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May 31, 2005
Star Wars is childish!
Everyone's talking about Star Wars, including me. Only I haven't seen the latest entry in the series, which makes me more objective. Justin's doing a good job of keeping readers informed, which lets me completely off the hook -- not only as a reviewer, but even as a spectator. I don't need to see it. Besides, who would go with me? I have no children, and most of my friends (the people I might normally go to the movies with) are saving this one for their own kids. From what I've read, it's definitely about kids. About child development -- especially what happens when that process in which a boy becomes a man is contaminated. Contaminated by what? Hell, I don't know. I haven't seen the damned thing (which I had assumed was about the evil, Imperial-mongering Bushitler Vader or something). But Dean Esmay has, and he offers some intriguing insights: I remember all too well being a surly, angry, resentful, rebellious teenager (and early 20-something). Me? I bought into the whole thing as a refusal to grow up and face your own demons--which to me is the ultimate in cowardice.That's damned good. And damned scary. I don't know whether I'd rather have kids or just watch the damned movie. Childish issues frighten me because of often-repeated myths associating childhood with innocence. (When I was two, I learned that children are not innocent, and it's a lesson I never forgot.) What if the "Dark Side" is childish after all? The innocence of evil is probably the worst kind of innocence. And evil. Not that any of this would matter to a child. posted by Eric on 05.31.05 at 02:04 PM
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The non-innocence of children? Indeed, I, too, have known of it since I was two and not innocent. The Catholic church had a name for it: "....I argue about the world; -- if there be a God, since there is a God, the human race is implicated in some terrible aboriginal calamity. It is out of joint with the purposes of ita Creator. This is a fact, a fact as true as the fact of its existence; and thus the doctrine of what is theologically called original sin becomes to me almost as certain as that the world exists, and as the existence of God...." Steven Malcolm Anderson the Lesbian-worshipping man's-man-admiring myth-based egoist · May 31, 2005 02:49 PM Dean Esmay. What a man he is. I know that he is an excellent father to his sons -- just as I know that I would not be, and therefore have no children. Star Wars? Hmmm..... Seem to be reading about it all the time now on the blogs that I'm reading. I must confess that I've only seen bits and snippets of that series, even as little as I've seen of Star Trek since the days when Dr. McCoy told Mr. Spock to shut up. I grew up on the original Lost In Space* television series, and on The Outer Limits and The Twilight Zone back in the early 1960s, plus numerous cartoon shows and comic books of those days. I suppose I shall have to see the entire Star Wars saga someday, as it seems to be becoming part of the folklore of early 21st century Late Western, or American culture. Right now, though, I'm far too immersed in this endless saga of Dawn vs. Wanda, etc, etc.... ....and G. K. Chesterton's stories and essays as well. There are some other books I need to read, too. Too many things. Way too many things. When I think of Star Wars and Darth Vader and all that, I always think of President Reagan's Star Wars against the Evil Empire of Communism. The style of it all. The Star Wars thing, from what I hear of it, seems to be taking place in some analogue of the late Roman Republic, the time of its transition into the Roman Empire. Senators, etc.. Mr. Bricker admires the Roman Republic. I keep thinking of some kid back in junior high school who looked at a drawing of some steps and exclaimed: "Steps of the Roman Empire!" When I think of Empire, I think of a dream I once had, an extremely vivid and clear dream. A professor of political science, an extremely powerful and authoritative man, worshipped by his students, wrote his political philosophy on the blackboard in 3 words: "Empire. Empire. Empire." The style of that! His daughter remonstrated with him that this was in some way blasphemous, going against the Gods. He asserted his stern paternal authority. The whole thing was in song, operatic. The father had a deep baritone voice. The next scene was of the daughter on the way to a gigantic funeral of her father, who was now universally worshipped, as he had now built the Empire. The whole assemply was lit with searchlights. The girl was trembling, knowing that she would have to have to, in the name of the Gods, denounce her father.... The style of it all, both the father and the daughter. Is the way my story is now heading? Will holy Norma have to oppose her father, the General, and his evil wife Corona?.... "....to make ______ _______ the absolute dictator of the total population of the Earth, in other words, the first ruler of the world...."? Meanwhile, wicked Wanda has now set up a special school to teach science to smart children. Xrxqtl. Steven Malcolm Anderson the Lesbian-worshipping man's-man-admiring myth-based egoist · May 31, 2005 03:28 PM |
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I've always been amazed by the number of people who believe that children are born naturally good and pure. Have they never spent five minutes around a two-year-old? You have to teach a kid to share, but not to steal. You have to teach a kid to say "Please" and "Thank you," but not to lie like a rug. You have to teach a kid not to hit his siblings, but he will learn how to manipulate you with his tears all on his own.