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Politics in Media - The Good, the Bad, and the Preachy

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This thread's purpose is to discuss politics in works of fiction/media. Please do not use this thread to talk about politics or media in isolation from each other.

REMINDER: US politics is a banned topic. Mentioning or alluding to it will get you thumped or suspended

     Original OP 
I felt we needed a place to discuss this because a lot of us love discussing the politics behind stories both intended or unintended. We all love discussing it and its nice to have a place to discuss it in these charged times.

I was thinking of asking what people thought were the most interesting post-election Trump related media.

The Good Fight on CBS Access devoted their entire second season to dealing with the subject.

Edited by kory on Feb 26th 2025 at 5:46:51 AM

xyzt Since: Apr, 2017 Relationship Status: Yes, I'm alone, but I'm alone and free
#29151: Oct 14th 2021 at 10:20:11 AM

[up][up]Yes, I am agreeing. I was also asking though whether the old society that these comedians grew up in also had acceptable groups that for any reason (be it for noble or not really noble reasons) considered to be bad form to insult (besides religious figures).

Edited by xyzt on Oct 14th 2021 at 10:50:28 PM

Zarastro Since: Sep, 2010
#29152: Oct 14th 2021 at 11:21:20 AM

John Cleese

Watching the scenes with Loretta in Life of Brian is really challenging. On the one hand, her wishes are kinda treated like a joke, but on the other hand her group fully acccepts her and chooses to fight for the advancement of her rights, which given the time the film was made (when LBGTQ had in many Western countries not only no rights, but were somwtimes legally persecuted) is really revolutionary.

[up]

The military seems to have been and to some degree still be a sacred cow in at least some countries like the USA. I remember hearing a famous comedian say (forgot which one) that few things can turn an audience hostile as jokes about the conduct of the military.

Edited by Zarastro on Oct 14th 2021 at 8:23:39 PM

Silasw A procrastination in of itself from A handcart to hell (4 Score & 7 Years Ago) Relationship Status: And they all lived happily ever after <3
A procrastination in of itself
#29153: Oct 14th 2021 at 11:58:35 AM

I'm in the UK, and I can't think of any examples of the right actually succeeding at provoking outrage at individuals and getting them fired, etc, as a consequence.

Russell Brand, Meghan Markle, shit Ed Miliband got cancelled for not eating a bacon sandwich right. That’s before we touch on the hit job done on Jeremy Corbyn by the British press. Thee was also the time when the BBC announced that it would fire any journalists who attended Pride in their personal time due to the BBC viewing such attendance as a violation of political neutrality due to Pride including trans people.

Or if we want to go for the big example.

European migrants.

We cancelled them due to massive public outrage and anger at them for daring to come here and contribute to our economy.

Edited by Silasw on Oct 14th 2021 at 8:16:54 PM

“And the Bunny nails it!” ~ Gabrael “If the UN can get through a day without everyone strangling everyone else so can we.” ~ Cyran
MorningStar1337 The Encounter that ended the Dogma from 🤔 Since: Nov, 2012
The Encounter that ended the Dogma
#29154: Oct 14th 2021 at 6:04:06 PM

On another note, it seems like Succession has quite a lot to say for this topic. What can we take away from the HBO show?

windleopard from Nigeria Since: Nov, 2014 Relationship Status: Non-Canon
#29155: Oct 14th 2021 at 10:52:47 PM

I'm not familiar with the show. Do you mind elaborating?

Synchronicity (4 Score & 7 Years Ago)
#29156: Oct 15th 2021 at 5:28:11 AM

I’ve seen both seasons and I’m having trouble remembering if they ever addressed cancel culture, too.

MorningStar1337 The Encounter that ended the Dogma from 🤔 Since: Nov, 2012
The Encounter that ended the Dogma
#29157: Oct 15th 2021 at 5:35:08 AM

HBO dramedy that lampoons Rupert Murdoch and his right-wing media empire. Among other things.

VeryVileVillian Since: Dec, 2017
#29158: Oct 19th 2021 at 12:31:01 PM

Not long ago a school administrator in Southlake, Texas, advised teachers last week that if they have a book about the Holocaust in their classroom, they should also have a book with an "opposing" perspective.

Considering that "opposing perspective" is Nazis, can we attribute it to people wanting media to be "both sides are right" and "grey vs grey" only to the most extreme levels?

As pointed out in a tweet:

"In case anyone was still wondering, "What's the harm in presenting both sides of every issue?"

This. This is the harm right here.

Turns out that when taken far enough, "every issue" really does mean EVERY. FUCKING. ISSUE."

Also this tweet threat pointed out it perfectly:

There are simply some things that are settled fact, slavery is bad, genocide is bad. And while you can talk about WHY it happened, the context surrounding it and how people justified it... you can never "both sides" it. Ever.

SeptimusHeap from Switzerland (Edited uphill both ways) Relationship Status: Mu
#29159: Oct 19th 2021 at 12:33:59 PM

You know, while this made prime-time news in Switzerland I am not sure that it has anything to do with media.

"For a successful technology, reality must take precedence over public relations, for Nature cannot be fooled." - Richard Feynman
raziel365 Anka Aquila from South of the Far West (Veteran) Relationship Status: I've been dreaming of True Love's Kiss
Anka Aquila
#29160: Oct 19th 2021 at 1:38:59 PM

Edit:

Nevermind, this comment was done through a passing glance. Apologies

Edited by raziel365 on Oct 19th 2021 at 6:16:55 AM

Instead of focusing on relatives that divide us, we should find the absolutes that tie us.
Parable Since: Aug, 2009
#29161: Oct 19th 2021 at 2:00:45 PM

Except in this case it's the result of law passed by the state of Texas to stop schools from teaching about racism or LGBT issues making teachers preemptively offer "alternative" views to avoid getting fired.

Fourthspartan56 from Georgia, US Since: Oct, 2016 Relationship Status: THIS CONCEPT OF 'WUV' CONFUSES AND INFURIATES US!
#29162: Oct 19th 2021 at 4:36:37 PM

One could argue that this is a show of what happens when you let moral relativism go too far, which is something we previously discussed in regards of the paradox of tolerance and the consequences of postmodernism.

What???

As noted it's the result of Republicans rejecting rationalism in favor of reactionary bigotry. It has absolutely nothing to do with moral relativism, the paradox of tolerance, or postmodernism.

"Einstein would turn over in his grave. Not only does God play dice, the dice are loaded." -Chairman Sheng-Ji Yang
Protagonist506 from Oregon Since: Dec, 2013 Relationship Status: Chocolate!
#29163: Oct 19th 2021 at 5:22:30 PM

I don't think it's sufficiently connected to media to be on-topic. You have to reach to make it so.

Leviticus 19:34
raziel365 Anka Aquila from South of the Far West (Veteran) Relationship Status: I've been dreaming of True Love's Kiss
Anka Aquila
#29164: Oct 19th 2021 at 5:34:39 PM

[up][up]

On second reading of that article…yeah, that was an idiotic assessment.

Edited by raziel365 on Oct 19th 2021 at 5:36:08 AM

Instead of focusing on relatives that divide us, we should find the absolutes that tie us.
unknowing from somewhere.. Since: Mar, 2014
#29165: Oct 20th 2021 at 5:09:54 AM

[up][up][up]Actually it is: I dont remenber were but there was and article who said how moral relativism start being a thing from the left and them it pretty much become a thing of the right to argue pretty much about everything, before they were pretty big into "there is one moral, one answer, one way to be, period!" nowdays is pretty much "my racism and bigotry is just another way to be, can you just tolerated it?".

So yeah, it is also a thing.

"My Name is Bolt, Bolt Crank and I dont care if you believe or not"
Fourthspartan56 from Georgia, US Since: Oct, 2016 Relationship Status: THIS CONCEPT OF 'WUV' CONFUSES AND INFURIATES US!
#29166: Oct 20th 2021 at 5:32:45 AM

[up]No, that's nonsensical. The Right isn't doing any of what it does because of "moral relativism", they're doing it because they're reactionary and support traditional hierarchies.

Frankly blaming it on moral relativism is just right-wing nonsense, I suspect that article was from a stodgy old establishment Conservative who wanted to blame the left for the irrationalism of the modern right instead of examining what his ideologies role played.

Edited by Fourthspartan56 on Oct 20th 2021 at 5:43:46 AM

"Einstein would turn over in his grave. Not only does God play dice, the dice are loaded." -Chairman Sheng-Ji Yang
djoki996 Since: Dec, 2018
#29167: Oct 20th 2021 at 7:44:52 AM

I mean, moral relativism is just pure stupidity, no question about it. "Do whatever you want, it's all subjective, anyway" is just bad ethical philosophy. But I doubt it's to blame for right wing bullshit.

Also, postmodernism doesn't equal subjectivity.

Edited by djoki996 on Oct 20th 2021 at 8:23:17 AM

M84 Oh, bother. from Our little blue planet Since: Jun, 2010 Relationship Status: Chocolate!
Oh, bother.
#29168: Oct 20th 2021 at 7:47:36 AM

Post-modernism eventually mutated into post-truth.

Disgusted, but not surprised
Kaiseror Since: Jul, 2016
#29169: Oct 20th 2021 at 7:50:03 AM

[up][up] There's also the fact that some cultures make it a point to view people from other cultures as either enemies or expendable. The Aztecs and colonial Europe are both good examples.

Fourthspartan56 from Georgia, US Since: Oct, 2016 Relationship Status: THIS CONCEPT OF 'WUV' CONFUSES AND INFURIATES US!
#29170: Oct 20th 2021 at 8:46:56 AM

I mean, moral relativism is just pure stupidity, no question about it. "Do whatever you want, it's all subjective, anyway" is just bad ethical philosophy. But I doubt it's to blame for right wing bullshit.

This is a very reductive view of moral relativism.

As a philosophical concept, it's a hell of a lot more than "do what you want".

That said, we've gone too far from the thread topic. If anyone wants to respond I'd recommend taking it to the General Politics thread if you want to talk about what motivates the Right or the Philosophy thread if you want to discuss moral relativism.

Edited by Fourthspartan56 on Oct 20th 2021 at 8:48:16 AM

"Einstein would turn over in his grave. Not only does God play dice, the dice are loaded." -Chairman Sheng-Ji Yang
MorningStar1337 The Encounter that ended the Dogma from 🤔 Since: Nov, 2012
The Encounter that ended the Dogma
#29171: Oct 23rd 2021 at 9:47:30 AM

I'd want to remind you of that time a Japanese Voice Actress unwittingly visited a shrine to war criminals and had China is forcing its games to give her charterers in them The Other Darrin treatment.

I bring this up because I feel like there is a rare case where Both Sides Have a Point (thought that doesn't mitigate the CCP's generally assholery). But this incident also has me wondering is bothsideism in general has copium as a motivator.

Kakuzan Let memes die. Kill them, if you have to. from Knock knock, open up the door, it's real. Since: Dec, 2014 Relationship Status: Above such petty unnecessities
Let memes die. Kill them, if you have to.
#29172: Oct 23rd 2021 at 10:18:58 AM

Could we get a bit more information? I'm unfamiliar with this incident myself.

Don't catch you slippin' now.
Alycus Since: Apr, 2018
#29173: Oct 23rd 2021 at 10:40:01 AM

I'm not sure how this incident is relevant to politics in fiction, and bluntly the word 'copium' is entirely meaningless to me after seeing how people use it to refer to quite literally anything.

MorningStar1337 The Encounter that ended the Dogma from 🤔 Since: Nov, 2012
The Encounter that ended the Dogma
#29174: Oct 23rd 2021 at 10:43:17 AM

[up][up] Here's a link. (the links above it were Global Times which seems to be a Chinese print and Bounding into Comics, which I'm certain is a far-right rag. That said I'm not sure if SCMP is just as bad or not)

I found another link just in case.

I'm aware that there is a problem because I also noticed a few reddit threads on the Arknights sub, including one today that mentions that her character there will be getting The Other Darrin treatment.

[up] I thought the "china censorship angle" made it germane, but for clarity's sake, I want to ask if bothsidism and with it, Moral Relativism is caused by people desperately wanting to believe, at the very least, that their side (and them by extension) isn't evil in the face of overwhelming evidence to the contrary. And to bring this closer to the topic, if that also applies to the reasoning of those in the Well-Intentioned Extremist archetype.

Edited by MorningStar1337 on Oct 23rd 2021 at 10:47:09 AM

NativeJovian Jupiterian Local from Orlando, FL Since: Mar, 2014 Relationship Status: Maxing my social links
Jupiterian Local
#29175: Oct 23rd 2021 at 1:49:56 PM

It's unlikely that you could visit Yasukuni Shrine "unwittingly". It's quite controversial even within Japan, and things like Prime Ministers visiting it make the news there. It's roughly the equivalent of visiting a Confederate monument in the US and then claiming to be ignorant of the implications when called out on it by African-Americans. It's theoretically possible that you could legitimately be so sheltered as to not realize that it would upset people, but it's unlikely.

Of course, whether celebrities deserve that level of scrutiny into their private lives to begin with is a separate conversation. Unlike public officials, they don't represent anyone but themselves. But if you're going to visit a shrine that honors (among others) war criminals, many of said war crimes being committed against the Chinese people, then Chinese people being mad at you for it seems legitimate.

Really from Jupiter, but not an alien.

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