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Ken HPoJ
Supreme Potentate
USA
1530 Posts |
 Posted - 10/20/2005 : 10:26:37 AM
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Another amusing screed from the master, this time on countries passing laws to protect themselves from our superior movies and music (and what a depressing idea that is):
http://www.lileks.com/screedblog/05/10/102005.html
PEGGY: I don't see how having a girl on the team would ruin it. Did a woman judge ruin the Supreme Court?
HANK: Yes, and that woman's name was Earl Warren.
--King of the Hill |
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Terrahawk
Holy Cardinal and Five Star General of the Righteous Knighthood of Jabootu
USA
644 Posts |
Posted - 10/20/2005 : 1:40:20 PM
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He is right though that the U.S. film industry does adopt different styles from different countries. This makes the films much more marketable. However, I think he underplays that Hollywood does present a view of America that makes us look bad. Also, he is wrong about the internet since many of the big software and hardware producers are starting to tow the line set by places like China to prevent certain content from entering the country. If the UN ever gets control of the internet, it will only get worse.
Hollywood does well because it tries, for the most part, to entertain. The Canadian and French film industry is more about "educating and enlightening" people, with a left-wing bent of course.
Why are the Canadians complaining anyways since they make up a healthy contingent of Hollywood. Maybe we should send them all back to Canada as spies.
The ROPe gives you three options, convert, submit, or die. There is a fourth, resist. |
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Prankster
Holy Cardinal and Five Star General of the Righteous Knighthood of Jabootu
Canada
727 Posts |
Posted - 10/20/2005 : 5:46:38 PM
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Sigh.
Lileks' political screeds have increasingly become a tangle of straw man arguments and rhetorical flourishes designed to cover weak arguments. I'm not saying I agree with the UNESCO decision, but perhaps he could be a little more incisive than "Blame Canada! Blame Canada!" He mentions "government mandated content" as if we Canucks were all frogmarched out to the cinema every week to witness the latest "US IS BAD" opus in black and white. Then at the end we all crack tubes and make a "heil" salute with them.
Every country has government-funded entertainment, INCLUDING THE US. It's not that much of a shocker. It hasn't transformed any particular nation into a fascist dictatorship...it may have more to do with providing movies that speak to a particular cultural viewpoint (which Lileks, with typical glibness, dismisses, despite the fact that he clearly has no idea what the actual cultural differences between America and Canada might be). But in fact, Canada's most profitable film industry is that of Quebec, which, you'd think, provides films that are just a wee bit removed from the stuff Hollywood churns out.
In case you didn't know, we get EVERY movie that comes out in the US (the same day, no less) and all the major American TV networks. And books, comics, etc. Why? Because there's a demand for them. And we're a democracy. The government responds to what the people want. Crazy concept, eh?
What's also bizarre is that conservatives, Christians, and lots of other groups are always complaining that Hollywood doesn't provide entertainment that speaks to their values. Would Lileks raise hell if the Bush administration agreed to put aside a few million for people who wanted to make films that explicitly endorsed their viewpoint? (I doubt it, but I know a few people who would...)
And since when are we "France's Stepchild?" Seriously, what the f--- ? This article really betrays the insular viewpoint of a guy who's fooled himself into thinking he's cosmopolitan. Argh. The US has turned Canada into, on the one hand, a Glorious Paradise Full Of Everything We Should Be Doing, and on the other hand, A Bad Influence That Must Be (Rhetorically) (Well, Hopefully Not Physically) Destroyed. Both sides project their own fears and desires onto Canada after doing about two seconds of research. For Lileks, Canada is The Socialist Republic of Potandhomoland, and therefore must be shown to be ineffectual, restrictive and about two steps away from electing Lenin's Corpse as Prime Minister.
Essays like this are EXACTLY the kind of generalization that Lileks flips out over when applied to the US. It's the equivalent of me dismissing everyone in America as a bunch of militaristic homophobes. I don't do that. Neither do the vast majority of people, regardless of their opinion of the current administration. Seriously, why have people like Lileks lost the ability to view people as belonging to one or more "side", with one side increasingly being "The US" and the other being "Everyone else"?
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Check out my online comics at [URL]http://www.phantasmictales.com[/URL]! |
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Ubiq
Holy Cardinal and Five Star General of the Righteous Knighthood of Jabootu
USA
347 Posts |
Posted - 10/20/2005 : 11:33:32 PM
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quote:
If a dozen of them are under 20 and know how to use BitTorrent, well, Central’s “Adult Swim” gets passed around Africa by next Saturday.
He gets a few points for knowing about BitTorrent, but turns right around and loses them by incorrectly identifying Adult Swim's home network. Unless, of course, he's referring to another Adult Swim, in which case, he still loses the points for picking the less popular version.
BM: I should have mentioned this at the beginning. I solve my problems with violence. |
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Juniper
Holy Cardinal and Five Star General of the Righteous Knighthood of Jabootu
616 Posts |
Posted - 10/21/2005 : 12:52:24 AM
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This is what bugged me about his screed about The Rat Pack, he seemed unwilling to consider that some people enjoy Sinatra's music despite of his behavior. And can enjoy Sinatra and Dean and Martin pictures with out falling starry eyed into the Rat Pat mystique or even if they enjoy it acknowledge that it was all show and glossed over some pretty ugly character flaws. And that if we were to limit our music, book and movie choices to works done and performed by entirely decent, kind human beings we could probably carry our entire entertainment collecton on our person at all times.
"The Devil Made this Movie for You!" |
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hbrennan
Holy Cardinal and Five Star General of the Righteous Knighthood of Jabootu
Philippines
1455 Posts |
Posted - 10/21/2005 : 02:11:29 AM
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quote:
Juniper wrote: And that if we were to limit our music, book and movie choices to works done and performed by entirely decent, kind human beings we could probably carry our entire entertainment collecton on our person at all times.
Actually, you can pretty much do that these days, anyway. But I hear you. I enjoy Lileks for his writing style and sense of humor. Certainly not for his opinions. I read him every day, smile and never take him seriously (unless he's talking about something genuine and worthwhile - like appreciating the moment and the things we are fortunate enough to have). What else would you expect from an opinionated\neurotic, self absorbed individual? The man has talent, though, - and I highly recommend his site for those who have never been: www.lileks.com
"...yet it hadn't destroyed his brain."
re: Charles "The Butcher" Benton (1956)
http://henrybrennan.blogspot.com/ |
Edited by - hbrennan on 10/21/2005 02:14:54 AM |
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Juniper
Holy Cardinal and Five Star General of the Righteous Knighthood of Jabootu
616 Posts |
Posted - 10/21/2005 : 11:20:54 AM
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True, and reading The History of Bread at the Institute of Official Cheer never fails to get me in a fit of giggles.
"The Devil Made this Movie for You!" |
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Atomic Glee
Archdeacon of Jabootu
USA
24 Posts |
Posted - 10/22/2005 : 11:01:28 AM
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quote:
Originally posted by Prankster
What's also bizarre is that conservatives, Christians, and lots of other groups are always complaining that Hollywood doesn't provide entertainment that speaks to their values. Would Lileks raise hell if the Bush administration agreed to put aside a few million for people who wanted to make films that explicitly endorsed their viewpoint? (I doubt it, but I know a few people who would...)
Having been a big fan of James for a long time, I'd say that he'd probably be no big fan of a governmental fund for movies he agrees with. (Neither would I, for that matter.) One of his "quasi-Libertarian" points of view.
Kevin Buchanan
Atomic Glee - The blog/modern pulp mag. http://www.atomicglee.com |
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Prankster
Holy Cardinal and Five Star General of the Righteous Knighthood of Jabootu
Canada
727 Posts |
Posted - 10/23/2005 : 12:05:14 AM
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You know, that wasn't actually a very succinct argument on my part, because not only do I not believe Bush would ever do such a thing (I was being purely hypothetical), it's not analogous to what "the other side" is doing. Subsidizing Italian-language TV with government money, for example, is not the same as funding a specific political viewpoint via the media. It's apples and oranges.
However, if Lileks is indeed a "quasi-Libertarian" he's been awfully mum on some of the Bush administrations' profligate spending and tendency towards over-legislation, something that a lot of conservatives are beginning to criticise him for. That's one of the things that bugs me about Lileks: while he does, very occasionally, provide some modest criticism in this regard, it seems less like he's adhering to a set of principles and defending Bush for doing the same, but rather, cheering on His Team using whatever arguments are convenient at the time.
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Check out my online comics at [URL]http://www.phantasmictales.com[/URL]! |
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UnknownSubject
Holy Cardinal and Five Star General of the Righteous Knighthood of Jabootu
Australia
212 Posts |
Posted - 10/23/2005 : 9:35:30 PM
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Australia has mandated requirements on the screening of local content because, if it didn't, then the TV stations would buy the cheaper US content at the expense of local productions (which are risky and comparatively expensive).
It's not that the US necessarily has superior movies / dramas, but it does have an economy of scale that makes it cheap to sell the distribution rights after it has been shown on US television. That's a huge advantage.
Not that I necessarily think that the UN needs to make motions in this area at all, given that such things would likely be better handled by the governments of those countries who are impacted. However, I also know that when the US and Australia were drawing up the free trade agreement, one of the big issues on the US side was getting more US television shows on our networks. So perhaps having something at the UN to point to about why they can't take another "CSI" show will give some countries a little bit of flexibility.
Spandex Cinema
http://sc.thebeholder.org
Latest Review - "X-Men 1.5" |
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MikeC
Holy Cardinal and Five Star General of the Righteous Knighthood of Jabootu
USA
749 Posts |
Posted - 10/24/2005 : 07:18:36 AM
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Regardless of how much I may disagree with his opinion blog,
Lileks' work as a historian of ephemera has secured him a
permanent place in a heaven of my own devising.
My personal favorite of his (which I don't think is on his
site anymore) are his pictorial essays of bygone architecture
from NY & elsewhere.
God bless you, Mr. Lileks. And your adorable tow headed children.
MikeC |
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governor_breck
Diocesan Ecclesiarch of the Sacred Order of Jabootu
USA
79 Posts |
Posted - 10/24/2005 : 08:34:41 AM
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quote:
Originally posted by Prankster
However, if Lileks is indeed a "quasi-Libertarian" he's been awfully mum on some of the Bush administrations' profligate spending and tendency towards over-legislation, something that a lot of conservatives are beginning to criticise him for.
I think that's what puts the "quasi" in "quasi-Libertarian." Sort of like saying, "He has some Libertarian tendencies, but certainly not all of them." I usually define "quasi" as meaning "as if" (but my Latin is pretty rusty), so the original poster was saying something like "He would be against government funds for movies he agrees with, as if he were an actual Libertarian." Correct me if I've completely misinterpreted you, Atomic Glee.
You have to admit, James Lileks is one of the more polite conservatives on the net. He actually goes out of his way to segregate the majority of his political views into a separate "Screedblog" so that people who don't want to deal with it don't have to. Even our own esteemed host Mr. Begg doesn't do that. And by calling them "screeds" (in other words, self-identifying them as spittle-flecked rants) and using a big fat capitalist bull with a top hat as a logo, he seems to be approaching it with a self-deprecating sense of humor. G. Gordon Liddy he ain't. |
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Prankster
Holy Cardinal and Five Star General of the Righteous Knighthood of Jabootu
Canada
727 Posts |
Posted - 10/25/2005 : 01:26:04 AM
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Weeeeell...I always kinda had a problem with the fact that he has no comment posting or forum. Which is his perogative, but he doesn't respond to email either (though he occasionally makes offhand reference to critical email, usually in a snarky and dismissive fashion). None of which would bug me, except he's made some flat-out unsupportable statements in the past, and there's nowhere to call him on them. Indeed, I've never seen him engage in any kind of legitimate back-and-forth debate in any form, just these voice-of-God blog postings. I guess that's my specific problem; I can see not wanting, say, a forum, for fear of U ARE TEH SUCK-type postings (though I've found that sites generally get the kind of posters they deserve), but he seems to exist in this totally insular bubble where he controls the information. As far as I know, of course. If anyone can point me to a transcript or something of Lileks having a debate with someone about politics, I'd be very interested to read it.
Anyway, say what you want about Ken (Ken: U ARE TEH SUCK) but he's got this forum, and he's yet to fling me and my hippie communist beaver-loving brethren into the outer darkness. Though that probably has more to do with bad taste than anything. But hey, bad taste is what this site is all about.
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Check out my online comics at [URL]http://www.phantasmictales.com[/URL]! |
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Bobby-G
Holy Cardinal and Five Star General of the Righteous Knighthood of Jabootu
USA
904 Posts |
Posted - 10/25/2005 : 03:36:41 AM
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It looks like Lileks presents his opinion site(s)more like a newspaper or magazine column (he is a Newspaper man after all). Just as there are "letters to the Editor" sections of a newspaper, there are Five Bazzillion places on the internet (including here)that you can present your disagreements with Mr. Lileks.
Rob |
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governor_breck
Diocesan Ecclesiarch of the Sacred Order of Jabootu
USA
79 Posts |
Posted - 10/25/2005 : 06:55:39 AM
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quote:
Originally posted by Prankster
Weeeeell...I always kinda had a problem with the fact that he has no comment posting or forum. Which is his perogative, but he doesn't respond to email either (though he occasionally makes offhand reference to critical email, usually in a snarky and dismissive fashion). None of which would bug me, except he's made some flat-out unsupportable statements in the past, and there's nowhere to call him on them. Indeed, I've never seen him engage in any kind of legitimate back-and-forth debate in any form, just these voice-of-God blog postings. I guess that's my specific problem; I can see not wanting, say, a forum, for fear of U ARE TEH SUCK-type postings (though I've found that sites generally get the kind of posters they deserve), but he seems to exist in this totally insular bubble where he controls the information. As far as I know, of course. If anyone can point me to a transcript or something of Lileks having a debate with someone about politics, I'd be very interested to read it.
Anyway, say what you want about Ken (Ken: U ARE TEH SUCK) but he's got this forum, and he's yet to fling me and my hippie communist beaver-loving brethren into the outer darkness. Though that probably has more to do with bad taste than anything. But hey, bad taste is what this site is all about.
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Check out my online comics at [URL]http://www.phantasmictales.com[/URL]!
That's funny, because he's e-mailed me back several times when I've e-mailed him. And not just when I'm agreeing with him, either. Well, I suppose everyone has different experiences. I would also like to see a comment section rather than a "Here, I talk! You listen!" sort of thing, but the guy is providing the site for free and without commercials (except for his own stuff) so I don't think there's much to be done about it.
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nshumate
Holy Cardinal and Five Star General of the Righteous Knighthood of Jabootu
464 Posts |
Posted - 10/25/2005 : 07:24:41 AM
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[quote]That's funny, because he's e-mailed me back several times when I've e-mailed him. And not just when I'm agreeing with him, either. [/qute]
Wait -- you mean he's been ignoring me personally and specifically?
Great. Now I'll be in a funk all day.
Nathan Shumate
http://www.coldfusionvideo.com |
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