Thursday 3 February 2022

Trying to Define Fascism In Today's Age

 If you went up to most people (in the US) and asked them to define fascism....they'd stand there for about 30 seconds and half of them would suggest the Italian or German governments of the 1930s.  Beyond that.....they might utter that it's strict and very much like a right-wing dictatorship.  But there's little else they could say.

The fact that it can be a right or left government?  Oh, well....it's possible.  

The fact that people might vote such a government into place?  Oh, that's possible as well.

Does fascism descent from a progressive government?  In most cases, yes.

The fact that you have to regulate life (in extreme ways)....in order to bring fascism into everyone's life?  Yeah, that's generally the path.

The trend that you need culture 'wars' going on....to pave the way for fascism in your government?  That's another path.

 As much as we all think that things are evolving and changing.....we might want to go back and revisit the definition of fascism.  

Just Something You Notice About YouTube After a While

 You can chat about ghosts, but the minute you talk about Covid.....you could be accused of misinformation.

You can talk over steroids in the 1990s of baseball, but the minute you talk about Covid.....you could be accused of misinformation.

You could convene a table-talk of six people over Big Foot, but the minute you talk about Covid.....you could be accused of misinformation.

You could have a six-hour chat about stupid diet ideas, but the minute you talk about Covid.....you could be accused of misinformation.

You could enchant people with personal opinions about transmission repair (not being a certified mechanic), but the minute you talk about Covid.....you could be accused of misinformation.

You could have a long talk over Australian vacation ideas, but the minute you talk about Covid.....you could be accused of misinformation.

You can speak over Trump and the hoax Russia-gate, but the minute you talk about Covid.....you could be accused of misinformation.

You could have a two-hour critical (very negative) talk about Neil Young's music from the 1970s, but the minute you talk about Covid.....you could be accused of misinformation.

You could have a full hour of interviews from blacks who support voter mandates and voter ID, but the minute you talk about Covid.....you could be accused of misinformation.

You could sit and have a 30-minute conversation with a Mennonite untrained nurse on how to handle colds and flus without over-the-counter drugs, but the minute you talk about Covid.....you could be accused of misinformation.

You could talk about the difference between French demons and Mexican demons, but the minute you talk about Covid, well.....you know.  

Something wrong here?  Eventually, a majority of people will figure this out, and YouTube will be identified as something similar to 'MySpace'.  

My Ten Movies That I Could Not Get into

 1.  Matrix.  After having seen all four (1/2 I've probably seen twice)....I just don't get it.  

2.  The Last Airbender.  About 30 minutes into it....I felt like the story dwindled out....there was nothing. 

3.  Cats.  My wife dragged me to a theater to view the movie.  Out of the 300 potential seats on a Friday evening, there were twelve seats filled.  I consumed all of my 40-ounce Coke to maintain staying awake.  

4.  Batman and Robin (1997).  Maybe it read well on paper, but this movie just fell apart by the mid-way point.

5.  McCabe and Mrs Miller.  This 1971 western sometimes appears on people's top ten lists of westerns.  Frankly, it's probably got the worst script of any western I've seen, and the ending simply doesn't 'fit'.

6.  Bolero (1984).  If you have to watch it....mute the sound, play some 'Dirty Dancing' type of music in the background and just observe Bo Derek.

7.  Battlefield Earth.  It's been 20 years since it came out, and I'd say that it's one of the worst scripted and acted movies in the science fiction arena.  

8.  Cabin Fever (2016).  I stopped at minute 25 in this 98 minute movie.  It's basically a scare-you type script, where some virus is killing folks left and right.....all based out in the rural world.  

9.  Wagons East (1994).  John Candy's only acting in a cowboy western.  There's maybe six jokes in the whole movie.

10.  Blue Steel (1934).  When you can find it....this 54-minute cowboy western features a young John Wayne, and has a single paragraph describing the whole story.  It's one of those movies where virtually every 'extra' had a line to say, and nothing makes sense.