Hitler weighs-in on Massachusetts

[Pacin' D. Cage]

What year is it? 1984?
Although I strongly disagree with the not-so-subtle message that democrats are Nazis, I do have to admit that this is well done.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c4aQCiRjvZY&feature=popt00us01

So, when did the U.S. become so ideologically split that the fringes control the conversation? The other night I was having this discussion with a moderate friend of the Republican persuasion and we both agreed that in this day of cable news networks and the internet, it is very easy for anyone/everyone to, by choice, only listen to outlets that reinforce their worldview. Without ever listening to reasonable voices on the other side of the fence (and there are such voices on both sides) it is all too easy to gradually drift towards political chauvinism. Sigh. I think this is certainly part of the problem. The trend toward political bigotry makes me sad.

[The Futility of Nihilism]

Dear Republicans and Democrats,

I am neither Republican nor Democrat. I am an American. I would like to believe that that attribute is far more important than any petty party affiliation. Those of you on the right or left who consistently make your side out to be saints and your opponents out to be demons should get the fuck over yourselves.

Sincerely,

The average joe on the street that nobody cares about anymore.

[zuma]

Even Hitler is pissed off about this!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7vMUvgce_5s

[Lungfish]

I love these Downfall parodies.

[Pacin' D. Cage]

Thanks, Zuma! I laughed out loud at that one. Salvaged my Friday. (Always a work "emergency" on Friday afternoon).

[WednesdayAddams]

The trend toward political bigotry makes me sad.
Yeah, it makes me sad, too. Here's how I see it:

Like most expressways to the netherworld, the road to populist political hell began with the best of intentions. Everyone is expected to take part in the electoral process, so everyone feels they have a right to know what's going on. They do. Unfortunately, politics is by nature a complicated beast. There's a lot of legal Latin involved and the nuances frequently go over the heads of even the politicians and analysts who studied politics for years, so it was no surprise that Joe Schmo in Regular Americaville missed about half of it. The demand for politics explained simply for 'the common man' (hate that phrase) was high.

Enter the radio talk show. At first, the political analysts used proper legal terminology and the listener was expected to keep up. If they couldn't...too bad, go get a copy of de Tocquville you illiterate idiot. See? Perceived bias. Inferred even if not implied, it seemed political commentary favored the 'intellectual elite.' Clearly, a response was needed. A commentator able to interpret the goings-on in our system so that everyone felt involved in the political process. And so advocacy journalism was born, although it was not given that moniker initially. Radio hosts with politics explained simply so that everyone could understand.

Unfortunately, because breaking politics down into simple language requires interpretation, perceptions and opinions were conveyed with those interpretations. The bias became more pronounced, and it had a very one side of the aisle feel. Clearly, a response was needed.

And so with each iteration, we have gotten further and further away from reasoned political commentary. The loudest voices get the biggest share, and the way to keep it is by lionizing 'the other side.' All the while not even noticing that 'the other side' is just more of us, people we see on the street every day, in the office, at home. Us & them, ad infinitum. No longer people, just two dimensional representations of 'everything that's wrong with this country.'

Thus, we arrive at a place in which a coworker can passionately and unequivocally state his intense hatred of a man he has never met and has held office for (at the time of the pronouncement) less than a year.

How do we pull back? I don't know, but pull back we must while there is still a feeling by most that we are all us, while the fringe that perceives a 'them' is still a minority. But it is a growing minority, and we need to take heed and correct the situation soon.

[The Futility of Nihilism]

Even Hitler is pissed off about this!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7vMUvgce_5s
Best Downfall parody yet! :D

[Flying Squid with Goggles]

Even Hitler is pissed off about this!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7vMUvgce_5s

That's absolutely brilliant, Zuma.


Lately I've been pondering whether a parliamentary system has some advantages over our current system - not that extremists don't have power in a parliamentary system, but that there's greater room for 3rd, 4th, 5th, etc. parties to succeed, and political primaries would become less important.

I think the primary system has a huge influence on how candidates get selected, and thus on the power of extremists. Don't think we'll be rid of it anytime soon, but it's interesting to dream.

[CoastalTacos]

What year is it? 1984?
Although I strongly disagree with the not-so-subtle message that democrats are Nazis, I do have to admit that this is well done.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c4aQCiRjvZY&feature=popt00us01

So, when did the U.S. become so ideologically split that the fringes control the conversation? The other night I was having this discussion with a moderate friend of the Republican persuasion and we both agreed that in this day of cable news networks and the internet, it is very easy for anyone/everyone to, by choice, only listen to outlets that reinforce their worldview. Without ever listening to reasonable voices on the other side of the fence (and there are such voices on both sides) it is all too easy to gradually drift towards political chauvinism. Sigh. I think this is certainly part of the problem. The trend toward political bigotry makes me sad.

I don't think the person was really calling democrats nazis by using that clip. People have been using that clip for a variety of things since Downfall first came out I've also seen it linked with: UCLA beating Tennessee last in the 2008-2009 season, Spain losing to the United State in the ConFed Cup, The End of the last Harry Potter having the ending leaked, and Palin's resignation. It's just a scene from a movie that is good to use and has become sort of pop culture to do so.

[Pacin' D. Cage]

Thanks, CoastalTacos. Perspective is good. I'm not sure if I can blame it on living out of the country or the fact that I'm not that active on the internet. But that was the first "downfall" I saw (I didn't realize its all over the place) so I jumped to conclusions and assumed the worst. Probably my mistake ...and I'm over-joyed if it wasn't intended that way.

[CoastalTacos]

Thanks, CoastalTacos. Perspective is good. I'm not sure if I can blame it on living out of the country or the fact that I'm not that active on the internet. But that was the first "downfall" I saw (I didn't realize its all over the place) so I jumped to conclusions and assumed the worst. Probably my mistake ...and I'm over-joyed if it wasn't intended that way.

Based on some of the guy's other videos it seems he is likely/probably a democrat himself and this was his way of venting at his own party.

If you haven't seen the other Downfall spoofs you should hit youtube up and search it... hilarious stuff.