Verhoeven's movies are immune to the "media literacy" discourse—which is just reducing everything to leftwing talking points—because they're just so over the top. Like sure you could write your shitty college paper about fascist imagery in Starship Troopers or whatever but then the joke would just be on you. At the end of the day, it's a popcorn flick made by a fun and smart director who knows what he's doing. Taking it too seriously says zero about the actual movie and much more about what a joyless, dour, and probably physically ugly/weak schoolmarm you are
The 'discourse' surrounding this movie was so stupid. Verhoeven is too smart a guy and too talented an artist to make an unambiguous movie on a topic like this. There *is* a tension between the plebeian dictates of a democracy, tending always towards universal mediocrity, and the brutality but beauty of a warrior aristocracy. He's not the first person to have noticed that!
That tension was obscured for a while in the mass affluence of the 20th century but it's an unalterable truth about human nature. American pop culture (i.e. propaganda of a subtle kind) has made many people instinctually leap to the defense of "democracy" and "rights", but if libs really want to embrace "this is just the price of freedom" style rhetoric for a rapidly decaying society, eventually a lot of people are going to start wondering if the price is too high.
Mr. Abbott sir send 100000 more...no 1000000 more illegals from the border to Maine...we must destroy mystery grove once and for all in shitty overpriced third worlder food restaurants with non existent food safety and cleanliness standards
>goodhearted but misguided Ruralite Retreat advocate, laying shredded on the ground, legs attached by a scrap of flesh, as the libtard horde's onslaught continues:
I love that the new front is the right enjoying movies and pulling positive messages from them. Meanwhile the left freaks out anytime you point out even a slightly right-wing message from anything. It's like they can't enjoy it anymore
I would say that the Starship Troopers world is more brutal but it actually has a message with its brutality. So, it teaches the enlisted to trust authority and not to take for granted the use of his limbs. It teaches it in a way that he will never forget (also this dovetails with the lesson in the novel about how pain is the best teacher). In our society, we have similar brutality but without any message or moral. So some normie will tell some teen to turn down their music on the subway and then be knived to death or thrown onto the tracks. Starship Troopers show controlled brutality in the advancement and protection of society, hence why it’s hard to see it as a mocking satire!
From the book (Chapter 8): "Man has no moral instinct. He is not born with moral sense. You were not born with it, I was not- and a puppy has none. We acquired moral sense, when we do, through training, experience, and hard sweat of the mind...The instinct to survive...can be cultivated...while a judge should be benevolent in purpose, his awards should cause the criminal to suffer, else there is no punishment-and pain is the basic mechanism built into us by millions of years of evolution which safeguards us by warning when something threatens our survival. Why should society refuse to use such a highly perfected survival mechanism?"
I give this man money yet, he keeps saving me more. Kinda bummed, actually wanted to go watch the movie next week. Now it goes into the line of highly anticipated movies like the Scorsese (6/10) and Napoleon (not seen) one might watch at home.
The comment at the end about how filmmakers need to temper their "big idea" and focus on making enjoyable art is one reason a lot of "creator's follow-ups" are relative disappointments -- Roddenberry thinks the magic of Star Trek is about space liberalism, Peter Jackson thinks the magic of Middle Earth is in its Marvel campiness. Comedians reflect on their funny sets sprinkled with serious thoughts, decide the seriousness is what sets them apart, and stop telling jokes in favour of just boring moralising.
Dunno if it's good on net. Maybe you can have your cake and eat it -- Verhoeven's ideological moderation in favour of watchable movies didn't mean paint-by-numbers, and much truly fresh, surprising art isn't self-indulgent.
I unironically want to live in the starship troopers world. Yes there should be public lashings and executions of criminals. Yes voting should be made meaningful by tying service and sacrifice to it.
"Media Literacy" is classic leftist skin suit legitimacy, passed down a standard deviation or two to the hordes of sub-midwit keyboard warriors (smug soyjack) who grasp very little of it beyond the general instinct that The Good is actually BAD.
Mocking these people and pointing out their obvious dishonesty is fun of course, but the larger problem seems to be a complete lack of any serious engagement with these works that isn't deranged and retarded. Essentially all vaguely mainstream "analysis" of art/literature/media/culture is an exercise in forcing everything through a small set of Marxoid sieves until the leftist pink slime comes out the other end. Occasionally worthwhile insight can survive this process, but not much.
Conservatives gave up cultural authority and Media Literacy Production without much of a fight at all, convinced that they were focusing on the more Serious and Important issues. What remains are these stupid viral meme battles.
This isn’t right. I paid for my subscription so you could keep putting up good work. Other people are getting it for free. This is stealing they are stealing from me.
Pros:
- twin peaks
- rat man
- downton abbey
Cons:
- unwashed free subscribers
Verhoeven's movies are immune to the "media literacy" discourse—which is just reducing everything to leftwing talking points—because they're just so over the top. Like sure you could write your shitty college paper about fascist imagery in Starship Troopers or whatever but then the joke would just be on you. At the end of the day, it's a popcorn flick made by a fun and smart director who knows what he's doing. Taking it too seriously says zero about the actual movie and much more about what a joyless, dour, and probably physically ugly/weak schoolmarm you are
The 'discourse' surrounding this movie was so stupid. Verhoeven is too smart a guy and too talented an artist to make an unambiguous movie on a topic like this. There *is* a tension between the plebeian dictates of a democracy, tending always towards universal mediocrity, and the brutality but beauty of a warrior aristocracy. He's not the first person to have noticed that!
That tension was obscured for a while in the mass affluence of the 20th century but it's an unalterable truth about human nature. American pop culture (i.e. propaganda of a subtle kind) has made many people instinctually leap to the defense of "democracy" and "rights", but if libs really want to embrace "this is just the price of freedom" style rhetoric for a rapidly decaying society, eventually a lot of people are going to start wondering if the price is too high.
Another free episode huh...
That's it
Mr. Abbott sir send 100000 more...no 1000000 more illegals from the border to Maine...we must destroy mystery grove once and for all in shitty overpriced third worlder food restaurants with non existent food safety and cleanliness standards
I’m doing my part! ( not paying mystery grove 5 dollars )
>goodhearted but misguided Ruralite Retreat advocate, laying shredded on the ground, legs attached by a scrap of flesh, as the libtard horde's onslaught continues:
"Mystery Grove, YOU KNOW WHAT TO DO!"
"....."
"DO IT, MG!"
"yes sir!" *BANG*
I’m thinking we’re back
I'm doing my Part, something a non Subscriber couldnt say. U guys are the non citizen, the scum who gives the commie bugs a fighting chance.
I love that the new front is the right enjoying movies and pulling positive messages from them. Meanwhile the left freaks out anytime you point out even a slightly right-wing message from anything. It's like they can't enjoy it anymore
Free subscribers get 10 lashes...
I would say that the Starship Troopers world is more brutal but it actually has a message with its brutality. So, it teaches the enlisted to trust authority and not to take for granted the use of his limbs. It teaches it in a way that he will never forget (also this dovetails with the lesson in the novel about how pain is the best teacher). In our society, we have similar brutality but without any message or moral. So some normie will tell some teen to turn down their music on the subway and then be knived to death or thrown onto the tracks. Starship Troopers show controlled brutality in the advancement and protection of society, hence why it’s hard to see it as a mocking satire!
From the book (Chapter 8): "Man has no moral instinct. He is not born with moral sense. You were not born with it, I was not- and a puppy has none. We acquired moral sense, when we do, through training, experience, and hard sweat of the mind...The instinct to survive...can be cultivated...while a judge should be benevolent in purpose, his awards should cause the criminal to suffer, else there is no punishment-and pain is the basic mechanism built into us by millions of years of evolution which safeguards us by warning when something threatens our survival. Why should society refuse to use such a highly perfected survival mechanism?"
I give this man money yet, he keeps saving me more. Kinda bummed, actually wanted to go watch the movie next week. Now it goes into the line of highly anticipated movies like the Scorsese (6/10) and Napoleon (not seen) one might watch at home.
The comment at the end about how filmmakers need to temper their "big idea" and focus on making enjoyable art is one reason a lot of "creator's follow-ups" are relative disappointments -- Roddenberry thinks the magic of Star Trek is about space liberalism, Peter Jackson thinks the magic of Middle Earth is in its Marvel campiness. Comedians reflect on their funny sets sprinkled with serious thoughts, decide the seriousness is what sets them apart, and stop telling jokes in favour of just boring moralising.
Dunno if it's good on net. Maybe you can have your cake and eat it -- Verhoeven's ideological moderation in favour of watchable movies didn't mean paint-by-numbers, and much truly fresh, surprising art isn't self-indulgent.
I unironically want to live in the starship troopers world. Yes there should be public lashings and executions of criminals. Yes voting should be made meaningful by tying service and sacrifice to it.
Reading through the book now, Mr. Dubois' musings are hitting too close to reality especially for a book over 50 years old(?)
"Media Literacy" is classic leftist skin suit legitimacy, passed down a standard deviation or two to the hordes of sub-midwit keyboard warriors (smug soyjack) who grasp very little of it beyond the general instinct that The Good is actually BAD.
Mocking these people and pointing out their obvious dishonesty is fun of course, but the larger problem seems to be a complete lack of any serious engagement with these works that isn't deranged and retarded. Essentially all vaguely mainstream "analysis" of art/literature/media/culture is an exercise in forcing everything through a small set of Marxoid sieves until the leftist pink slime comes out the other end. Occasionally worthwhile insight can survive this process, but not much.
Conservatives gave up cultural authority and Media Literacy Production without much of a fight at all, convinced that they were focusing on the more Serious and Important issues. What remains are these stupid viral meme battles.
This isn’t right. I paid for my subscription so you could keep putting up good work. Other people are getting it for free. This is stealing they are stealing from me.
This is just like Russia in the civil war…