Comments on: …And One More Thing About That Top 25 List

By: Fresh_Water

Fresh_Water — Sat, 28 Feb 2009 03:04:01 +0000

And, Ben Shapiro, those you deem evil did, in fact, experience being "enobbled" by "art". What one's ideals are is the distinguishing factor, socially and oftentimes culturally, but enmity can, indeed, be "enobbled" by "art."

By: Fresh_Water

Fresh_Water — Sat, 28 Feb 2009 03:01:04 +0000

I'll reprint this here, my previous comments to another, which also apply here:

…despite all the hype and hoopla (across age and interest groups), human beings still expect some measure of "saving grace" from films and it's why we even attend theatre of all genres.

One may not easily, if ever, get that admission from the more hardened, resentful and embittered among the human race (as from among, say, many in their teens/early twenties who fancy The Dark), but essentially, they — like other humans — maintain an expectation from "entertainment" (media, filmed and recorded, mostly) that whatever their ideals are will be rewarded.

Thus, the expectation that "art ennobles".

By: Fresh_Water

Fresh_Water — Sat, 28 Feb 2009 02:58:16 +0000

The preponderance of "mocking" is what sinks that film — despite all the hype and hoopla (across age and interest groups), human being still expect some measure of "saving grace" from films and it's why we even attend theatre of all genres.

One may not easily, if ever, get that admission from the more hardened, resentful and embittered among the human race (as from among, say, many in their teens/early twenties who fancy The Dark), but essentially, they like other humans maintain an expectation from "entertainment" (media, filmed and recorded, mostly) that whatever their ideals are will be rewarded.

Thus, the expectation that "art ennobles".

By: Fresh_Water

Fresh_Water — Sat, 28 Feb 2009 02:42:44 +0000

To the Left "culture" is defined as that which negates (usually, others, particularly if they're Christians). You should broaden your horizons as to what you define as "culture" — there is a lot of "culture" created by, enjoyed and participated in by Conservatives, just not the "culture" the Left can tolerate.

By: Fresh_Water

Fresh_Water — Sat, 28 Feb 2009 02:38:16 +0000

MLK's daughter condemns the Demoncrats' advocacy of abortion.

By: JEM

JEM — Thu, 19 Feb 2009 16:43:45 +0000

I was trying to speak to modern day relativism not so much liberal, although I understand that moral relativism would find a wider embrace in the liberal camp than the conservative one.That's why I tried to play it more on the conservative, that's what they like as opposed to that is what liberal's dislike. Obviously, there are dangers in such a sweeping statement as a particular sentiment being exclusive to one group or the other. Let's just say that a modern day liberal democrat is much more comfortable with accommodating evil than confronting it from a political perspective – with the strident islamofascists getting a significant pass on their behavior and statements from the left.

I am with you on V. I don't think much of the lead actress anyway so I was destined to not like it, but the movement to terrorist seems a little stretched. I am sure more ardent libertarian posters might look at it as the desparate attempts of the individual to get the system off their back, but I saw it more as a complaint with what the system wanted to do, than that we had one at all.

By: Morgan

Morgan — Thu, 19 Feb 2009 04:49:53 +0000

Mr. Shapiro, as has been brought up in counter arguments to your point on The Lives Of Others, the German soldier in The Pianist is just one specific soldier, and not one who was representative of the Nazi regime. Just because one member of the Stasi is "willing to turn things around if you can play the piano", if it is the case in The Lives Of Others, it does not mean he represents the whole of the Stasi, nor does it sugarcoat the actions of the Stasi (same also with the Nazis in The Pianist). I also have a hard time believing The Pianist is one of the worst Holocaust films ever made. I don't know what your argument for it would be; I just have a hard time believing it.

By: Rob

Rob — Thu, 19 Feb 2009 01:03:26 +0000

The notion that art enobles is a liberal cliche. There is no known correlation between artistic endeavor and moral behavior.

By: Orrin Johnson

Orrin Johnson — Wed, 18 Feb 2009 22:38:13 +0000

The director's views, whatever they may be, are irrelevant once a movie is released. Once that's done, it takes on a life of its own. If it's good and compelling and honest, then it is probably conservative at its core – no wonder what the writers or directors or producers MEANT to say.

The conservatism of movies stands on the strength of a movie alone. Otherwise, The Hunt for Red October would be a lefty movie just because Alec Baldwin is in it.

By: Charles Burnley

Charles Burnley — Wed, 18 Feb 2009 19:33:28 +0000

An interesting give and take, this. A bit of personal history if I may: I was 18 in 1979, the first person I voted for for president was Ronaldus Magnus and I currently work in the movie business (the low budget world mostly). For years I've cringed when Right minded people tended to talk about art because it was just so out of touch, so lost. It was with great hope I started coming to BH and for the most part I'm thrilled with the opinions (and debates) I've encountered here.
I'm sorry to say I'm not overly familiar with Mr. Shapiro, but his claim of "…art enobles is a liberal cliche" is utter nonsense. Art shows us what we're capable of, it inspires and enobles. Is there sillyness out there masquarading as art? Of course there is.
What do the Sistine Chapel, Beethoven's 5th and Stevie Ray Vaughan's playing have in common?
They are proof to me of the existence of God. And I'm not the most religious guy out there.