David Brin's commentary on AOTC and what it reveals...

So I guess the real question is, does David Brin think he'd make a better despot than George Lucas?

 

I think David Brin is wearing a Burger King crown as he types all his e-mail responses to his many "fans".

 

After this Brin thread's done, can we have a similar one for Roger Ebert's review of AOTC? That sounds like it could be pretty hot.

 

The_Abstract that was funny

 

I have some differences with Lucas' worldview, but he does point out some things to be very true.


And Sturm is right about Brin.

 

After this Brin thread's done, can we have a similar one for Roger Ebert's review of AOTC? That sounds like it could be pretty hot.

Oh, Tokyo, why don't you just cut to the chase and start a thread titled, "I hate Star Wars! Now please shower me with the negative attention I so desperately crave!"

 

lol, Durwood we dont want to encourage attention seekers like him now do we?

 

DarthTerrious is right about that.

 

By all means encourage Tokyoxtremely annoying. At least he's got something fresh to say about... wait scratch that.

 

scratch scratch...

Hey Only_2 is that two scracths or one.

 

Wow, I must be getting pretty good at bashing. My little two-sentence post generated five useless response posts, all in a row, starting with Durwood's.

 

Yes and I will not look at what you write.

 

Nor will I read what you write (not like I can understand 80% of what you type...)

 

Here's part of the article that Dr. Brin referred to. Please read it very carefully, because Lucas seems to be saying three things:

1. The clothes make the man.

2. Democracy is bad.

3. A benevolent dictatorship is preferable to democracy.

I'm sorry, guys, but that's what it looks like to me, too. I would like to think I'm interpreting it incorrectly, but I don't think I am.
I don't know about you, but this worries me greatly!

LUCAS. The United States, especially the media, is eating its own tail. The
media has a way of leveling everything in its path, which is not good for a
society. There's no respect for the office of the Presidency. Not that we
need a king, but there's a reason why kings built large palaces, sat on
thrones and wore rubies all over. There's a whole social need for that, not
to oppress the masses, but to impress the masses and make them proud and
allow them to feel good about their culture, their government and their
ruler so that they are left feeling that a ruler has the right to rule over
them, so that they feel good rather than disgusted about being ruled. In the
past, the media basically worked for the state and was there to build the
culture. Now, obviously, in some cases it got used in a wrong way and you
ended up with the whole balance of power out of whack.

But there's probably no better form of government than a good despot.

SCHELL. And, in a sense, is that what you're trying to be here at
Lucasfilm?

LUCAS. Possibly. Yeah, at least in my little kingdom. But I rule at the will
of the people who work for me.

... That's one of the problems of a democracy. You get these individual
voices that are very loud, and very dysfunctional. And if you cater to those
voices, you end up with a very dysfunctional society.

To the first paragraph directly above, I have to say, so does our president and our congress!

To the second, I say, yeah, that's why we have Enron, Arthur Anderson, et. al. But we develop laws to deal with that sort of thing.

Lady S.

 

I dont think he means Democracy is bad, but how the present democracy as become bad, too corrupt and decadent. I dont know much about US politics but Dubya Bush pretty much stole the election didnt he?
In the UK its funny how we have a democracy yet Tony Blair listens to himself and thinks of his own goals rather than the country.

I dont believe he thinks its a bad idea just that the ideal has been ruined by the civilisation its attached to. Although that does happen after a long time.

 

Darthterrious,

Yeah, but at least in a democracy, the way one gets rid of the leader is by elections. In a benevolent dictatorship, if the leader becomes corrupt and non-benevolent, the only way to get rid of him is to shoot him!

By the way, yes, Bush DID steal the election, IMO! But in three years, there will be another one and he'll be gone.

Lady S.

 

Real I don't care what happened any more. Bush, Gore, Bill. The don't run the USA. Congress does not run the USA. The people run the USA. and he did not so much as steel as. It's just how many recounts can you have.

Oh and TX. All I said is I will on longer read what you have to say. becasue I don't care. That was no reason to bash me. But that's all you seem to do.

 

I dont know much about US politics but Dubya Bush pretty much stole the election didnt he?

If this is what you think then you are correct, you don't know much about U.S. politics.

 

In a benevolent dictatorship, if the leader becomes corrupt and non-benevolent, the only way to get rid of him is to shoot him!

A benevolent dictatorship is a perfect if unrealistically ideal form of government. If the dictator becomes corrupt then it is no longer a benevolent dictatorship, and Lucas argument remains intact.

 

Durwood,

A benevolent dictatorship is still a dictatorship. Power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely. So, before very long a benevolent dictatorship becomes bad. And Lucas' argument seems to be that we should replace our 'dysfunctional' democracy with a benevolent dictatorship. That's my interpretation.

If you want to argue politics, pm me.

Lady S.

 

Or he could just be saying. Don't ever think your govrment will be know your side.

 

Durwood,
Forgive my ignorance. I'm too keyed into Tony Blair's poor "regime" and I only glance at US politics.

 

Don't worry Darth Terrious. There are some people in the USA that don't even vote. No not some a lot.

 

a lot don't vote here either, strange that.


As i say if you dont vote you cant have a say.

 

Yes but they still do. But this has ever little to do with the topic. Like Lady S. said. If you want to talk about it PM me or her or who ever you want.

Ok Darth Terrious. The thing we are talking about in get ever annyoing.