Comments on: 300, the film http://www.feralscholar.org/blog/index.php/2007/03/13/300-the-film/ Making the Connections Wed, 08 Feb 2012 08:10:46 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.1 By: Zerowing http://www.feralscholar.org/blog/index.php/2007/03/13/300-the-film/#comment-64541 Zerowing Mon, 02 Apr 2007 23:08:56 +0000 http://feralscholar.org/blog/?p=477#comment-64541 In the scene from 'Syriana' that the article mentions, George Clooney's character does not have a big smile on his face when that happens. In fact, he has a very troubled look, as the whole incident did not turn out as he had planned. I know this may sound like quibbling, but since it's an example used by the article, I thought it would be important to point it out. In the scene from ‘Syriana’ that the article mentions, George Clooney’s character does not have a big smile on his face when that happens. In fact, he has a very troubled look, as the whole incident did not turn out as he had planned.

I know this may sound like quibbling, but since it’s an example used by the article, I thought it would be important to point it out.

]]> By: john steppling http://www.feralscholar.org/blog/index.php/2007/03/13/300-the-film/#comment-63410 john steppling Wed, 28 Mar 2007 10:40:24 +0000 http://feralscholar.org/blog/?p=477#comment-63410 hey stan.... lots of stuff on this at Lenin's Tomb, Le Colonel Chabert and even by me at Placebo Art (part of Cyrano's Journal). The racialism is what strkes one most I think....the demonizing of the *other*.... but also the sadism and the near necrophillia. But then the author of the comic book....er......grahic novel....is a right wing bush supporter. hey stan….
lots of stuff on this at Lenin’s Tomb, Le Colonel Chabert and even by me at Placebo Art (part of Cyrano’s Journal).

The racialism is what strkes one most I think….the demonizing of the *other*…. but also the sadism and the near necrophillia. But then the author of the comic book….er……grahic novel….is a right wing bush supporter.

]]> By: Charles http://www.feralscholar.org/blog/index.php/2007/03/13/300-the-film/#comment-63308 Charles Tue, 27 Mar 2007 21:24:24 +0000 http://feralscholar.org/blog/?p=477#comment-63308 You got that right, Tellurian and DeAnander. Not just Spartans. Alexander the "Great" was great at conquering. America traces its swivilizational origin to Greece. Hellenophilia is at the core of Western Civ. The meaningful justication of America's imperialism goes back to there. I'd say capitalism's conquering ethos in the primitive accumulation of capital is rooted in Greco-Roman conquest. "Rule _Britannia_ " is latinized for a reason. That old greek "men loving men" notion seems based on the idea of men being superior beings to women, so "love a superior being". Aristotle, Plato, Alexander, all of 'em , I think. So, philosophy too. You got that right, Tellurian and DeAnander. Not just Spartans. Alexander the “Great” was great at conquering. America traces its swivilizational origin to Greece. Hellenophilia is at the core of Western Civ. The meaningful justication of America’s imperialism goes back to there. I’d say capitalism’s conquering ethos in the primitive accumulation of capital is rooted in Greco-Roman conquest. “Rule _Britannia_ ” is latinized for a reason.

That old greek “men loving men” notion seems based on the idea of men being superior beings to women, so “love a superior being”. Aristotle, Plato, Alexander, all of ‘em , I think. So, philosophy too.

]]> By: AradhanaD http://www.feralscholar.org/blog/index.php/2007/03/13/300-the-film/#comment-61031 AradhanaD Fri, 16 Mar 2007 04:06:07 +0000 http://feralscholar.org/blog/?p=477#comment-61031 This is soo cool, I was looking for a comprehensive e-discussion about this movie - but I didn't find it prior to writing my own entry about this! I check here infrequently and trailed over from Yolanda's. I wrote about this last night here: <a href="http://leftistlooneylunch.blogspot.com/2007/03/review-of-movie-300.html" rel="nofollow">How to win a cock-fight: review of the movie 300... </a> This is soo cool, I was looking for a comprehensive e-discussion about this movie – but I didn’t find it prior to writing my own entry about this!
I check here infrequently and trailed over from Yolanda’s.

I wrote about this last night here:

How to win a cock-fight: review of the movie 300…

]]> By: DeAnander http://www.feralscholar.org/blog/index.php/2007/03/13/300-the-film/#comment-60876 DeAnander Thu, 15 Mar 2007 20:14:13 +0000 http://feralscholar.org/blog/?p=477#comment-60876 "lapping up the ink off his paperback pages and urinating adaptations with zeal" thank you for that -- umm -- vivid and quotable phrase SR! the Randian connection is one not to miss. McKibben notes the strong concentration of Randians in the high tech Silicon Valley (info, nano, and biotech) industry. there is a common theme here of masculinist hubris, panicked flight from mortality, femaleness, and biological reality, and violent fantasies of supremacy and entitlement... “lapping up the ink off his paperback pages and urinating adaptations with zeal”

thank you for that — umm — vivid and quotable phrase SR!

the Randian connection is one not to miss. McKibben notes the strong concentration of Randians in the high tech Silicon Valley (info, nano, and biotech) industry. there is a common theme here of masculinist hubris, panicked flight from mortality, femaleness, and biological reality, and violent fantasies of supremacy and entitlement…

]]> By: SR http://www.feralscholar.org/blog/index.php/2007/03/13/300-the-film/#comment-60802 SR Thu, 15 Mar 2007 15:08:31 +0000 http://feralscholar.org/blog/?p=477#comment-60802 It should be noted that Frank Miller's works reflect the macho, emotionless, Rand-like ideal. That could be why hollywood is lapping up the ink off his paperback pages and urinating adaptations with zeal. The only close exception to Miller's fascist formula is Martha Washington: Give Me Liberty, but even the African American woman of the title seems little more than a decoy in usual Man On Fire fashion. It should be noted that Frank Miller’s works reflect the macho, emotionless, Rand-like ideal. That could be why hollywood is lapping up the ink off his paperback pages and urinating adaptations with zeal.

The only close exception to Miller’s fascist formula is Martha Washington: Give Me Liberty, but even the African American woman of the title seems little more than a decoy in usual Man On Fire fashion.

]]> By: DeAnander http://www.feralscholar.org/blog/index.php/2007/03/13/300-the-film/#comment-60626 DeAnander Wed, 14 Mar 2007 22:54:12 +0000 http://feralscholar.org/blog/?p=477#comment-60626 <blockquote>The violent tension of repressed homoeroticism is in the Spartan worship of destructive testosterone that fuels much of the military as it is being used by this administration. Beyond this moment there is a timeless romanticism of buddies side by side killing who they're told to kill - in exacting vengeance when one of their own is hurt or killed - in the passionate desire to get back to the group you were forced to leave because of injuries. In fact, what is presented as universally beautiful in any war is the fact that soldiers care less about the politics of their mission, or for that matter their wives and girlfriends at home, and much more about the brotherhood. The band of brothers. High romance. A romance that is sullied by a kiss - a passionate erotic kiss is immoral to General Peace. Romantic love between men is useful only to the extent that it encourages violence against the enemy. Tribal fraternal loyalty can be harnessed - erotic emotional connections are destructive to morale and decency. Decency. A kiss is indecent. [...]</blockquote> -- Bill C Davis, <a href=http://www.commondreams.org/views07/0314-28.htm rel="nofollow">The Irony of General Peter Pace</a>

The violent tension of repressed homoeroticism is in the Spartan worship of destructive testosterone that fuels much of the military as it is being used by this administration. Beyond this moment there is a timeless romanticism of buddies side by side killing who they’re told to kill – in exacting vengeance when one of their own is hurt or killed – in the passionate desire to get back to the group you were forced to leave because of injuries.

In fact, what is presented as universally beautiful in any war is the fact that soldiers care less about the politics of their mission, or for that matter their wives and girlfriends at home, and much more about the brotherhood. The band of brothers. High romance. A romance that is sullied by a kiss – a passionate erotic kiss is immoral to General Peace. Romantic love between men is useful only to the extent that it encourages violence against the enemy. Tribal fraternal loyalty can be harnessed – erotic emotional connections are destructive to morale and decency. Decency. A kiss is indecent. [...]

– Bill C Davis, The Irony of General Peter Pace

]]> By: DeAnander http://www.feralscholar.org/blog/index.php/2007/03/13/300-the-film/#comment-60625 DeAnander Wed, 14 Mar 2007 22:51:13 +0000 http://feralscholar.org/blog/?p=477#comment-60625 Tellurian points out an important thread in the history of patriarchy, the patriarchally-correct form of male homosexuality. The Theban Band, etc. -- pair-bonds between warrior males, with the defining events of the "marriage" being not the births of children but the deaths of enemies... With the blanket ban on homosexuality imposed after the Judeo-xtian biblical narrative was adopted by State authority, this theme had to go underground. But it still surfaces: anyone remember Jeff Gannon[Guckert], his livelihood, and his connection to the warlike, posturing Bush WhiteHouse? The "gayness" that really offends patriarchy is "effeminacy" rather than male/male sex or bonding. I'm reminded of stories from Viet Nam war days, of the sympathetic "blind eye" that was often turned away from young male couples -- both macho, both warriors -- who bonded deeply in the stress and danger of war. One of the disappointments of Brokeback Mountain for me is that it sells its message of tolerance more or less on the Spartan narrative, of Manly Men Bonding in Survival Conditions (minus the warfare and bloodshed, but the acceptability of the relationship seems to be founded on the impeccable manliness of both men). One of patriarchy's many little secrets is the macho homoeroticism lurking under its flailing hatred and denial of "gayness." What it really fears most is unmanliness in men (or correspondingly, too much "manliness" -- i.e. courage, strength, loudness, pride, extroversion, determination -- in women). Tellurian points out an important thread in the history of patriarchy, the patriarchally-correct form of male homosexuality. The Theban Band, etc. — pair-bonds between warrior males, with the defining events of the “marriage” being not the births of children but the deaths of enemies… With the blanket ban on homosexuality imposed after the Judeo-xtian biblical narrative was adopted by State authority, this theme had to go underground. But it still surfaces: anyone remember Jeff Gannon[Guckert], his livelihood, and his connection to the warlike, posturing Bush WhiteHouse?

The “gayness” that really offends patriarchy is “effeminacy” rather than male/male sex or bonding. I’m reminded of stories from Viet Nam war days, of the sympathetic “blind eye” that was often turned away from young male couples — both macho, both warriors — who bonded deeply in the stress and danger of war. One of the disappointments of Brokeback Mountain for me is that it sells its message of tolerance more or less on the Spartan narrative, of Manly Men Bonding in Survival Conditions (minus the warfare and bloodshed, but the acceptability of the relationship seems to be founded on the impeccable manliness of both men).

One of patriarchy’s many little secrets is the macho homoeroticism lurking under its flailing hatred and denial of “gayness.” What it really fears most is unmanliness in men (or correspondingly, too much “manliness” — i.e. courage, strength, loudness, pride, extroversion, determination — in women).

]]> By: Tellurian http://www.feralscholar.org/blog/index.php/2007/03/13/300-the-film/#comment-60604 Tellurian Wed, 14 Mar 2007 21:00:25 +0000 http://feralscholar.org/blog/?p=477#comment-60604 Sparta was one of the most despotic regimes in history, a brutal slave powerstate where the ruling class Spartans routinely made 'war' on the powerless slave-farmers, the Helots. It served as a model for Plato's Republic, which until Popper, was considered a Utopia among the academic learned. Nothing illustrates more saliently how we are miseducated, misinformed and misentertained by the learned and mass media then how Sparta is portrayed. It exemplifies what the American ruling class means by Freedom and Democracy. The warriors were held together by homosexual ties, they're being ashamed to drop their weapons and run while their lovers looked on. They are distinguished by nothing historically but power and violence, to which the emtire society was sacrificed. It serves as as salutory lesson to our military capitalism based on exploitation, brutality and delusion. Sparta was one of the most despotic regimes in history, a brutal slave powerstate where the ruling class Spartans routinely made ‘war’ on the powerless slave-farmers, the Helots. It served as a model for Plato’s Republic, which until Popper, was considered a Utopia among the academic learned. Nothing illustrates more saliently how we are miseducated, misinformed and misentertained by the learned and mass media then how Sparta is portrayed. It exemplifies what the American ruling class means by Freedom and Democracy. The warriors were held together by homosexual ties, they’re being ashamed to drop their weapons and run while their lovers looked on.

They are distinguished by nothing historically but power and violence, to which the emtire society was sacrificed. It serves as as salutory lesson to our military capitalism based on exploitation, brutality and delusion.

]]> By: Randy Morris http://www.feralscholar.org/blog/index.php/2007/03/13/300-the-film/#comment-60589 Randy Morris Wed, 14 Mar 2007 19:06:17 +0000 http://feralscholar.org/blog/?p=477#comment-60589 <i>"300... succeeds where books and narratives cannot possibly pass through the narrow gates of studios ran by a few moguls with known sympathies."</i> I'm glad he said it. “300… succeeds where books and narratives cannot possibly pass through the narrow gates of studios ran by a few moguls with known sympathies.”

I’m glad he said it.

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