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hamliet · 2 years

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So, this person mentioning your 2ha metas made me get curious about it so I wanted to look for them but then the first thing I found was this: "I think 2ha had the potential to be as rich in complexity as MXTX's works, but instead settled for a more traditional black/white version of the morality" and now I'm actually more curious about this line 🤣

You see... I've alway failed to get the whole hype regarding mdzs and its morally gray this, morally gray that. And it doesn't help that the Chinese fans I know also complain about it, they're like "wwx is the hero, why western fans are so obsessed to change this? Why they don't do the same with their heroes?"... And they also comment on how mxtx is pretty clear about the morals of their characters and I feel like I get both sides but again, not really the obsession with the matter. Because then there's the fact that, while I agree with meatbun not treating SQT well, I don't feel like MXTX did it better when it was only literally wwx the one having his happy ending... Everyone else is dead or condemned to be forever alone for some reason... and even someone as jc is someone who, imo is pretty clear, MXTX thinks doesn't deserve anything but loneliness (the fact there's no woman who wants him according to her, he has no friends, he has no real bond anymore with anyone...). So, honestly, I don't feel like if MXTX wasn't clear about who are the morally correct and the morally wrong in her stories just as I don't feel she was any more fair with her secondary characters for the sake of wangxian happy ending. The same goes with her other works where all the characters that are antagonists in different levels, just like in mdzs, get what "they deserve" 🤔

Ahhh okay, I've seen this argument floated a lot, and it's become a bit of a pet peeve for me, so I'm going to take a bit of time to respond to this... There is a lot here to respond to.

For starters, I would caution you about categorizing of "Chinese fans" as if they are one monolith; they are not. They are also not different than western fans in terms of being human; they are closer to the cultural context of the story, but that doesn't inherently mean every interpretation is correct or textually supported. For example, I haven't seen at all your claims about WWX being the hero (I saw it from a western person, and if the Tweet is what you're referring to, they took the quotes shockingly and almost laughably out of context): while I'm sure Chinese fans do say this... so do western fans. A lot. In fact, Jiang Cheng is very not popular among Chinese fans in polls, while Jin Guangyao is. The point is, you can't say Chinese fans vs Other fans in a simplistic way to make any claim of substance.

As for MXTX's statements, I literally do not take authorial interviews into account in analyzing stories, nor do I really understand why people do. I'll quote Dostoyevsky here: “Don’t let us forget that the causes of human actions are usually immeasurably more complex and varied than our subsequent explanations of them.” Authors explain things in overly simplified ways, and explaining a novel that runs on complexity simplistically is never going to be satisfying. You also have to look at the full picture: she's said pretty cold things about Xue Yang (much worse than about JC), but has also defended him from antis, calling him "my son" and saying that she loves him more than any readers because she created him. I don't doubt this is the same for Jiang Cheng.

"jc is someone who, imo is pretty clear, MXTX thinks doesn't deserve anything but loneliness" I do not think this is true. The notes about Jiang Cheng's dating life are humor. You may not find them funny, but they're clearly intended to be humor. Framing matters (I'll discuss framing in a bit.) It is also factually incorrect to say he has no real bonds. He clearly does. Jin Ling is a bond.

Everyone else is dead or condemned to be forever alone for some reason... I also don't see what you mean by looking at the story, or whom you might be referring to. Song Lan went to restore Xiao Xingchen's soul, to heal it. The juniors went from being antagonistic to being friends with each other. Wen Ning helps Sizhui with his heritage. Lan Qiren accepts Wei Wuxian as Lan Wangji's husband.

The ones where I can kiiiinda see people assuming this are with Jiang Cheng and Lan Xichen, but I also don't think the framing is taken into account. Jiang Cheng has Jin Ling, and much like with Lan Xichen, I think people expect spoonfeeding where nuance works better. The trajectory of the novel--towards healing, towards the younger generations doing better than the older ones--indicates that there will be healing that continues beyond the main story. Not everything needs to be spelled out. I doubt Lan Xichen will be in seclusion forever like his father; his father had Lan Qiren (a flawed if well-intentioned man), but Lan Xichen has Lan Wangji, and I highly doubt Wei Wuxian is going to leave brother-in-law miserable. I do think Jiang Cheng and Wei Wuxian will form a new bond, because they are both clearly involved in Jin Ling's life. Neither of them are really good at cutting off bonds (like even after WWX's death, Jiang Cheng was looking for him). I wrote more on this here.

What is missing from most of these discussions is framing. framing, framing, framing. It tells you what to think about a story's events. Yes, Jin Guangyao and Xue Yang die, but how is that framed as "what they deserve?" Xue Yang dies with a candy in his hand, which if you want to rely on MXTX’s statements, she literally said she did that to show that he was not a heartless monster. Which is indeed what the text implies. For JGY, you have Jin Ling bawling and realizing his uncle was good to him too, Lan Xichen tricked into killing him when he wasn't doing anything, Wei Wuxian realizing how wrong it was and that they are the same. That's tragic framing, not "haha got what he deserved." The literal point of tragedy is that it shouldn't end this way. Tragedy is not "justice." Tragedy has injustice as its main point. You are supposed to be sad.

I've talked about tragedy in media before, and will quote Arthur Miller's "Tragedy and the Common Man" here:

The possibility of victory must be there in tragedy. Where pathos rules, where pathos is finally derived, a character has fought a battle he could not possibly have won. The pathetic is achieved when the protagonist is, by virtue of his witlessness, his insensitivity, or the very air he gives off, incapable of grappling with a much superior force.

Pathos truly is the mode for the pessimist. But tragedy requires a nicer balance between what is possible and what is impossible. And it is curious, although edifying, that the plays we revere, century after century, are the tragedies. In them, and in them alone, lies the belief-optimistic, if you will, in the perfectibility of man.

What is the "much superior force" in MDZS? It's society. And yet, because things are gray, society is not fully evil. Like with Dostoyevsky's novels, people need each other. They need each other to heal and to fully live; seclusion is not a Good Thing. But also, playing the political game kills, so society also corrupts. See here.

What is society if not a reflection of the human being? Born with tendencies towards good and towards evil. Someone who can corrupt, and hurt, and also heal others. Someone who can comfort an orphan with a dog and also torment his father to death. Someone who can kill thousands of people and also risk his life to save others. People who are complex.

By saying "gray morality," I'm not saying that there is no good or evil, but instead that context determines much of this; empathy matters as well, and so what is evil to one person may save another person. That said, there is an overall moral implication that people living is good, and empathy is good. Gray morality has never ever meant moral nihilism. It just means that instead of thinking "there is no right choice sucks to suck"; it should be "there are no choices that will heal without hurting; hence, let's empathize with those who make those choices instead of condemning them." Black/white morality is exemplified with Nie Mingjue's character, who ends up stuck in a coffin for 100 years after being used like a puppet to kill innocents. I think black/white morality is pretty clearly condemned.

Imo, claims that only Wangxian got a happy ending and everyone else was sacrificed for this are based off of personal projections and impressions, not off careful analysis of the text that takes culture, literary allusions, tone, framing, and the like into account.

Wangxian are a gay couple, aka already challenging societal understandings on love. They leave society to heal and then return to help others, which is as far from a "f*ck you got mine" attitude as you can get. It's an old trope used as far back as the Bible: after some time away, you return to go into the world and save. The salvation isn't religious here but it's empathetic. They want to be a part of their loved ones lives.

Wei Wuxian never thinks that he didn't deserve death for what he did, even if the context leading up to it might well justify him feeling that way. He does not think Jin Guangyao deserved what happened to him, at the same time. He does not think everyone else's sacrifices were justified. If WWX is supposed to embody morality, as black/white people claim, then why do they disregard chapter 113?

It's fine for people to prefer things to be more spelled out (they are in TGCF, for example!) but I think MDZS is a novel that is heavily based in nuance (like, that's a central theme), and so when people approach it with an attitude of expecting spoonfeeding, they end up confused.

#ask hamliet #rants #mdzs #mdzs meta #wei wuxian #wangxian #lan wangji #lan xichen #jiang cheng #jin guangyao #jin ling #jiang wanyin #wei ying #lan zhan

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kryptsune · 5 years

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🌼Good morning everyone and a happy Tuesday to you all! I had a lot of people ask me about my Outertale on Discord. That beat out pretty much all the other options on the poll so here we go! This is one of the larger ones because I had a lot of fun putting some of my favorite sci-fi concepts into this. I am a huge SG1 fan so you can definitely see that reflected. I admittedly am the fantasy genre girl so any ideas are welcome! I just liked the idea that the monsters in this were more than just typical monsters. DO NOT REPOST MY WORK WITHOUT MY PERMISSION IT IS NOT FOR YOUR USE. IF YOU LIKE MY WORK PLEASE REBLOG INSTEAD! It helps me so much! It makes such a difference.💙If you want more of these just let me know! It’s the only way I can gauge interest! Outertale Alternate “Nicknames” Info: Sans: Nova- Nova is the trickster though he is mostly associated with that of Loki. Loki is described specifically as “Playful, malicious ( ok maybe not that one), helpful, and nihilistic.” He helps others in a kind of goofy over the top way. He just doesn’t take much seriously. Nova is one of the youngest. He acts very childish at times coming to question how long he has been among the pantheon. Some argue his many centuries gave him a nihilistic outlook on life or that he is too young to understand the true ways of the world. Not to say that Nova can’t be serious but he is pretty laid back. It’s one of the reasons unlike the others he doesn’t really keep his cultural ties in his design. He should have more Norse in it but nah… varsity jackets are cozy right? I mean he is wearing star shorts for star’s sake. When asked about his job he mentions, “Hey, there kiddo. Nice of ya to drop by. Been up to? Heh well got a “new” job which is pretty cool. Not as cool as Pollux but I help arrange stars. Ya know, like the ones you see in the sky you can make pictures out of? I think you humans call em… constellations. One time I made this giant whoopee cushion one. Then I lost ma job. Got a second chance though. Andromeda’s constantly watchin me. hehe no harm done though.” Both Pollux and Nova refer to each other as brothers but it is unclear if they are biologically related. Their abilities and strengths are nearly opposite and their mythos even more so. Papyrus: Pollux- The presumed older brother of Nova. Pollux is associated with Egyptology specifically wisdom. Pollux tends to be the opposite of Nova in that he takes his job very seriously. Once on earth, he was known as Thoth gracing humanity with a mechanical and architectural knowledge that astounded the world. His mind and intellect put him at the forefront of innovation making him one of Capricorn’s best and most trusted advisors. He enjoys testing the mental prowess of others using puzzles and riddles of his own design. Unlike canon Pap, Pollux cares more about balance in life. Something his younger brother seems to lack. Not all work and not all play. He is kind, helpful, and willing to give advice to anyone that is looking for it. To the little human Frisk, he is a good mentor and teacher. (Pollux has made it his pastime to create a series of challenges to prove a humans worth. If they pass then they are able to speak/ see them. No one has managed to prove themselves.) Undyne: Andromeda- Andromeda is not different from canon Undyne as she embodies the Mayan mythology. She is most closely associated with the feathered serpent Quetzalcóatl. A deity of wind and rain. Also known as life-giver. Though Andromeda tends to harken back to her more aggressive roots she has a deep respect for the King and acts as his guard. Just like Pollux she too acts as an advisor, though more on matters of security than strategy or mechanics. Such a position is where she first met Elara and to this day the two are inseparable sharing their very different cultures. Her favorite kind of anime to watch are mech-based. Alphys: Elara- Very similar to canon Alphys just as this version of Undyne is. Alphys is based on Sukuna-Biko-Na (少名毘古那) or the Shinto god of medicine and rain. Elara is still very much a scientist and one that has a unique fascination with living things. Everything from the planets, to humans, animals, and plant life. She particularly enjoys spending time in her private greenhouse creating and taking care of all of the plant life. Before the monsters were forced to leave their place among the humans she was able to collect all the DNA of the plants and animals on the planet. They are stored in a kind of ark in which to preserve them if anything threatens their existence. Elara is very traditional in her work as her medicines are derived from her magic as well as herbal substances. She is very curious however as she is not allowed to interact with the progress of humanity but rather watches from afar. This is where her love of anime takes hold. Her favorites are ones like Sailor Moon or any type of magical girl anime. She will sit with Andromeda and watch them for hours. Her demeanor is very shy at first but once she opens up she will be a friend for life. Asgore: Capricorn- The head of the cosmic pantheon he is the King as he is in the original. He is associated with Celtic mythos though he has taken on many pantheon roles in his lifetime. Ambisagrus, a god of thunder and lightning, Ancestor God, Sky God, God of Wind, Rain & Hail is what he is based on. One such role is that of Zeus whose main symbol is that of lightning and thunder. Just like the Zeus of mythology Capricorn is constantly debating his involvement with humanity. Whether that be to stop their technological advances or aiding in their lives. A large portion of his time was spent with his subjects not so much his wife Aurora who is the jealous type. Capricorn is not a ruthless leader but he does know that sometimes hard decisions must be made. Just like UT Asgore, he is kind and benevolent, however, he has a temper if you make him angry enough. His magical abilities lean more toward lighting then fire but he has that ability as well. He tasked Elara to watch over human development should a problem arise. Toriel: Aurora- The Queen to Capricorn she is known to be easily jealous. It would explain why Zeus wife Hera also shares these traits. Her Gaelic deity tie is that of Arianrhod a goddess of the moon and stars. She creates life from the stars she creates sometimes causing them to take a form of their own. They are almost like living constellations. Some say that the Queen made such life to combat her own loneliness which her Son and Husband spent time away. In addition to the stars, she is also known for being a loving mother and caregiver. In her time on earth, she used to watch over and protect children and their families. Aurora though previously jealous of her simple in the universe has come to accept and embrace it. She is kind but rather overprotective. Anyone that forsakes life will feel her wrath. Muffet: Umbra- Umbra is associated with Hindu mythology as a goddess of wealth and prosperity. Though earthly riches do not concern Umbra she still has a taste for the fine silks and gold that she once had on earth. A little about the goddess that she represents: Lakshmi’s name comes from the Sanskrit word laksya, meaning an aim or goal. She is the goddess of wealth and prosperity, both material and spiritual. Unlike UT Muffet, Umbra also focuses on spiritual wealth. Peace of mind. She is ever the optimist even when things do not turn out to go her way. In times of need, she is called those in the struggles of self-worth trying to bring them into a different understanding. There have been many a time when Umbra calms Capricorns quick and rash judgments, much to Aurora’s displeasure. Just as with the rest of the pantheon she is kind and helpful even with her yearning to return to the people she so loved before they were forced to the outskirts of the galaxy. Grillby: Helio- Helio derived from the sun is my OT Grillby. He out of all the characters could care less about either being a deity or an observer. He is known to be at a middle ground. He would rather live his days running a social establishment but during his time on earth, he was known for his magic. Originally he was the right hand of Capricorn being depicted as a war deity for his fiery nature. He was the general of grand armies. His armor is something he hung up long ago but if called into court he will wear it once again. Its design is very reminiscent of Roman centurions. Though depictions of him are curious since his name back then was referred to as Merlin. He was best known for his magic and alchemy and the concoctions he made during a period of time far lacking in imagination. Just like Nova, Helio tended to interfere far too often in the affairs of man though noble in purpose. He tends to be outcast among the pantheon for his past conduct but he is content in his lab mixing crazy concoctions. Everything from love potions to disguises. His forte is all about alchemy and magic. Asriel: Azicree (Azi)- Azicree or Azi for short is the Crown Prince. By monster standards Azi is still very young, however, he has lived for far longer than any human can fathom. His mother used to shelter him until he begged for his father to let him prove himself. He still acts like a child always curious and desiring some form of exploration. Much to Capricorns dismay Azi enjoys spending time with Nova and the two become pranksters in general. He tends to not do as he is told, which is why they are in this mess in the first place. His reckless behavior had him appearing to a human that begged for his salvation. The matters of life and death are ones that are not to be messed with. Those that do find their souls being tainted for all eternity turning them into something other than just a monster. 9X is an example of such tampering. Azi does learn his lesson and begins to try and shape up to be a worthy successor to his father if such a thing ever did come to pass. He studies off of all those he knows especially Pollux who is more than happy to share such knowledge. His associations are nonexistent since he was born after the times of gods. His abilities seem to be mimic based. He is able to learn about abilities and use them at will. It is rare that monsters have children and as such Azi is the little prodigy child even though there are many times he just wants to be a kid. He makes friends with Frisk very quickly and learns a lot from the human visitor. Gaster: 9X (I can’t even)- 9x (can be pronounced NYX or Nine-X) is the Gaster of this universe. He is Capricorns pantheon counterpart. In essence the Hades to his Zeus. He is the monster that everyone thinks about when darkness takes hold. He is the one that associates with apocalyptic events such as Ragnarok. He is however not evil by any stretch of the imagination. He would be better suited to be called a god of chaos. He tends to reject the laws placed upon the rest of the pantheon regardless of repercussions. It’s speculated that both Pollux and Nova were a part of him and crafted into the monsters that are known today. Nova being his more devious side which Pollux is more his intellect and drive. He has been locked away for a very long time in a prison aptly named Tartarus. His abilities are space and time-oriented very similar to Nova which makes him difficult to imprison. He, of course, has been in his cell for quite some time and it is unclear if he actually has had a change of heart or using it as a manipulation tactic. The only one he speaks with on occasion is Azi wanting to learn more about this planet they all used to call home. It is information that the others tend to not speak of. His father more so as he is afraid it will instill a yearning in his son. 9X’s genius is on par with his godly abilities such as creating artificial intelligence. Something that is not considered life. He uses Azi as a template for this new program… FLOWEY- F- Friendly L- Life-like O- Operating system W- With E- Earthbound Y- Yearning F.L.O.W.E.Y was created by 9x and Nova with Azi as a template. He is a charismatic AI who was originally created as a helper as well as to teach the Prince about their planet of origin. Unfortunately, Flowey does not have the same reservations about disobeying his father as Azi does. Even going so far as to integrate with key and vital systems in The Capital. Flowey is not evil he just is driven to be the best help he can without regards to any type of consequences. He also feels abandoned by Nova as he was not only his creator but also his closest friend. It was why he was made. To be a companion and friend. He helps Frisk meet and learns more about their existence. He acts like a companion. However, when Frisk becomes friends with Azi Flowey’s AI goes haywire. He begins to feel emotions he is not technically allowed to such as jealousy. This causes him to try and eliminate those threatening him which in this case would be all the monsters. Eventually, Azi attempts to program himself into the interface changing its initial programming. Some of Flowey’s previous versions: Blookie: Nebula Riverperson: Omni Gerson: Quasar The Ursas: Ursa Major/Minor Greater Dog/ Lesser Dog: Canis Major/Minor Character Origin/Mythos: Sans- Norse (Trickster) Papyrus- Egyptian Undyne- Mayan Alphys- Japanese (shinto) Asgore- Celtic Toriel- Celtic Muffet- Hindu Grillby- Medieval (Merlin) Asriel- Celtic through lineage Gaster- Greek/Roman Blookie- Western Guard dogs- Constellations (Native American) Riverperson- Greek (Charon) Gerson- Chinese (Divination/ wisdom) Background and Context: A long time ago there lived beings of great power. They could bend space and time with a simple thought and bring life to their creations. These were the gods. Ones of great benevolence but also great and terrifying power. Humanity, a primitive race just starting to understand life itself, became their focus. At first, their interaction was very rare only occasionally appearing to help but as time went on those interactions became more drastic. Their assistance and knowledge were seen as godlike to these humans. They would bring gifts and offerings to their new deities in hopes that they would look favorably upon them. That they would impart their wisdom and magic if they were pleased. In time this became more and more of a tradition. A religion built upon pleasing these deities so that their lives would be far improved but this became a conundrum for the beings. Some remained benevolent and helpful while others become greedy and wrathful. The power began to go to their minds corrupting their souls. These instances were written down in variation by the humans making up grandiose stories of fiery chariots and jealous gods. Thus mythology came into being for humanity. A way to explain the things in which they did not understand. As with each religion and deity, the monsters each became associated with a specific culture or mythos. Some being pinnacles of their pantheon and others being lesser deities molded to suit a specific task. These monsters rarely interacted with ones of their own kind but as power shifted some of them took on roles of others. One monster could have been the god of war in Greek mythos but end up also as the god of thunder in Norse. There were no limitations to their influence. One such “deity” was that of the trickster. A monster that tended to be rather childish in his ambitions jumping from pantheon to pantheon looking to lighten up his other “deities” stern demeanors. The monsters began to pull away leaving their presences in name only and occasional help but this was short-lived. It caused problems, war, destruction, and feuding powers sadly began to use their civilizations as almost pawns. Their meddling almost destroyed that which they wanted to originally protect. Absolute power corrupts absolutely. The “gods” faded from existence only being remembered in myths and legends. The great prophecy of the Norse. The architectural marvels of the Egyptians. Now they reside in the furthest reaches of the galaxy. They spread out among the stars but a group of them resided in a Capital of sorts. A station at the edge of the Universe. One which no human could ever reach. The Humans Impressions: When the monsters left the humans to their own devices they worship continued long after. Eventually the magic and the miracles that had once been performed faded into history. The monsters were all but forgotten unless mentioned in mythology or scary stories. The humans never harbored any animosity toward them since they no longer believed in their existence in any form. They only understand what their ancestors depicted them as. The monsters as well don’t really have anything against humans either. All in all, they just go about their jobs and enjoy the universe, helping from time to time discreetly if need be but never showing their faces. Main Plot Synop: The plot to Outertale is very simple as it is more based around the world than it is the actual plot. It is very similar to that of the regular UT timeline with some notable differences. Once the humans reach an age of technological advancement they begin to spread out and search the stars. Some of them encounter monsters which they mistake for aliens (hilarious enough. I mean Jerry looks like an alien.) They begin to build colonies living more and more outside the reach of their own galaxy. Humans, however, tend to turn on their own creating factions within the space colonies. Some more prosperous than others. Frisk’s colony was one such beast being cut off from the other colonies as a drifter. Unfortunately, Frisk’s family was nearly non-existent and being stuck on a space colony was little to be desired. After seeing a streak of fire slamming into the outskirts of the colony. Frisk decides to investigate. They have always been the curious type disobeying orders and questioning everything. The colonies outer and more dangerous regions became their playground finding old pieces of technology. Eventually, they stumble upon a crashed ship. One that It seems too damaged to be used but it’s nothing like they have ever seen before. Everyone else on the colony considers it to be cursed. The strange runic language is confusing but Frisk finds that there is one lone computer onboard that seems to still function. It flickers with a bright yellow light showing an almost pixelated Flower with a =) face on the screen. Over the next few days, Frisk returns to decipher the runes with the help of their new friend which they find out is called Flowey. It is a project that the curious human enjoys and for once it is nice to have a friend. Eventually, the runes are deciphered claiming some sort of teleportation capability. Once Frisk is close enough the system fires up on its own sending the human straight to the monster Capital on the farthest reaches of the universe. A place that no human has ever been. The rest of the story is an exploration of this new environment. Frisk befriends the monsters who don’t attack first. They actually mostly want to engage with the human showing off their ability a little bit. A part of them misses the previous worship. Nova seems to take a particular interest in this new human especially when they befriend Azi. They work to help shut Flowey down only for Azi to impart his knowledge on the interface helping it understand. Frisk has nothing to return to so they stay with the monster and become Azi’s human tutor so that one day maybe the monsters can return and live side by side the humans once again. Both Azi and Frisk are almost like siblings coined the star children.

#sans #undertale #outertale #friskys multiverse #Nova #outertale sans #outertale cast #undertale universe #undertale au #Sans variation #space #space aesthetic #galaxies #concepts #friskys outertale #my art #lore building #world building #I do love outertale so I had to make my own version!

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le-regard-au-caire-blog · 7 years

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The verbal spectacle.

“There is no place left where people can discuss the realities which concern them,” Debord concluded, “because they can never lastingly free themselves from the crushing presence of media discourse.”

I could not agree more.

However, I thoroughly disagree with Robert Zaretsky regarding the way he frames and applies Debord’s philosophy in his New York Times article, “Trump and the ‘Society of the Spectacle’”.

Lost in the repetitive cacophony and widely-proliferated din of Cold War-esque rhetoric and Russio-phobia, the likes of which have not been seen since the days of McCarthy, is Debord’s very simple and prescient fact.

Truth, even in this particular New York Times article, once again manages to allude while the reader is circumscribed to a Technicolor yawning of the spectacle.

Numerous journalists, Zaretsky included, are so caught up excoriating President Trump’s flimsy relationship with the truth that they fail to realize the trees (spectacle) for the forest (reality).

Some may argue Trump has unintentional or incidental transgressions with the truth, while others would argue that he outright lies.

I couldn’t agree more with all of you, some of the time.

No matter where you may reside on that spectrum, we probably all agree that Trump has a very slippery relationship with the truth.

In so doing, those who pursue the sugary rush within the cozy confines of a mob-mentality as it collectively chases down the next hyperbolic statement that Trump delivers, only serve to both become and perpetuate the spectacle in one fell swoop.

I believe the author falls into this very camp.

As a result, the public continues to become more discontented from any sense of genuine reality.

Accordingly, the tide of the spectacle continually rises, but we did not arrive here as the result of a one-way ticket on January 20, 2017.

I had high hopes for Obama and believed his optimistic messaging of hope and change. I unabashedly drank the Kool-Aid of Obama’s spectacle. I genuinely believed his political messaging rooted in positive rhetoric.

Yet, taking a step back and examining this message yields interesting insight.

The majority of the world’s population will recognize this famous poster:

Street artist Shepard Fairey created the iconic image during the 2008 presidential campaign, which was central to crafting the “Hope and Change” candidacy of Barack Obama.

Without delving into great detail, Fairey was interviewed toward the end of Obama’s second term in 2015 by Esquire magazine. The conversation examines how the, “Barack Obama ‘Hope’ poster all but defined the 2008 Election, we decided to ask how that panned out…Short answer: He's not too happy with politics in general.”

Esquire, along with numerous other media outlets, outright admits to fostering the Obama spectacle by stating the iconic image, “all but defined the 2008 Election.” I couldn’t agree more. Accordingly, you cannot then point to Trump and blame him for the spectacle in which the American political-entertainment system currently resides.

Nor do I blame Obama, this was a long time coming.

But the reality is, absent the abject failure to genuinely deliver the promised hope and change everyone expected in their own individual way, the spectacle pendulum would not have been able to swing so wildly and hastily in the opposite direction. It is the reason the negativistic rhetoric of Trump’s “Drain the Swamp” took root so effectively. The idea of draining the swamp does not exist in a vacuum and could not have resonated so widely absent the failure to deliver widespread “Hope and Change.”

After eight years of Obama, while I believed in “Hope and Change” at the onset of 2009, many have ultimately felt let down by the spectacle.

However, that isn’t even the half of it.

The mantel of the American political-entertainment spectacle is just being passed on to Trump, and not divined by him alone. He is certainly running away with it in his own particular direction, but he did not invent this game. This is readily identified through the esteemed laudatory awards the “Hope and Change” campaign received from those deeply embedded within the spectacle.

Obama’s presidential media campaign was so wildly successful that the spectacle couldn’t help itself and had to award the campaign with numerous prestigious advertising and PR awards, including but not limited to:

The two top awards at the Cannes Lions International Advertising Awards.

Ad Age’s Marketer of the Year award.

The fact is if Obama was not just as much the spectacle as Trump currently is, there is no way Noam Chomsky could manage to find common ground with Sarah Palin.

“I don’t usually agree with Sarah Palin,” Chomsky admitted. “But when she mocks the ‘hope-y, change-y stuff,’ she’s right.”

Essentially, a well-known and esteemed media critic pointed out the spectacle and no one paid attention.

Truth certainly makes strange bedfellows.

Zaretsky’s article leads the reader to believe that Trump ushered in the spectacle. The reality is the American political-entertainment spectacle began long before Trump arrived; he just represents the most shockingly outrageous outgrowth that has been a longtime coming.

The level of discontent with the political-entertainment spectacle in America incubated a made-to-order monster by demanding an outsider.

According to the USA Today, “Exit polls show the public’s deep-seated dissatisfaction with the status quo and how Trump cashed in on disgruntled Americans.”

Thus, like a meteor fueled by tweets and hyperbolic idioms, Trump landed on 1600 Washington Ave. as the largest jewel on the crown of our collective slumber regarding the spectacle.

Something this big does not cook overnight.

In many cases, Trump voters were so fed up with the status quo of American political-entertainment spectacle, wittingly or unwittingly, they voted against their own personal interests.

The socio-political atmosphere that propagates a individual willingness to vote against one own’s interest is not Trump’s personal doing, he just capitalized of this reality of the spectacle.

Essentially, the populace was so disillusioned by the status quo spectacle, they voted for the outsider who promised to destroy the status quo spectacle.

Or in Trump’s own bombastic flare for the spectacularly dramatic, he stated that he would “Drain the Swamp”, which is high-level rhetoric delivered with propagandistic precision to a fairly large cross-section of the United States populace.

Long before Trump arrived on the scene, the boundaries between news and entertainment became indistinguishable. For goodness sake, the “Terminator” was the Governor of the great state of California. In reality, Trump is simply a natural offspring of the modern political-entertainment spectacle.

To argue otherwise would ignore a simple truth, which Debord refers to as “outlawing of history.”

However, the more we breathe life into the spectacle through collectively hyperventilating excoriations of Trump, the more it will proliferate. For example, daytime talk show host Oprah Winfrey is now openly mulling a presidential run and she has the name recognition that could propel her to victory.

Winfrey said, “she had "actually never thought" of running for president until after November's election put Donald Trump in the White House.”

There are no more boundaries between entertainment and politics under the umbrella of the spectacle. For the spectacle to be this grandiose, indicates that it spent a decades in development, not just a few months as Zaretsky would lead the reader to believer.

What is most worrying about Zaretsky’s thesis is that he cannot help himself, in the face of a Trumpian reality, and reverts to both becoming and perpetuating the spectacle through his incredibly dystopian outlook.

Let’s try to bear in mind that it has only been two full months of a Trump presidency and the sky has not yet quite fallen.

Remember, America managed to carry on through a second incarnation, and much dumber version, of George Bush for two full terms just a few short years ago. To indicate otherwise would be tantamount to, “outlawing of history.”

Let’s all take a deep breath and step back from the ledge.

Ultimately, given the direction things are headed, Trump may only last four years, which is not that long in the realm of politics.

I have strong confidence that the three-ring circus that is the American political-entertainment spectacle will still be humming along come 2020.

Yet Zaretsky concludes that, “With the presidency of Donald Trump, the Debordian analysis of modern life resonates more deeply and darkly than perhaps even its creator thought possible, anticipating, in so many ways, the frantic and fantastical, nihilistic and numbing nature of our newly installed government.”

I have not been able to fully grasp just exactly how it came to pass that Donald Trump, the awkward looking, bumbling speaker who is a septuagenarian billionaire real-estate developer that became famous for saying, “You’re fired,” on television, could possibly make the American political spectacle darker and more nihilistic than it was prior to his arrival.

Really?

After all, this is the same city that allowed a pedophile to exist as the Speaker of the House, who at one point in time was second in line to the presidency, according to USA Today.

A judge labeled Dennis Hastert, who was a congressman for two decades, as a “serial child molester” during his sentencing. Even more galling, the former high-level politician escaped severe punishment for his sexual exploitation of children. He only received 15 months as a result of a technicality involving “a banking charge that carries a maximum five-year sentence.”

Unless you follow American politics closely, this pedophilic horror may have escaped your attention mostly because the media was too busy cultivating the spectacle.

One doesn’t need to look too far back in time to find examples of both Republicans (George Bush landing on an aircraft carrier decked out in a flight suit like he is Tom Cruise in “Top Gun” comes to mind) and Democrats playing fast and loose with the truth to propitiate the spectacle.

Just this weekend, in response to Trump’s wild Twitter accusations of being tapped by his predecessor, Obama released a statement indicating, “neither President Obama nor any White House official ever ordered surveillance on any U.S. citizen. Any suggestion otherwise is false.”

Really?

Edward Snowden, line one please, it’s the spectacle returning your call.

The point is, the American political-entertainment spectacle stretches across both aisles, as well as time and space.

So is this is the American political-entertainment spectacle that Zaretsky contends Trump is going to make so horrifically darker?

I have a hard time believing the author on this particular point because the American political-entertainment spectacle was long ago a dark and twisted place.

Further, using the phrase “installed government” is absolute hyperbole that only serves to illuminate the author’s true beliefs, short of him outright stating it to the reader. It is actually quite subtle and well done, most readers would likely miss this particular word.

Wikipedia defines the phrase “installed government” as a, “caretaker government (which) is a type of government that rules temporarily.”

You can almost hear Zaretsky’s hyperbolic words birthing the very spectacle he is railing against.

The reality is, the spectacle remained significantly unchanged and unchallenged for so long that Trump, or someone of a similar ilk...possibly even worse, was an inevitable and eventual reality.

Hillary Clinton’s hubristic belief in a perpetual status quo of the American political-entertainment spectacle led her to ignore sound advice that most likely cost her the presidency.

The reality is that in spite of numerous obstacles thrown in his path, Trump won the ‘election game’ according to the rules that were established prior to the game.

It really is just that simple, even though it far harder to genuinely comprehend.

For better or worse, this is the reality we collectively face.

Trust me, I am not terribly thrilled by it either.

But I am also not quite ready to jump of a building either, which the political-entertainment spectacle that covers all-things Trump could lead one to do.

Until journalists genuinely comprehend the reality of President Trump, they will only expend unnecessary and superfluously energy that is dedicated to expanding the spectacle of Trump, while only serving to limit genuine opposition to ensure his policies are not radical.

Accordingly, the usage of obvious hyperbole, like “installed government”, only further disconnects the public from reality, which can only results in undercutting the poignancy of any contention the author makes while simultaneously propagating the very spectacle that the author so colorfully rails against.

I agree with the author that, “Surely, the spectacle has continued nonstop since Jan. 20,” but much like the problems that plague modern Western medicine, Zaretsky’s analysis only identifies the most recent symptom, while failing to treat the underlying systemic problem.

If you cannot tell, I am a bit cynically despondent regarding the landscape of American politics. For someone like myself, who actively engages in the political goings-on in my home country, I find it hard to watch most news programs or read mainstream news outlets anymore because they only seem to offer pure spectacle, infused with heavy doses of speculative hyperbole that borders on emotionally out of control.

In other words, “truth has almost everywhere ceased to exist or, at best, has been reduced to pure hypothesis.”

If Zaretsky doesn’t himself fall into this very camp, he is at least encouraging it at a bear minimum.

I want to actually hold Trump accountable.

I want his appointments to be thoroughly vetted.

I want his bad policy’s to be fought.

None of this is being done in genuine and effective manner because we are continually hypnotized by the obsessive compulsion of mainstream media to attack Trump more for his mannerisms and rhetoric, than his actual policies, which is the spectacle Debord warned us about.

Again, they fail to realize the trees (spectacle) for the forest (reality).

I cannot even hold a rational conversation on this subject because the spectacle has people so whipped into frenzy, the mere utterance of the word Trump has literally taken on a life of its own that results in unusually strong, and often overly emotional, reactions.

Zaretsky only serves to perpetuate this very severe problem, thus he is the spectacle just as much as Trump and his predecessors.

If the medium is the message, then the New York Times is the interior decorator of the spectacle.

Ask yourself how it is possible that the New York Times can actually get away with publishing the headline, “How Can We Get Rid of Trump?”, only 28 days into the Trump presidency?

These types of articles, along with Zaretsky’s, only serve to inflame the spectacle while obfuscating reality. The type of rhetoric that the New York Times is actively engaging in will only lead to one conceivable outcome, which is the removal of Trump as president.

From where I stand, I may not agree with much of anything Trump says and does, but that is irrelevant because there is no strong legal basis to advocate for impeachment at this particular juncture. If this changes, I am willing to amend the previous statement, but at this point there just is no legal justification. Yet the media continually perpetuates this potential as an agreeable reality to strive toward.

The level of spectacle the media is guilty of perpetuating is unprecedented.

USA Today published an article just over one month after the inauguration titled, “Time to talk Trump impeachment”.

Really?

That is the answer to enduring the uncomfortable reality we collectively are facing, after just over 60 days of said uncomfortable reality?

Have we become so accustomed to instant gratification that we no longer know how to bide our time while working toward an effective and positive solution?

Those engaged in hyperbolic messaging regarding Trump only serve to inflate the current incarnation of the political-entertainment spectacle. From my vantage point, it does not deconstruct the spectacle as Zaretsky may lead the reader to believe.

Further, the same way Trump’s negative campaign rhetoric fed on the decomposing carcass of Obama’s failed promises, if you swing the pendulum unnecessarily in the other direction as a reaction to a reality you are uncomfortable with you may not like the eventual reality you usher in.

Talk about spectacle.

Accordingly, be careful what you wish for because reactionary politics never makes for sound political decisions, and even worse politicians...especially under the profuse glare of the American political-entertainment spectacle.

The author further quotes DeBord by stating, “The practical consequences, as we see, are enormous.”

Indeed.

However, the irony escapes the author, because Zaretsky is metaphorically holding a mirror up to the very publication that printed his contention. After all, the New York Times has played it fast and loose with the truth in its own right during recent contemporary history…and to very damning and lasting effect.

Yet, it seems sacrosanct to even question this pattern.

One example among many: Judith Miller fed the American populace heaping spoonfuls of government sponsored fear propaganda involving non-existent weapons of mass destruction that resulted in the mass slaughter of hundreds of thousands of humans, destabilizing multiple countries and provided the a region for terrorists to incubate what is now ISIS or ‘Daesh’.

For context, this love-affair with government insider information leading a charge toward and unnecessary war occurred during a Republican administration, for whatever that is worth.

Oh, and after all of these horrific lies she - wittingly or unwittingly - spread and the resulting damage they caused, she is still gainfully employed as a television journalist.

The mighty spectacle plays on.

I could provide numerous examples where the New York Times, and the mainstream media, absolutely failed or neglected its fiduciary duty to the truth, which in turn breathed life into the American political-entertainment spectacle we now find ourselves.

Ultimately, Zaretsky and the New York Times have misidentified the culprit and in so doing, they allow truth to escape into the shadows so the spectacle can continue to grow unabated.

After all, they say in show business...the show must go on.

UPD - March 7th 9:50PM: Like gasoline on the American political-entertainment wildfire spectacle, in walks Julian Assange of Wikileaks. Will you remember the day George Orwell's 1984 became verified reality?

“According to the WikiLeaks news release, even when it appears to be turned off, the television “operates as a bug, recording conversations in the room and sending them over the internet to a covert C.I.A. server.”

#Trump #donald trump #New York Times #robert zaretsky #guy debord #the spectacle #american politics

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theseaeaglelives · 5 years

Text

Round 10

THE SEA EAGLE

MAKING RUGBY LEAGUE GREAT AGAIN!!!

Round 10 Manly Sea Eagles 24 Defeated Cronulla Sharks 14

Whilst it was a good result for Scott Morrison on Saturday, his luck did not extend into Sunday as Manly continued their dominance over the Sharks (at Shark Park) with a stirring victory against their perennial whipping boys. Once a graveyard, in recent years, starting with Tooves last game as coach, Manly have managed to have the wood over the Sharks at Shark Park. Manly opened the scoring after 8 minutes when Aiden Fonua-Blake crossed after receiving a subtle offload from Jake Trbjovic. What a fine player Jake is, and in the absence of brother Tom and Cherry Baby he has elevated his game to the elite level.

The Sharks, quickly hit back, but tries to Brandon Elliott and Kane Elgey, both converted saw Manly take a well-deserved 18-4 lead into the break. Returning from his NRL imposed, discretionary stand-down after being found NOT GUILTY, Dylan Walker was a welcome addition to the unheralded backline scoring the opening try of the second half and putting in a pretty solid overall performance. For Manly, the final 30 minutes was all about defence and with barely 25% possession defend they did, ultimately running out 24-14 victors. Standing in as a late replacement for Lachlan Croker, Cade Cust making his NRL debut had an outstanding game and looks a player of the future. Young Cade of course a part of the Manly Under 20’s premiership winning team of 2017.

The win continues Manly’s fine form in season 2019, confounding both the pundits and the bookies. Manly now sit in 5th place and will look to consolidate their Top 8 credentials next week back at Brookvale against to bottom feeding Titans.

Federal Election 2019 – Final Comment

Thank god that this debacle has reached its finale after what has felt like an endless procession of promises, lies and outright b/s. Australia has voted and as previously predicted by the Sea Eagle a politician, who as a general class of persons, can only be collectively described as assholes, has been elected to run the country for the next 3 (???) years.

On a positive note, the elected leader of Australia can at least name the rugby league team that plays out of the Shire, so if like many of his predecessors, he doesn’t see out his elected term, he could make a run for the Chairmanship at the NRL.

The bad news is that the planet is doomed, the drought will never end, bushfires and floods will ravage the earth destroying all in its path and relegating coalition supporters to a form of purgatory not unlike that predicted by Izzy Folau for drunks, gays and the like. It’s also possible, but the Sea Eagle can’t recall which party promised it, that there will be an end to world poverty/famine, peace in the Middle East and the Titans will win the premiership in 2019. It was also a very bad weekend for Manly man, ex PM and former long serving member for Warringah, Tony Abbott. The result in Warringah has prompted the Sea Eagle to ponder the reason for Mr Abbott’s demise and the unprecedented, but perhaps unsurprising support for his opponent Zali Steggall, who backed by the communist/activist group Get Up, was able to easily win the formerly ultra-safe Liberal seat.

Let’s consider some of the key attributes which the Sea Eagle has identified within the supporter base of Ms Steggall.

- Most have never been to a Manly game and long for a return to the NRL of the North Sydney Bears.

- Alternatively, most would prefer to don the tweed jacket (with the mandatory patches on the elbows) and take in a Waratahs game, minus of course the dissident Izzy Folau.

- Their greatest concern in life is that there will not be enough snow at Aspen or Whistler next season thus climate change is their big-ticket item. In saying that most of them do not have solar panels on their roofs and most drive gas guzzling mega-SUV’s.

- Most have a big (self) interest in renewables, primarily through personal investments, but wouldn’t for the life of them want a wind farm anywhere near North Head.

- Most welcome an increase in the intake of refugees, so long as said refugees stay well away from their electorate

. - Most are a big proponent of the public education system, but their children go to private schools.

- Their wealth and station in life was created by the fruits of capitalism but they have now morphed into a leftie elitists.

- Simply put they are all hypocrites.

As for the Liberals ability in the last 12 months to lose two of the safest blue ribbon seats in the country, Wentworth and Warringah (although Wentworth may have been won back in 2019) through torching of elected Prime Ministers, let us ponder why Tony Abbot deserves no real sympathy from Manly Rugby League supporters.

At one point, the Manly Warringah community had the Premier (Mike Baird) and the Prime Minister (Tony Abbot) with the keys to power at Federal and state level. But did Manly get the desperately needed new stadium? No they did not.

Of all the pork barrelling that has gone on, the Liberals failed to look at their own supporter base and protect their flank. The Sea Eagle says shame on all of them. There is no use in having power if you are not prepared to use it wisely, and what could be wiser use of public funds that a 30,000 seat stadium at Brookvale equivalent to what the Eels have been given. Bad luck Liberals, you deserve to lose the seat of Warringah. but if you want to get Warringah back, a starting point would be to arrange a seriously new stadium for Manly and ensure that the new Liberal candidate gets to open it, and Zali Steggal does not get invited to said opening or put anywhere near it then, or on game day.

As for the polls, the Labor party were widely predicted favourites. Given 4 prime ministers have been torched based on these polls (Rudd, Gillard, Abbott and Turnbull), which on any objective basis, are largely nothing more than incorrect opinionated bullshit, and totally and utterly unreliable, these polls should be ignored forever. As for the fake news exponents, ie the ABC, televised and Fairfax media, who equally suggested ScoMo was gone, they too should be ignored en masse. For they are in the main, nothing more than a pack of self-interested, chardonnay sipping socialist jibberers.

As ScoMo has discovered, the punters want job security, they don’t want to see the borders attacked by illegal immigrants, nor do they want to see power prices go through the roof based on mindless ideology, when China and rapidly developing countries are buying coal fired power plants. The punters have also recognised that anything Australia can do on the climate change front is 1. insignificant, and 2. effectively useless. So unless there is a unified world position on this topic, the Sea Eagle suggests Australia would be well placed to take a few each way bets on this one, and for f&6cks sake, keep the power prices down!

The only sensible thing to do now is demand, on behalf of the rorted electorate, that a Royal Commission be enacted with the sole purpose of getting to the bottom of the endless pit of lies, bullshit and deception extolled by the political parties during this and other election campaigns and dishing out the appropriate punishments.

Ex-Warrior Manu Vatuvei ‘froze’ after dropping dance partner on her head

Former Warriors player Manu Vatuvei has expressed his horror at dropping dance partner Loryn Reynolds on her head during rehearsals for New Zealand’s version of Dancing With The Stars.

Vatuvei, who played 226 games for the Warriors, is taking part in the current series airing in New Zealand. As he and Reynolds practised their salsa, a tricky twirl turned dangerous as he dropped his partner on her head.

“It was honestly one of the scariest moments because straight away I thought of the worst,” he told Stuff. “I stood there for ages just staring, I froze for a while. Usually my first reaction is to see if she’s all right and pick her up, but at that time I froze.

Vatuvei received the judge’s top score for the salsa, and is one of only eight couples remaining in the contest.

Sea Eagle Comment. Another fumble from Vatuvei is hardly surprising and for those that followed his career at the Warriors this latest case of the dropsies is far from unexpected.

The De Belin Case

Jack De Belin was unsuccessful in his challenge to his banning by the NRL whilst he pleads not guilty to some serious sexual assault charges. Even if he appeals and wins, it will take a long time to resolve that. His NRL career is in effect, severely derailed,

if not over. In the Federal Court case, reference was also made to Mr Andrew Abdo, Chief Commercial Officer, NRL, who explained that the vision of the Australian Rugby League Commission is to bring people together for the best sports and entertainment experience.

He identified its core beliefs as: being inclusive, positive, united and disciplined. Its belief of being inclusive is to ensure that all persons, no matter what their culture, gender, sexuality and social background are respected and feel welcome in rugby league.

There are those words again, words that are totally inconsistent with anything remotely connected with rugby league. Vision, united, disciplined, inclusive. Ah, the vision, wasn’t that a super league debacle type concept???? On being united, when has rugby league ever been united on any given topic. It is a dog eat dog code that over the years has seen Souths tossed out of the comp, many illogical mergers imposed (aka the ill fated Northern Eagles debacle as but one example), performance enhancing drug scandals at the Sharks, and the salary cap being largely ignored until clubs are caught, and the list goes on.

On inclusivity, who could doubt that, given the likes of Messrs Russell Packer and Mathew Lodge and others have been allowed to play, with their chequered history of violence and general poor off field behaviour . Still the NRL can hardly be said to be fully inclusive when those defending themselves, and maintaining their innocence, and in the case of Dylan Walker, court declared innocence, have been denied the very same ability to play until they are cleared.

Also, who could doubt the correctness of the vison vis a vis inclusiveness, given as Mr Peter Beattie of the NRL has publicly stated, there is no place in rugby league for Israel Folau given he has chosen to explain his religious beliefs publicly via social media rants (beliefs that are albeit misguided but nonetheless his inherent right to hold as they are apparently important to him). All of this at a time when: a. Izzy was playing for a rival code, b. Izzy was not a contracted NRL player, and c. as far as the Sea Eagle can tell, Izzy has done nothing illegal in making said comments. Yes, the consistency and inclusiveness in all of this is as clear as mud.

Go Manly!

THE SEA EAGLE

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