Friday, August 04, 2006
Stop Trumpeting Your Morality
Via Mark Holland, who's been busy being profiled, we learn of a moral panic being instigated on our behalf by our protectors on the other side of the pond.
Basically, a bunch of very right-wing American blogs have decided to take offence about the new Armando Iannucci show, 'Time Trumpet', that was aired last night. Of course, the fact that none of them could possibly have watched the show has done nothing to blunt the extent of their indignation. You can catch a load of the righteousness here and here. The former of those links even suggests that American readers should complain (and provides links to do so) - about what, exactly? Why should complaints from people who can't have seen something be taken seriously? How would they react if I suggested people from every other country on earth complained about FOX News? I reckon they'd laugh - so why don't they just fuck off?
You might argue that I comment upon and review American films and TV programmes, and you'd be right. However, the crucial difference is that I watch them first.
Another counter-argument is that they show a tiny fragment of the show here. Let me demonstrate why this is bollocks with recourse to series two of 'Peep Show'. In an attempt to prove a university professor isn't that clever, one of the character's picks up a book from his shelf:
'Let's have a look at some of these books, shall we?' [picks up a book] ''Sister Carrie' by Theodore Dreiser'. [flips through it, picking out the shortest sentence he can find] '"The look on her face was one of disappointment". And that's good is it? What's good about that?'
The point is, anyone can take something out of context. Serious, clever people actually take the time to look at a bigger picture - they try to understand things within a context, not divorced from it.
By the way, I recommend that those who DID watch the programme and enjoy it should be vocal about the fact. If this is to descend into a shouting match, I fail to see why only one side should be able to raise themselves above a whisper.
I also recommend going on the website and looking at the clip 'Honey, I Shrunk Martha Kearney' - absolutely brilliant.
UPDATE!
Rimone has a post that answers this one, and it's definitely worth reading.
Basically, a bunch of very right-wing American blogs have decided to take offence about the new Armando Iannucci show, 'Time Trumpet', that was aired last night. Of course, the fact that none of them could possibly have watched the show has done nothing to blunt the extent of their indignation. You can catch a load of the righteousness here and here. The former of those links even suggests that American readers should complain (and provides links to do so) - about what, exactly? Why should complaints from people who can't have seen something be taken seriously? How would they react if I suggested people from every other country on earth complained about FOX News? I reckon they'd laugh - so why don't they just fuck off?
You might argue that I comment upon and review American films and TV programmes, and you'd be right. However, the crucial difference is that I watch them first.
Another counter-argument is that they show a tiny fragment of the show here. Let me demonstrate why this is bollocks with recourse to series two of 'Peep Show'. In an attempt to prove a university professor isn't that clever, one of the character's picks up a book from his shelf:
'Let's have a look at some of these books, shall we?' [picks up a book] ''Sister Carrie' by Theodore Dreiser'. [flips through it, picking out the shortest sentence he can find] '"The look on her face was one of disappointment". And that's good is it? What's good about that?'
The point is, anyone can take something out of context. Serious, clever people actually take the time to look at a bigger picture - they try to understand things within a context, not divorced from it.
By the way, I recommend that those who DID watch the programme and enjoy it should be vocal about the fact. If this is to descend into a shouting match, I fail to see why only one side should be able to raise themselves above a whisper.
I also recommend going on the website and looking at the clip 'Honey, I Shrunk Martha Kearney' - absolutely brilliant.
UPDATE!
Rimone has a post that answers this one, and it's definitely worth reading.
Comments:
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You must realize that America has a long tradition of taking GREAT offence at all sorts of crap we don't really take the time to understand.
"I heard it says xxx, so we should boycot it and COMPLAIN!"
Tyranny of the idiotic majority...
"I heard it says xxx, so we should boycot it and COMPLAIN!"
Tyranny of the idiotic majority...
SafeTinspector, you're totally correct.
Steve, malkin and her ilk have made a career out of being outraged by everything, especially post-9/11. if you don't know already, she's the trash who wrote 'in defence of internment' about how great it was that American Japanese were herded up in stateside camps during WW2.
BTW, she's from the Phillipines and totally against people of color--whatever color (she's pretty brown herself).
the hypocrisy is breathtaking.
ps, i was gonna post about this today and will prolly quote you. :-)
Steve, malkin and her ilk have made a career out of being outraged by everything, especially post-9/11. if you don't know already, she's the trash who wrote 'in defence of internment' about how great it was that American Japanese were herded up in stateside camps during WW2.
BTW, she's from the Phillipines and totally against people of color--whatever color (she's pretty brown herself).
the hypocrisy is breathtaking.
ps, i was gonna post about this today and will prolly quote you. :-)
# posted by 
: 10:16 am
: 10:16 am
Getting into discussions with pinheads like that just depresses the hell out of me. I know i'm probably wrong to think so, but I prefer to leave them alone to rant and foam at the mouth about these things. They soon find something else to be disgusted at.
You haven't been watching Charlie Brooker on tv recently by any chance Steve?
You haven't been watching Charlie Brooker on tv recently by any chance Steve?
# posted by : 2:28 pm
: 2:28 pm
SafeT - A bit negative perhaps, but there may be some truth in it. Of course, we're no better in this country - it's just that in this situation, for once it's not my fellow country-men I need to berate.
Rimone - I am familiar with her writing about internment, and I know she's a rabid right-winger. I can't think of any occasion when I've agreed with her about anything, which I suppose puts me on the right side of history.
Ill Man - I haven't - has he been talking about the same thing?
Rimone - I am familiar with her writing about internment, and I know she's a rabid right-winger. I can't think of any occasion when I've agreed with her about anything, which I suppose puts me on the right side of history.
Ill Man - I haven't - has he been talking about the same thing?
Rimone has a post that answers this one, and it's definitely worth reading.
No, it really wasn't. Michelle Malkin might be deluded on this but she isn't nasty.
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No, it really wasn't. Michelle Malkin might be deluded on this but she isn't nasty.
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