondashttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04811906954763827459noreply@blogger.com