I'm wondering what about The Book Thief (which I haven't seen) prompted your reaction?Griff;887055 wrote:Should we be trolling dwellars on Christmas Eve using peoples' real pain as cover for our, arguably, false beliefs? I watched The Book Thief the other night so I may be over-sensitized to the use of manipulation to protect a message. Am I a troll for saying something?
Griff;887349 wrote:You should check it out. It was the over-all atmosphere of Germany during this period where people are afraid to push back against wrong-headed cultural norms for fear of getting on a list. Here its more enforced by social forces, any questioning of military incursions over-seas are turned into attacks on the men and women of the armed forces. Its pretty clear that we are less safe because of our militarism, but we don't challenge that for fear of revealing that the terrible life sacrifices made by our soldiers were counter-productive.
Griff;887349 wrote:It was the over-all atmosphere of Germany during this period where people are afraid to push back against wrong-headed cultural norms for fear of getting on a list.
I used to wonder (not because I'm in the 5%) why people couldn't see what was going on. Did they not understand? What I'm finding more and more, is they don't fucking care. As long as walmart is open, and facebook is up, they don't give a shit what happens to them A-Rabs, Af-Ri-Cans, Wet-Backs, or even anyone not in my hood... be it ghetto or gated community.footfootfoot;887362 wrote:One thing many people underestimate are the resources behind the motivation of the people in power. To be clear I am not referring to any of the elected or quasi-elected figureheads/ corporate puppets.
Simply put, they have a better PR machine directed at a population fairly incapable of critical thinking.
If I feel stupid and am in the top 5% intelligence, then what chance is there that the rest of the country is going to grok there is no connection between saddam Hussein and WTC or that the one vocal opponent to an Iraq incursion because there were no WMDs, thereby negating billions of dollars in profit to be chyle, Halliburton, et al, also happens conveniently to be found out to be into kiddie porn?
In conclusion, the corporate PR machine has successfully conflated
"Support our troops" with "don't criticize the government.
Tommy - Rudyard Kipling
I went into a public 'ouse to get a pint o' beer,
The publican 'e up an' sez, " We serve no red-coats here."
The girls be'ind the bar they laughed an' giggled fit to die,
I outs into the street again an' to myself sez I:
O it's Tommy this, an' Tommy that, an' " Tommy, go away " ;
But it's " Thank you, Mister Atkins," when the band begins to play
The band begins to play, my boys, the band begins to play,
O it's " Thank you, Mister Atkins," when the band begins to play.
I went into a theatre as sober as could be,
They gave a drunk civilian room, but 'adn't none for me;
They sent me to the gallery or round the music-'alls,
But when it comes to fightin', Lord! they'll shove me in the stalls!
For it's Tommy this, an' Tommy that, an' " Tommy, wait outside ";
But it's " Special train for Atkins " when the trooper's on the tide
The troopship's on the tide, my boys, the troopship's on the tide,
O it's " Special train for Atkins " when the trooper's on the tide.
Yes, makin' mock o' uniforms that guard you while you sleep
Is cheaper than them uniforms, an' they're starvation cheap.
An' hustlin' drunken soldiers when they're goin' large a bit
Is five times better business than paradin' in full kit.
Then it's Tommy this, an' Tommy that, an` Tommy, 'ow's yer soul? "
But it's " Thin red line of 'eroes " when the drums begin to roll
The drums begin to roll, my boys, the drums begin to roll,
O it's " Thin red line of 'eroes, " when the drums begin to roll.
We aren't no thin red 'eroes, nor we aren't no blackguards too,
But single men in barricks, most remarkable like you;
An' if sometimes our conduck isn't all your fancy paints,
Why, single men in barricks don't grow into plaster saints;
While it's Tommy this, an' Tommy that, an` Tommy, fall be'ind,"
But it's " Please to walk in front, sir," when there's trouble in the wind
There's trouble in the wind, my boys, there's trouble in the wind,
O it's " Please to walk in front, sir," when there's trouble in the wind.
You talk o' better food for us, an' schools, an' fires, an' all:
We'll wait for extry rations if you treat us rational.
Don't mess about the cook-room slops, but prove it to our face
The Widow's Uniform is not the soldier-man's disgrace.
For it's Tommy this, an' Tommy that, an` Chuck him out, the brute! "
But it's " Saviour of 'is country " when the guns begin to shoot;
An' it's Tommy this, an' Tommy that, an' anything you please;
An 'Tommy ain't a bloomin' fool - you bet that Tommy sees!
The Widow's Uniform is not the soldier-man's disgrace.
Griff;887377 wrote:Is it maybe a healthy dissonance? The government does not appear to be changeable at the ballot box so wouldn't it be reasonable to look the other way and try to succeed under the system as organized?
fargon;887483 wrote:Happy Christmas, Merry New Year. I am the Christmas Troll.
Griff;887484 wrote:What brings you out from under your bridge? :)
xoxoxoBruce;887375 wrote:Ah, OK, not having seen it I didn't know if the writer's handing of the "Book Thief & compatriots" were as victims, like I would assume, or as some sort of antidisestablishmentarian trouble makers.
I used to wonder (not because I'm in the 5%) why people couldn't see what was going on. Did they not understand? What I'm finding more and more, is they don't fucking care. As long as walmart is open, and facebook is up, they don't give a shit what happens to them A-Rabs, Af-Ri-Cans, Wet-Backs, or even anyone not in my hood... be it ghetto or gated community.
It's so bad, I'm afraid if 9-11 happened today, the majority response of outrage, grief, and it's duration, would be dictated by hashtags.
The majority of the men and women in the military are doing a thankless, often dangerous job, for not much money, and doing it the very best they can.
However, as much as I respect them, I don't always agree with the way they are being used, and abused, by the politicians and Pentagon. But like you say, if I object to the mission, I'm attacked as anti-military and un-American.
Here again, it's because people don't care. They only want to disrupt their videogame or ski-trip long enough to wave a made in China flag and repeat carefully crafted slogans like you mentioned.
But, but, thinking is hhhaaarrrddd.
xoxoxoBruce;887375 wrote:Ah, OK, not having seen it I didn't know if the writer's handing of the "Book Thief & compatriots" were as victims, like I would assume, or as some sort of antidisestablishmentarian trouble makers.
I used to wonder (not because I'm in the 5%) why people couldn't see what was going on. Did they not understand? What I'm finding more and more, is they don't fucking care. As long as walmart is open, and facebook is up, they don't give a shit what happens to them A-Rabs, Af-Ri-Cans, Wet-Backs, or even anyone not in my hood... be it ghetto or gated community.
It's so bad, I'm afraid if 9-11 happened today, the majority response of outrage, grief, and it's duration, would be dictated by hashtags.
The majority of the men and women in the military are doing a thankless, often dangerous job, for not much money, and doing it the very best they can.
However, as much as I respect them, I don't always agree with the way they are being used, and abused, by the politicians and Pentagon. But like you say, if I object to the mission, I'm attacked as anti-military and un-American.
Here again, it's because people don't care. They only want to disrupt their videogame or ski-trip long enough to wave a made in China flag and repeat carefully crafted slogans like you mentioned.
But, but, thinking is hhhaaarrrddd.
DanaC;887620 wrote:oh! We played Cards against Humanity after Christmas dinner!