V for Vendetta: The Good
If anyone is still reading this blog, I apologize for the lengthy delay between my last post and this one.
Spoiler warning: This post will reveal plot details. Don't read on if you haven't seen the movie.
I did love the movie, although after my last submission you may be wondering why. The first time I watched it, I did so with a mindset suggested to me by Reason, and inspired by a quote that I will here butcher in my attempt to recreate it. I don't know the source, but it went something like this: "When someone is standing on your throat, you don't care whether they're using their right boot or their left boot."
Of course being a product of foaming-at-the-mouth liberal Hollywood, this movie uses a so-called Conservative government to oppress the people. That said, I quickly dismissed this in my mind as a matter of no consequence. Suttler (the dictator) is no more of a Conservative than Stalin. The producers were just trying to get in their digs. But if you ignore their mindless drivel and look at the state of affairs in England as represented in the movie, several key truths present themselves.
- Governments will always seek to attain more power. This is accomplished through the suppression of personal freedom.
- Governments will get this power through deception and redefining reality. The movie mentioned the Youth Reclamation Project. Reclamation? From what? Well, from independent thought, of course. Notice any parallels to today? Goodness, you could rename our public education system exactly that, and it would be totally accurate. Sure, things could be worse, but just read the news and you'll see just how much free thinking is promoted in our school system. It's pathetic. This could be an entire post on its own, so I'll leave it to rest. If anyone wants further explanation, I'll provide it later upon request. To finish this point, the other realities that have been redefined all revolve around the role of the government in people's lives. The Chancellor at one point screams at his minions that the people need reminded of "...why they need us!!!"
- "People should not fear their governments. Governments should fear their people." Are you afraid of your government?
- Disarmament is key. Poor V had to fight with (bloody) knives. Why? Hell, Britons have already given up their guns in real life, and this movie is set at least 30 years in the future. One character made a remark, the truth of which struck me as both hilarious and tragic. It was towards the end of the movie and the mob of V look-alikes is marching towards a division of soliders. Someone asks the detective what he thinks is going to happen. He says, "What usually happens when people without guns stand up to people with guns." That it doesn't turn out that way in the movie is immaterial to the truth of the matter. They would have all been killed in reality.
- Revolution is the only way to fix things. Once a government seizes power it's all over.
Alright, so this post isn't as well thought out as the last one. Suffice it to say that if you can divorce your viewing experience from the tainted references the movie makes, you can truly enjoy it as a statement about the evil of tyranny.
Spoiler warning: This post will reveal plot details. Don't read on if you haven't seen the movie.
I did love the movie, although after my last submission you may be wondering why. The first time I watched it, I did so with a mindset suggested to me by Reason, and inspired by a quote that I will here butcher in my attempt to recreate it. I don't know the source, but it went something like this: "When someone is standing on your throat, you don't care whether they're using their right boot or their left boot."
Of course being a product of foaming-at-the-mouth liberal Hollywood, this movie uses a so-called Conservative government to oppress the people. That said, I quickly dismissed this in my mind as a matter of no consequence. Suttler (the dictator) is no more of a Conservative than Stalin. The producers were just trying to get in their digs. But if you ignore their mindless drivel and look at the state of affairs in England as represented in the movie, several key truths present themselves.
- Governments will always seek to attain more power. This is accomplished through the suppression of personal freedom.
- Governments will get this power through deception and redefining reality. The movie mentioned the Youth Reclamation Project. Reclamation? From what? Well, from independent thought, of course. Notice any parallels to today? Goodness, you could rename our public education system exactly that, and it would be totally accurate. Sure, things could be worse, but just read the news and you'll see just how much free thinking is promoted in our school system. It's pathetic. This could be an entire post on its own, so I'll leave it to rest. If anyone wants further explanation, I'll provide it later upon request. To finish this point, the other realities that have been redefined all revolve around the role of the government in people's lives. The Chancellor at one point screams at his minions that the people need reminded of "...why they need us!!!"
- "People should not fear their governments. Governments should fear their people." Are you afraid of your government?
- Disarmament is key. Poor V had to fight with (bloody) knives. Why? Hell, Britons have already given up their guns in real life, and this movie is set at least 30 years in the future. One character made a remark, the truth of which struck me as both hilarious and tragic. It was towards the end of the movie and the mob of V look-alikes is marching towards a division of soliders. Someone asks the detective what he thinks is going to happen. He says, "What usually happens when people without guns stand up to people with guns." That it doesn't turn out that way in the movie is immaterial to the truth of the matter. They would have all been killed in reality.
- Revolution is the only way to fix things. Once a government seizes power it's all over.
Alright, so this post isn't as well thought out as the last one. Suffice it to say that if you can divorce your viewing experience from the tainted references the movie makes, you can truly enjoy it as a statement about the evil of tyranny.
posted by M1Thumb at 8:49 PM
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