Saturday, May 21, 2005

only a Sith thinks in absolutes

Yesterday I watched Star Wars III, it was okay. The first hour had the usual high speed chases and bad jokes that all American movies seems to have nowadays, but at least it was an entertaining way to kill an hour. But then the movie starts to get darker and more interesting. There are also some lines in the movie that have caught a lot of attention in media. Here's a quote from the N.Y. Times review: "This is how liberty dies - to thunderous applause," Padmé observes as senators, their fears and dreams of glory deftly manipulated by Palpatine, vote to give him sweeping new powers. "Revenge of the Sith" is about how a republic dismantles its own democratic principles, about how politics becomes militarized, about how a Manichaean ideology undermines the rational exercise of power. Mr. Lucas is clearly jabbing his light saber in the direction of some real-world political leaders. At one point, Darth Vader, already deep in the thrall of the dark side and echoing the words of George W. Bush, hisses at Obi-Wan, "If you're not with me, you're my enemy." Obi-Wan's response is likely to surface as a bumper sticker during the next election campaign: "Only a Sith thinks in absolutes."
Darth Vader quoting George W. Bush - who would have thought that? Obviously not some conservative groups. Especially not Patriotic Americans Boycotting Anti-American Hollywood, read and laugh.

But it's not the first time George Lucas makes a movie that reflects his thoughts on contemporary politics. Back in 1970 he released the movie THX 1138. THX 1138 is a sci-fi dystopia inspired by Orwell's 1984 and Huxley's Brave New World. There are some lines in THX 1138 that feels eerily familiar today:
"If you feel you are not properly sedated, call 348-844 immediately. Failure to do so may result in prosecution for criminal drug evasion."
and
"Let us be thankful we have commerce. Buy more. Buy more now. Buy. And be happy."

So should I take some Zoloft or some Prozac or just go and do some serious shopping? Maybe I just need to watch some TV...

1 comment:

Zoloft Birth Defects said...

Don't do the Zoloft! It'll possibly give you Zoloft birth defects!!! At least please be on birth control. :)