The Republican National Convention, which concluded last night, provided a glimpse into the reality of the political-entertainment complex as it exists today.
Whenever I’m reminded that commenting on how stupid something is makes me sound elitist or that I’m looking down my nose at people, I think, “well, it is what it is”. Appealing to our basest feelings and instincts may be easy and effective but that doesn’t make it any less cynical or moronic.
We used to put on wrestling as my disabled son's Saturday morning cartoons. That's how moronic it was then. When I see Hulk Hogan now it brings back memories of my son and not much else. He is a has been. I caught glimpses of him being on stage and it reminded me of Clint Eastwood talking to an empty chair. If this was the high point I shudder to think what the low point was. I am chagrined that this is what passes for thoughtful discourse.
"Let them have tweets." sums up my thoughts since Trump walked down that escalator. It's about all you can expect.
Let's not meaningfully make people's lives better. Maybe the vibes will be better, sure for a subset of people, but all the material things that Trump will absolutely fuck up in term 2 is comic book villain shit. This is the most American authoritarianism ever. We didn't need a global crisis with massive economic collapse or other widespread issues like historical examples: we just needed to be entertained to death.
Nice summary and close to my own take -- https://tinyurl.com/bdd3j3bp -- though how could you omit a reference to Kid Rock? I would say his performance represented bedrock in terms of GOP immaturity, but the party always finds a new bottom. There are no more adults in the party, just insolent frat boys TPing the libtard dorm at every opportunity, egged on by Gaetz and Greene. Is there such a thing as collective arrested development?
While MAGA political strategists have decided that the way back to power is by appealing to the baser instincts of voters, the finest thinkers of MAGA-land declare that Trumpism is all about protecting "civilization" and promoting the Good and the Beautiful.
Part of the Trump cult regards him as the muscular enforcer of a socially conservative - or reactionary - agenda.
Another part sees him as granting permission to do whatever they want -- as he himself does with impunity.
There appears to be some overlap between those groups.
There are highly educated Trump apologists who would swear up and down that their zealous support of Trump is perfectly consistent with defending the loftiest achievements of civilization, which they say is under mortal peril from attacks by the Left. They may privately be embarrassed by Trump's crudeness and idiocy - and by that of the MAGA cultists. - but they have ways of rationalizing it:
1. The threat to "civilization" is so urgent that the great hero who will vanquish its enemies must not be hobbled by rules and norms.
2. Trump's heart is with the "ordinary Americans" who have been scorned by leftist elites, and it's wrong to express disapproval of their behavior if they have the same enemies.
Gone are the days when conservative thinkers uniformly believed that ordinary Americans should have edifying role models as leaders, instead of a vulgar bully -- a disciple of Roy Cohn and a pal of Jeffrey Epstein -- who will "fight like hell" against their political opponents.
Blatantly pandering to the hormone-amped insecurities of adolescent maleness is a "vibes play"? I guess that--demonstrably wrong as it is--perhaps you just proved Jimmy Vance's point that nobody acts for an idea. Rather, they act for satiation. That, fueled by the instant gratification of technology they couldn't even have dreamed, the Republic of Franklin, Jefferson, and Lincoln has been reduced to an appetite. And not just any appetite, but the desperate, groping urge of the pubescent boy.
You are incorrect in saying "this is our politics now" - this is clearly GOP politics and theirs's alone. The adult table won't put a bunch of racist, women-slapping white men on camera in prime speaking slots for their low education white boys with daddy issues to appeal to.
Politics as entertainment is embedded in our culture now. This convention epitomized that conclusion. Sonny, you are precisely truth-talking about Hulk Hogan's prominent role before the fpotus speech. The crowd was in a shouting frenzy. I thought - gladiator combat amusement will be the Republican event at their next convention, if there is still such a thing in a king fpotus world *shudder*. I believe this is why MSM media, once investigative journalist outlets, have now devolved into tabloid fodder, basically fawning over a convicted felon; while a decades long statesman is being hounded to drop out. Yes, President Biden's delivery, speech, gait, all age related declines, is painful to watch. But to choose a blistering despot is absolute folly. The circus must go on? Ugh.
Whenever I’m reminded that commenting on how stupid something is makes me sound elitist or that I’m looking down my nose at people, I think, “well, it is what it is”. Appealing to our basest feelings and instincts may be easy and effective but that doesn’t make it any less cynical or moronic.
We used to put on wrestling as my disabled son's Saturday morning cartoons. That's how moronic it was then. When I see Hulk Hogan now it brings back memories of my son and not much else. He is a has been. I caught glimpses of him being on stage and it reminded me of Clint Eastwood talking to an empty chair. If this was the high point I shudder to think what the low point was. I am chagrined that this is what passes for thoughtful discourse.
Trump has been modeling his entire political schtick on Vince McMahon since he came down the escalator. It was funny until it wasn’t.
"Let them have tweets." sums up my thoughts since Trump walked down that escalator. It's about all you can expect.
Let's not meaningfully make people's lives better. Maybe the vibes will be better, sure for a subset of people, but all the material things that Trump will absolutely fuck up in term 2 is comic book villain shit. This is the most American authoritarianism ever. We didn't need a global crisis with massive economic collapse or other widespread issues like historical examples: we just needed to be entertained to death.
I particularly like your coinage of the “Political-Entertainment complex” which nails it! Thats a good one.
Jds has a secret... you betcha.
Nice summary and close to my own take -- https://tinyurl.com/bdd3j3bp -- though how could you omit a reference to Kid Rock? I would say his performance represented bedrock in terms of GOP immaturity, but the party always finds a new bottom. There are no more adults in the party, just insolent frat boys TPing the libtard dorm at every opportunity, egged on by Gaetz and Greene. Is there such a thing as collective arrested development?
More like high school dropouts, frat boys is too generous.
So much failure to launch.
While MAGA political strategists have decided that the way back to power is by appealing to the baser instincts of voters, the finest thinkers of MAGA-land declare that Trumpism is all about protecting "civilization" and promoting the Good and the Beautiful.
Part of the Trump cult regards him as the muscular enforcer of a socially conservative - or reactionary - agenda.
Another part sees him as granting permission to do whatever they want -- as he himself does with impunity.
There appears to be some overlap between those groups.
If you drew a Venn diagram of Trump voters, Proud Boys, gun nuts and WrestleMania fans, you’d have a circle.
There are highly educated Trump apologists who would swear up and down that their zealous support of Trump is perfectly consistent with defending the loftiest achievements of civilization, which they say is under mortal peril from attacks by the Left. They may privately be embarrassed by Trump's crudeness and idiocy - and by that of the MAGA cultists. - but they have ways of rationalizing it:
1. The threat to "civilization" is so urgent that the great hero who will vanquish its enemies must not be hobbled by rules and norms.
2. Trump's heart is with the "ordinary Americans" who have been scorned by leftist elites, and it's wrong to express disapproval of their behavior if they have the same enemies.
Gone are the days when conservative thinkers uniformly believed that ordinary Americans should have edifying role models as leaders, instead of a vulgar bully -- a disciple of Roy Cohn and a pal of Jeffrey Epstein -- who will "fight like hell" against their political opponents.
It sounds like "bread and circuses" of the late Roman Empire, only without the bread.
Between this and the latest by @heathecoxrichardson, I am convinced the GOP business model is a fusion of WWE theatrics with Mussolini Fascism.
Blatantly pandering to the hormone-amped insecurities of adolescent maleness is a "vibes play"? I guess that--demonstrably wrong as it is--perhaps you just proved Jimmy Vance's point that nobody acts for an idea. Rather, they act for satiation. That, fueled by the instant gratification of technology they couldn't even have dreamed, the Republic of Franklin, Jefferson, and Lincoln has been reduced to an appetite. And not just any appetite, but the desperate, groping urge of the pubescent boy.
That's just fucking great.
You are incorrect in saying "this is our politics now" - this is clearly GOP politics and theirs's alone. The adult table won't put a bunch of racist, women-slapping white men on camera in prime speaking slots for their low education white boys with daddy issues to appeal to.
'No, let the candied tongue lick absurd pomp,
And crook the pregnant hinges of the knee
Where thrift may follow fawning.' Hamlet 3.2 l.55 ff
"all at the behest of a" person who did a cameo!, in Home Alone 2.
Politics as entertainment is embedded in our culture now. This convention epitomized that conclusion. Sonny, you are precisely truth-talking about Hulk Hogan's prominent role before the fpotus speech. The crowd was in a shouting frenzy. I thought - gladiator combat amusement will be the Republican event at their next convention, if there is still such a thing in a king fpotus world *shudder*. I believe this is why MSM media, once investigative journalist outlets, have now devolved into tabloid fodder, basically fawning over a convicted felon; while a decades long statesman is being hounded to drop out. Yes, President Biden's delivery, speech, gait, all age related declines, is painful to watch. But to choose a blistering despot is absolute folly. The circus must go on? Ugh.
"We're mass communicatin'!"
https://www.google.com/search?q=we%27re+mass+communicatin&oq=we%27re+mass+communicatin&gs_lcrp=EgZjaHJvbWUyBggAEEUYOTIKCAEQABgKGBYYHjIKCAIQABgKGBYYHjINCAMQABiGAxiABBiKBTINCAQQABiGAxiABBiKBTINCAUQABiGAxiABBiKBTIKCAYQABiABBiiBDIKCAcQABiABBiiBDIKCAgQABiiBBiJBdIBCDUzNDFqMGoxqAIAsAIB&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8#fpstate=ive&vld=cid:bdc8a483,vid:NTxGExkLCls,st:0
I’m 69 years old, white, male, Catholic by birth, and live in suburban Michigan.
You are 100% right about the Hulkamania show. It was pathetic, juvenile, and borderline insane, BROTHER!!
It also was a political masterstroke.
This campaign is a lot better than the last two amateur hours. This time they’re playing for keeps.