Posts

On the erasure of history

On the erasure of history  Perverting or erasing a people’s history is, in my opinion, a crime against humanity, and perhaps one of the most common such crimes, often committed unwittingly by well-meaning individuals who simply repeat what they were taught.   History ought never to be suppressed, twisted, or erased, but this has been done in some form by nearly every government that has ever existed. The job of an honest historian is to use any and all sources available (such as the citations which follow this essay) from which to distill the most faithful explanation of a time, event, or figure. The written word is the most common resource, but artifacts are also useful. From the dawn of civilization, monuments were commissioned to glorify what a people or its leaders valued, typically rulers, religious figures, and heroes, and to symbolize the power of the state, edifying its supporters, intimidating its opponents. There is presently, and has been for some time, an effort
Post a Comment
Read more

Ninteen-Eighty-Nine

Ninteen-Eighty-Nine Though the flame of liberty may sometimes cease to shine, the coal can never expire. –Thomas Paine We live in a time in which essential principles of democracy and liberty are under attack. Nationalist movements have gained popularity almost everywhere, as has support for authoritarian strongmen. Frightening this may be, but there is cause for hope, for we live in a world that for the past 30 years has been dramatically more free than at any point in human history.   When the average Westerner is asked to name the most revolutionary year since the end of World War II, they likely name 1968, a year racked with political assassinations, massive anti-war protests in America and Europe, the invasion of Czechoslovakia. It remains a focal point for the American baby-boomer generation, and since they’ve dominated media attention their entire lives, it’s not surprising that we who came after them still key on that year. However, 1968 is a footnote in the annals o
Post a Comment
Read more

Game of Thrones s08e03 Rewrite

Spoilers.  Obviously. .Lots of folks were un-enthused by the long-anticipated confrontation between the Night King and the world of men in Game of Thrones. However, most criticisms fall into complaints about the photography, complaints about character deaths (either too many, not enough, or simply the "wrong" ones) or that the ultimate hero wasn't the "right" person.  These aren't problems. The problem with the episode is that easily 3/4 of the events which play out serve no narrative purpose. It's spectacle and mood, which is unfortunate, given that Game of Thrones strength has been the depth of its characters and the consequences of their choices.  The failings of The Long Night are the same as every other major battle scene in previous episodes of GoT, and nearly every Epic Battle in TV or film in the last 40 years.  The writing and storyboarding focuses on what the director thinks will look the most exciting rather than giving any credit to strateg
Post a Comment
Read more