Has the left developed an anti-entertainment authoritarian streak?

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

I fear recently that it has to some extent. Much like how the religious right attacks EVERYTHING as corrupting the youth of this country or whatever, some on the left seem to as well. First there's the ridiculous belief that 300 was fascist propaganda (as proven by the jackbooted history of all those involved obviously) rather than being able to recognize what's obviously just mindless entertainment. But now it's  more obvious with attacks on the recent spat of pregnancy-orientated movies, calling them either pro-life or reducing women to merely baby carriers. Of course these come mostly from extreme feminists who are usually somewhat authoritarian, but that's not just it unfortunately. Really I find the idea that some people think Knocked Up is meant to be some sort of deep and meaningful political statement to be almost as funny as the movie itself.

[dead0man]

Knocked Up was funny as hell.  Anybody that gets their panties in a twist over that isn't somebody worth listening to.

[Akno21]

Wasn't Hillary aggressive in her anger at the video game industry, over Grand Theft Auto, IIRC?

[tik 🪀✨]

The difference is that, to the best of my knowledge, no one thought that 300 or Knocked Up should have been banned or censored.. especially on the left.

One can look into movies and try and find hidden social and political agendas - and there very may well be some. Who cares? The only thing that matters is that it remains unrestricted and equal for everyone to promote whatever they want. And that is the real issue - censorship and 1st amendment rights. Either side is free to speak out against a movie they feel promotes something they disagree with or advocate against just as long as neither side tries to stop the other from being heard.

[specific_name]

The left certainly has an authoritarian streak, just like the right. Entertainment is usually opposed by the right when it threatens traditional values. The left can just as easily hold similar options when the treat is to something 'progressive.' When ever people think they're right and become arrogant in their belief, you see the same kind of authoritarian attitude and paternalism (we need to protect you from yourself...from being wrong).

[Filuwaúrdjan]

The Left has always had a moralistic streak, in fact without it there would be no Left.

(edit: because whatever accepting that everything is acceptable is, left-wing it isn't)

[Eraserhead]

Yeah and it's one of the things that really disgusts me about the left. The Liebermans, Clintons, etc. of the world need to be purged.

[Fmr President & Senator Polnut]

I think the left take themselves WAY too seriously.

The Left has always had a moralistic streak, in fact without it there would be no Left.

(edit: because whatever accepting that everything is acceptable is, left-wing it isn't)

I completely agree, the left's self-righteousness angers me more than the right's... because you know... they're the right.

[Tetro Kornbluth]

'Developed'? LOL. That has been true of all 'lefts' since... Oooh.. the Early Christians (At least).

You can read to much into '300' or 'Knocked up' (Didn't see it however as can't comment any further) as much as make commentary on a film such as 'the Battleship Potemkin' or its didactic likes. However a film does tend to appeal to a mass audience and would contain whatever values  appeal to that mass. Therefore on some level it is worth exploring, If 300 decided to show that Spartans were slave owners and North Africans then would the film have gotten the attention/profit it did?

I also strongly agree Al here:

(edit: because whatever accepting that everything is acceptable is, left-wing it isn't)

[minionofmidas]

Wow at yr sig, Gully. I feel honored.

In some respects, that streak has always been there. "Traditional religion's ritualistic pomp is just evil opiate for the masses" and "Seemingly mindless mass entertainments with a retarded political message are just evil opiate for the masses" is the same argument. And not a wholly mistaken one, either, although the way it has been argued has not always won it more friends than enemies.

And then there's evil nannyish authoritarians in temporary alliance with left-wing political parties. As viz. Gun Control. As viz. Tipper Gore on Rap Music. That doesn't necessarily make such positions "left wing" - even when some of the people as hold them are genuinely left wing on other issues.

Haven't seen "Knocked Up", but I did note, with a certain slight amount of displeasure, how in "Juno" abortion and adoption were portrayed as the only choices available. I would have kept that baby. It's not impossible. It's not even as difficult as it looks in advance - that girl's family could have coped. And I'm just too clannish to want to lose any family member. The message here would, of course, be, if anything antitraditionalist without belonging strictly into any other quadrant of the compass.

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

Wow at yr sig, Gully. I feel honored.

In some respects, that streak has always been there. "Traditional religion's ritualistic pomp is just evil opiate for the masses" and "Seemingly mindless mass entertainments with a retarded political message are just evil opiate for the masses" is the same argument. And not a wholly mistaken one, either, although the way it has been argued has not always won it more friends than enemies.

And then there's evil nannyish authoritarians in temporary alliance with left-wing political parties. As viz. Gun Control. As viz. Tipper Gore on Rap Music. That doesn't necessarily make such positions "left wing" - even when some of the people as hold them are genuinely left wing on other issues.

Haven't seen "Knocked Up", but I did note, with a certain slight amount of displeasure, how in "Juno" abortion and adoption were portrayed as the only choices available. I would have kept that baby. It's not impossible. It's not even as difficult as it looks in advance - that girl's family could have coped. And I'm just too clannish to want to lose any family member. The message here would, of course, be, if anything antitraditionalist without belonging strictly into any other quadrant of the compass.

I'ts also pretty clear though that Juno didn't care enough to keep the baby, by her mocking of the idea of an open adoption. She even said that it didn't seem as if the baby was her's.

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

Leftists have always had anti-entertainment streaks: look at the lack of artistic freedom in Stalin's USSR or Mao's China.

That being said, I don't think that really exists in the American left, which is far more libertarian than others.  The people you mention who didn't like 300 or Knocked Up simply have taste.

No, I see it on the forum. 300 is FASCIST!!!!111!!!1 Knocked Up is pro-life propaganda!!1111!111

[Ebowed]

Yes, but not in the sense that BRTD is referring to, but rather supporting the censorship of violence in video games or trying to limit profanity on TV, etc.  Making a statement about a film's contents is not authoritarian unless they also want to ban it.

The irony in this thread, of course, being that BRTD is a strong supporter of smoking bans, another form of authoritarianism.

[Padfoot]

Juno maid meh hait aborshuns.  Thay R teh evul!!!!1!!!1!!!

[Person Man]

Juno maid meh hait aborshuns.  Thay R teh evul!!!!1!!!1!!!

LOL. Seriously. I coughed a little. I bought into the fact that 300 could be fascist, but I don't think so anymore. Knocked Up seems pretty funny, though Juno seems to have a little anti-choice animus. This doesn't mean these movies should be censored. People can watch what they want, but it should be their personal business to be educated....and hell, maybe neither of these movies had any anti-democratic animus. ...but even if we did, we wouldn't have formal boycotts or picketting like the reactionaires did with Book of Daniel or Farhenheit 911. Though, F911 was sorta asking for it.

[dead0man]

.... we wouldn't have formal boycotts or picketting like the reactionaires did with Book of Daniel or Farhenheit 911. Though, F911 was sorta asking for it.

Aye. If you make a movie that you know is full of lies, you can expect some jerks to get upset about it.

[Person Man]

.... we wouldn't have formal boycotts or picketting like the reactionaires did with Book of Daniel or Farhenheit 911. Though, F911 was sorta asking for it.

Aye. If you make a movie that you know is full of lies, you can expect some jerks to get upset about it.

So, you're only problem with what I said is that you believe, without proof, that one of my example was fraudulent?   Well, I think I did a good job explaining things then.

[Beet]

So is thinking authoritarian now? Because, if critiquing a film for sociological significance (which some though not all, have) without calling for any form of censorship nor denying that the film is still enjoyable on a purely entertainment level is authoritarian, then to avoid authoritarianism one would have to shut off one's mind.

[minionofmidas]

So is thinking authoritarian now? Because, if critiquing a film for sociological significance (which some though not all, have) without calling for any form of censorship nor denying that the film is still enjoyable on a purely entertainment level is authoritarian, then to avoid authoritarianism one would have to shut off one's mind.

[Person Man]

Dammit! I can almost read the left-most message. What does it say?


And Beet took the words right out of my mouth...in a very condesending way that makes me "bitter".

[minionofmidas]

The sign on the right says "By-laws of the Thinkers' Club" and then underneath it it explains that the muzzles are so that noone is tempted to talk, and that the question to be thought about this week will be posted on a billboard, and a couple more such silly details.

The big billboard in the middle says: "Question to be pondered at today's meeting: How long we may still be allowed to Think?"

It's from 1819, and it's reproduced in just about every German history book covering the period.

[dead0man]

.... we wouldn't have formal boycotts or picketting like the reactionaires did with Book of Daniel or Farhenheit 911. Though, F911 was sorta asking for it.

Aye. If you make a movie that you know is full of lies, you can expect some jerks to get upset about it.

So, you're only problem with what I said is that you believe, without proof, that one of my example was fraudulent?   Well, I think I did a good job explaining things then.

Obviously!

[War on Want]

Knocked Up was funny as hell.  Anybody that gets their panties in a twist over that isn't somebody worth listening to.

No kidding, I just watched it 2 days ago and it is hilarious. Anyone who gets pissed off by that has no life.