Are we a nation full of hypocrites when it comes to war?
Recently, millions of Americans like any other weekend decided to escape the hustle and bustle of real life to go see the movie “300“. Like past movies like Braveheart and Gladiator, the central themes of this latest pic are loyalty and honor AT ANY COST. And as expected, 300 smashed the record for a movie release in March.
Unfortunately the world outside of the theater is much different that the qualities we admire in our films. While many of us regardless of political persuasion rush to our televisions every week to cheer on Jack Bauer of 24 as he stomps on every strip of legal red tape that is thrown his way in order to protect the country he loves, in the real world people like him would be depicted as a bloodthirsty warmonger who is in desperate need of sensitivity training.
While thousands of “peace-loving” people took to the streets this weekend here in America to convince the world that we real Americans are against aggression, this “mature” approach on handling conflict seems to get lost with every Rambo-type film we Americans rush to see. Funny how this moral high ground is pitched to the side like a worn-out protest sign when the main character of our favorite film resorts to indiscriminate violence to save the day.
The hypocrisy of fantasizing the use of any and all means to rid the innocent of oppression while speaking out against such actions in the real world at the expense of the morale of our own soldiers speaks volumes to the victims we claim to represent.
Perhaps Steve Urkel would accurately portray our idea action hero.
Once again…another excellent article!
Comment by VB | March 21, 2007
Funny how this moral high ground is pitched to the side like a worn-out protest sign when the main character of our favorite film resorts to indiscriminate violence to save the day.
Dude. Its a MOVIE. Nobody expects stuff like that to work in real life.
Comment by BH | March 21, 2007
Dude. Its a MOVIE. Nobody expects stuff like that to work in real life.
So is porn
Comment by Duane | March 21, 2007
Seriously Duane get down off that horse and join the rest of us.
Comment by Saudia | March 21, 2007
I reiterate my previous comment
Comment by BH | March 21, 2007
Seriously Duane get down off that horse and join the rest of us.
In hypocrisy? Enjoy your swim.
There’s always room on the horse.
Comment by Duane | March 21, 2007
I guess this is one of those I don’t get you point on this. We are talking about a movie that is losely based on true events. How are we hypocrites(sp) when we are merely enjoying a dose of a world that existed long ago.
Comment by Saudia | March 21, 2007
I guess this is one of those I don’t get you point on this. We are talking about a movie that is losely based on true events. How are we hypocrites(sp) when we are merely enjoying a dose of a world that existed long ago.
Saudia, read the whole thing again. I’m not just talking about one movie. I’m talking about EVERY movie out there that is centered around the use of force to right wrongs.
Comment by Duane | March 21, 2007
Saudia, read the whole thing again. I’m not just talking about one movie. I’m talking about EVERY movie out there that is centered around the use of force to right wrongs.
Again. It’s a movie. Stuff happens in a movie because that is the way it is written. The problem with real life is that movie solutions DON’T work. You can’t go in there gung ho like John Wayne and start shooting up the place. Not all the time. Not MOST of the time.
Hypocrisy is not a difference betweens one’s choice of entertainment and one’s actions, but between one’s words and stated beliefs and actions.
There are hypocrites in this country but I don’t think they are the ones you think.
Comment by BH | March 22, 2007
Your definition:
Hypocrisy is not a difference betweens one’s choice of entertainment and one’s actions, but between one’s words and stated beliefs and actions.
Dictionary
a pretense of having a virtuous character, moral or religious beliefs or principles, etc., that one does not really possess
Character is what a person is even when nobody else is around. While it is okay for a person to disagree with the basis of a war, it becomes pure hypocrisy when that same person condemns violence while regularly indulging himself/herself in entertainment that is centered around what they claim is wrong.
Comment by Duane | March 22, 2007
it becomes pure hypocrisy when that same person condemns violence while regularly indulging himself/herself in entertainment that is centered around what they claim is wrong.
So how do you know that those people at the protest are the people going to see 300? There are more than enough pro-war, gun toting NRA type to push the That movie and to the top spot for many week-ends.
Comment by BH | March 23, 2007
And how do you know that “pro-war, gun toting NRA type(s)” are mainly pushing movies that contain this type of violence?
If you want the evidence of what I am talking about here, look to many of the actors, directors, producers and technical folks that work and live in the Hollywood area. These are folks that are overwhelmingly against war “on moral grounds” yet have no problem spitting out these kind of films. In addition, the general American populace (made up of different individuals with different viewpoints when it comes to the “morality” of war) will sell out these films both in the box office and in DVD sales. The same can be applied to the violent video game market. Also keep in mind that I live in a state that is made of folks who are against this war on “moral” reasons, yet the last I checked these films were doing fine in sales out here.
This is just as bad as somebody preaching against porno shops yet have a stash of it under their own bed.
Comment by Duane | March 23, 2007