In this particular political season, I don’t know many people who are outright uninterested in the presidential race. The opinions on both sides of the aisle are many, and the stakes are incredibly high. A combination of fascination and frustration grips most of us as the race drags on and seems to take all sorts of odd twists and turns. In short, this whole politics thing is getting crazy these days.
One of the remarkable aspects of our culture is that although we are inundated with advertisements all day long, we are often willing to pay for a tee-shirt or bumper sticker which advertises for someone. As Calvin (of Calvin and Hobbes) once said, “A good shirt turns the wearer into a walking corporate billboard.” When we aren’t wearing an advertisement or sticking one to our bumper, we are often promoting an idea or belief which serves to identify us with a group: “I learned these 10 things from playing video games,” “war is wrong,” “gun control is unjust,” or even “Jesus saves!”
He has a brain defect, but that’s not really a bad thing. This particular brain defect allows New York City lawyer Eli Stone to have amazing visions that tell him how to help others. If the story sounds far-fetched that’s okay, because it is the latest plot for a new ABC comedy.
The medium of film is considered to be one of the most helpful in terms of thought-provoking, entertaining, and challenging art. I explored and defended this claim in my last blog. But film is not immune from causing both the consumer and film-maker to lean towards certain unfortunate mistakes and problematic decisions. Here’s a few things to be wary of when we check out the latest blockbuster or award-winning film.
Chuck Norris can divide by zero, cure cancer with his tears, sneeze with his eyes open, and tell you who would should be president. Entertainers have long been a major part of politics, from endorsements to running for office (I actually live in a state where the star of Conan the Barbarian is governor). The reasoning behind the overlapping of politics and entertainment seems to go something like this:
“While we are not experienced or trained in any way to hold office, or knowledgeable enough to tell you who to vote for, we are recognizable and popular, so vote for us or the candidate we support.”
