Category Archives: The Zeitgeist

Conservative Hollywood Hooey?

Conservatism, Gender, Hollywood, Intelligence, Left-Liberalism And Progressivisim, Political Economy, Pop-Culture, Propaganda, The Zeitgeist

The “case that Hollywood is liberal” is hardly novel or new, National Review’s Jonah Goldberg observes about Ben Shapiro’s book “Primetime Propaganda.” I’m not even sure that getting “a whole bunch of liberal Hollywood muckety mucks to confess their very liberal agenda” serves to out these shameless idiots.

Does Shapiro get at the core of the problem?

One aspect is that, as I wrote, “Hollywood no longer offers entertainment. Instead, activism has replaced acting, and sermons have supplanted stories. Instead of a good yarn, you get a yawn.”

However, there’s more to it. Does Shapiro enunciate the fact that on a meta-level, Hollywood’s increasingly impoverished scripts, with few exceptions, have indeed created a parallel reality, one that is increasingly reflected in real life (say, in the workplace)?

*Gender junk: Woman is brawny, brainy, and beautiful; man is a buffoon. An 80-pound waif manages to wallop a 200-pound gangster with no punctures to the silicone sacks. Her hulking cop partner trots after Great Woman obediently, and is forced to endanger his life to compensate for her lack of physical prowess in police work, firefighting, etc. As in “The Killing,” normalized is the dysfunctional life of the anemic, morose midget of a female detective, while her decent male partner, who ought to be her boss, is cast as the out-of-place brute.

*Junk Science: Take your pick. The choice is endless, from the multiple personality disorder falsehood, to the global-warming canard and the root-causes-of-terrorism rot, to the “diseasing” of all aspects of evil.

Who can forget James Cameron, who having “worked extensively with robot submarines,” imagined he could help the film directors of BP to plug the oil plume? Cameron’s plan included that liquid metal robot from “Terminator 2: Judgment Day.”

*Good Government must always temper bad business.

*The canonization of kids and critters. In Hollywood’s case, America’s kids, who’ve never been dumber, are deified. The depiction of the natural world is a cartoon, festooned with errors and ignorance and plain delusions.

This Idiocracy was at work, I believe, in the film “Rio,” in which parrots, who resemble only humans and primates in their unique, brainy ability to manipulate objects with their adorable, human like digits—are depicted as having the claw-configuration of a common bird. Here my T. Cup is manipulating a toy block and reading Reisman’s Capitalism. (T. Cup has since grown his flight feathers and acquired 30 words, including sentences used in context, a feat Hollywood types would find hard to accomplish.)

Such was the ignorance of those who put this film together (and they call conservatives stupid?). Hollywood may mirror the cretinism of America at large, only many times amplified.

*General affirmation of slut and celebrity.

Alas, judging from their Bio information, too many Facebook friends who call themselves conservatives or libertarians profess to favoring movie and TV programing that does all of the above. Other than their penchant for FoxNews, the programing these Facebook friends favor and support is the most perverse of Hollywood programing (in terms of some of the parameters above).

My impression is that unless a protagonist is against G-d or for abortion, conservatives are culturally deaf to the piffle spewed by Hollywood pea brains. What’s more, conservatives are obsessed with Hollywood. If they were serious, they’d write Hollywood off—stop writing about these phony fools, begging them to grace their shows and panels, and simply withhold buying power by not purchasing/patronizing Hollywood’s crappy cultural products.

More later.

S’cuse Me While I Die

Government, Justice, Law, libertarianism, The Zeitgeist

Approved, indubitably, by Mayor Marie Gilmore, the “rescue” guidelines adhered to by members of the pampered oink sector of the City of Alameda preclude rescues that necessitate “water training.” Alameda is in the San Francisco Bay Area!

Since they did not have “water training,” the Alameda pigs chose to stake out a good spot on the sand from which to watch a man drown. The man took an hour to expire. At no time were these pampered pigs overwhelmed by an urge to violate the bureaucratic restrictions imposed upon them. What resolve!

The deceased would be alive had these services been rendered by a private company, where owners would be sued into bankruptcy over such an incident. As it stands, the taxpayers will be penalized: they will pay for ensuing lawsuits. Responsibility for criminal negligence will be collectivized, as in all state-run enterprises. Wait for a statement by the mayor, who’ll announce a commission of inquiry, which is where all issues of culpability pertaining to the State go to die.

As to the libertarian issue of free will and the right to die. I understand that the man was trying to kill himself. But I am not of the libertarian mindset that you leave him to die. Since I cherish life, my position is that it is incumbent on good people to attempt a rescue in this case. Incumbent, but not legally binding. Not in libertarian law. The point here is to alert you to government callousness. If you want rescue services to be effective, private arrangements, neighborhood associations and the like, are most effective.

UPDATED: Deadend Debates (& State Death Squads)

Constitution, Education, Ilana Mercer, Individualism Vs. Collectivism, Journalism, Justice, Law, Media, Military, Political Philosophy, Reason, The Zeitgeist

Be they pundits, politicians, government watchdogs, and other dogs (no offense to the canine community), most “critics” of our ever-accreting Nanny State don’t pose the right questions. This is because they appear to lack the requisite philosophical (constitutional or other) and logical frameworks. Unless these players begin directing the arrows in their quiver at the philosophical issues—what is the proper role of the state in this republic, RIP—we will be left with the silly, “To Spend of Not to Spend” debate. (Lackluster logic is harder to fix.)

One example is this Drudge headline (click “Go Back One Page” to view actual headline): “FEDS SPEND MILLIONS STUDYING SHRIMP ON TREADMILLS?? ‘GELATIN WRESTLING’ IN ANTARCTICA??” All the screeching CAPITAL LETTERS and question marks in the world will not fill in the blanks: Is the objection to this particular spending based on considerations of frugality? Or is Drudge’s outrage over the flouting of the Constitution by Feds? A better headline would begin to steer the Idiocracy in the right, critical direction.

The founders bequeathed a central government of delegated and enumerated powers. Intellectual property laws are the only constitutional means at Congress’s disposal with which to “promote the Progress of Science.” (About their merit Thomas Jefferson, himself an inventor, was unconvinced.) The Constitution gives Congress only 18 specific legislative powers. Research and development spending—even for crucial matters as “Jell-O wrestling at the South Pole” and the “shrimp’s exercise ability”—are nowhere among them.

Rights and the Constitution aside, once we we begin to focus on the right issues and questions, the right answers will be likelier to present themselves.

Take the fuzzy discussion facilitated by Neil Cavuto, today, with two mushy-headed women about the right of a school to fine parents for pupil tardiness.

Lis Wiehl, a lawyer no less, was of one (mushy) mind with the other guest, a mother. Both believe that it’s simply unfair, in these tough times, for schools to penalize busy parents when kids are late for school.

The question here is, of course, not only about pedagogic purview; it’s about individual responsibility. Kids of a certain age ought to be responsible for their actions. Teachers are supposed to be able to enforce minimal attendance standards. If a child in high-school is tardy, he or she ought to be punished, not his parents.

But pedagogues, parents, pundits and most politicians are all-over-the-map—incapable of articulating the simple issues at hand. If thinking is so disordered and illogical, solutions will be no better. (In the last example: teachers should wait for better economic times before they fine parents for the actions of their kids.)

UPDATE (May 27): STATE DEATH SQUADS. With grim determination William N. Grigg dogs the perps in Police State America. Here they are breaking and entering and, then, killing the occupant of the invaded private property. Look at the goons! Talk about “The Myth of Posse Comitatus.” What is this if not the deployment of the US military against the people?

A YouTube poster appended an excerpt from our dead-letter Constitution: “The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no Warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by Oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized.”

The speedy execution of Jose Guerena (“it’s complex,” say officials) was mislabeled by our official cognoscenti. FoxNews bobbleheads debated whether this bloodbath amounted to the use of excess force, and entertained an apologist for the SWAT fucks who shed tears over the split-second decisions these, our great defenders, undertake in the course of defending us against alleged tokers.

The only relevant debate here is: whose property is it anyway? Does a man have the absolute right to defend his abode from invaders whomever, however? The only answer: “YES, YES, YES.” If you’re vaguely compos mentis, this is the only debate you should dignify.

[For those of you who await the weekly, WND.COM column: it will be back next week. I’ve been under the weather.]

UPDATE VI: ‘Lights Out’ ILANA?

Ann Coulter, Ilana Mercer, IlanaMercer.com, Literature, South-Africa, The Zeitgeist

If you are a new to IlanaMercer.com and its sister site, BarelyABlog.com, welcome! Read a better rounded biographical and professional exposé here. In brief:

I am a US-based, classical liberal writer. I pen WorldNetDaily.com’s longest-standing, exclusive, libertarian, weekly column, “Return to Reason.” With a unique audience of 8 million, WND.COM has been rated by Alexa as the most frequented “conservative” site on the Internet. Formerly syndicated by Creators Syndicate, I also contribute to London’s Quarterly Review. I am a fellow at the Jerusalem Institute for Market Studies, an independent, non-profit economic policy think tank.

Millions have read this writer’s work over the years on WND.COM (ranked 2,855th on the internet rater, Alexa).

Here is some easily digestible data on the reach of the work done at IlanaMercer.com and BarelyABlog.com.

Barely a Blog (BAB) is ranked 194,834 th on Alexa, globally. That would make BAB number 30 (or thereabouts) on the list of “Libertarian Top 50 Sites.” A ranking of 214,628 th on Alexa shows that IlanaMercer.com is also on the ascendancy. A little over 6 months on Facebook have netted close to 2600 Facebook Friends. Expanding too is the Facebook Fan page of my latest book, Into the Cannibal’s Pot: Lessons For America From Post-Apartheid South Africa. Please log-in to “Like” The Cannibal. To read The Cannibal is to love it. Guaranteed. To review this book on Amazon is to support what I believe will prove to be a prophetic and important text.

Not bad for a one-woman operation.

In a gracious note to this writer, the one and only Patrick J. Buchanan wrote: “I believe your book is being sold [or bundled on Amazon] along with my new book, ‘Suicide of a Superpower: Will America survive to 2025.’ … my 18,000-word chapter on ethnonationalism and tribalism and the surge of both throughout the Third World—as well as our own declining world—tracks pretty much with what you wrote …

Every bit as gratifying to this writer was a courtesy copy of “Suicide of a Superpower,” thus inscribed: “To Ilana Mercer: Fellow Columnist and Fellow Conservative, with The Respect and good wishes of The Author.”

Still and all, to say that the publication process of Into the Cannibal’s Pot: Lessons For America From Post-Apartheid South Africa has been punishing would be an understatement. From it, I’ve drawn certain conclusions as to the future of the independent, not-for-sale public intellectual. I will not act on these realizations for the time being. Let a cooling-off period prevail. But to state that I have come close to quitting what I do—what I have done for well over a decade since arriving in North America—would be a misleading subtlety.

Bluntly put: without the support of my readers, also my financial backers, I would have given up a long time ago. I’ll share with you this small thing: I now have proof positive that, however good, nothing I write is likely to be acceptable to mainstream, “conservative” publishing presses. With very few exceptions, most of what is published by this bunch, who masquerade as edgy and gritty, amounts to politically palatable pabulum. Regurgitated “ideas” and received opinion: this is what the conservative presses peddle. Exhibit A is Ann Coulter, who has just released her umpteenth “Democrats-are-demons-Republicans-are-angels” tract. (Most conservative books are way worse than Coulter’s as she, at least, doesn’t produce badly edited, piss-poor prose.)

As I’ve said, painful realizations as to the value of this writer’s work in this particular age must be put off for now. At least until the job is done. That job consists in popularizing Into the Cannibal’s Pot: Lessons For America From Post-Apartheid South Africa, so that it can become a voice for the dispossessed.

Naturally, there are bills to be paid.

If you value my work and wish me to continue producing it despite ever-diminishing returns, please support the sites and their proprietor, and, of course, purchase a copy of Into the Cannibal’s Pot, and review the book on Amazon.

UPDATE I (May 17, 2011): I don’t wish to spoil future reading for you; I provide specifics about publishing in the Age of the Idiot in the Preface to Into the Cannibal’s Pot. Understand: This is not about the rejection of The Cannibal by a cowardly mainstream conservative press posing as non-mainstream. Books and book proposals are rejected every day. I’ve been in this “business” long enough to know that much. My disgust at the described state of affairs, and the ensuing conclusion about my future in the context detailed, has been exacerbated by the fact that almost to a man did these publishers praise this writer’s efforts. The stated reasons for shrugging off the ethnic cleansing of the shrinking, white, rural community of South Africa had nothing to do with the quality of the polemic, which, as I say, was almost unanimously commended. The excuses ran the following gamut:

This writer had no following worth mentioning. Yes, YOU do not count! Six months on Facebook put the lie to that lie.

Another excuse had it that Americans (YOU again) don’t give a tinker’s toss about anything beyond their borders (not even when the monsters they elect help bring about these catastrophes)—not about the Iraqis they helped liberate from limbs and lives, or for some South African farmer abandoned to the mercies of mob rule at the urging of DC schemers.

All in all, it used to be that publishers saw fit to lead the way; to raise interest, and create demand through the publication endeavor. Their aim these days, however, is to do no more than satiate a lurid craving for the literary equivalent of American idol and Oprah.

UPDATE II (May 18, 2011): Contemplationist and all the rest: Talk is cheap. Spare me the “You go, girl” pep talks. Unless those who make use of this site and value the work done here begin to support it—the whole thing will cease. This will give my enemies great pleasure (you’ll be surprised how many of them are in the “liberty” camp). But, contrary to what some here seem to believe, I am not in the charity business. This degree of self-sacrifice is no fun and is bad for one’s health. If there is no demand for what I do; then I will stop doing it and wearing myself down in the process.

Contributors to this blog should also please provide their email addresses (which always remain anon), in accordance with Posting Policy, and subscribe to the Mercer Mailing List

UPDATE III (May 23, 2011): GOING BLOND. GS’s email is amusing:

[mailto:gc]
Sent: Sunday, May 22, 2011 7:41 PM
To: ilana@ilanamercer.com
Subject: Light’s out Ilana?

“You could dye your hair blonde, lose your accent, get implants, shave 20 points off your IQ & wear a little black dress to all public social functions. You’d probably be a regular on ‘Fox and Friends’ within the month but I expect you might find this unpalatable. Also, you’d earn the undying envy of Megyn Kelly. That could be dangerous.”

UPDATE IV (Aug. 9, 2011): ‘LIBERTARIAN TOP 50 SITES’ ‘MISSES’ MERCER. Read the post, and email the hosts.

The author of IlanaMercer.com and Barely a Blog has never sought what one wag called “the warm smell of the herd.” However, the problem with those who think they can wish-away an individual’s substantial, indubitably classical liberal, output (this work included) is this: One day not so far away, they’ll look bad. Maybe even a little malevolent. Their credibility is at stake, not my 14 years of writing in the cause of liberty.

Disses and difficulties aside, my gratitude goes to my regular contributors; you know who you are. The letters reproduced below are the latest in many hundreds received over the years. Unfortunately, words won’t cut it anymore. If you value my commentary as well as the unique community we’ve created together on this space; if you appreciate the time I spend in crafting original, topical commentary, keeping the Comments Forum open for your venting; responding to Comments, and ensuring exchanges remain civil, respectful and grammatical—please show your appreciation.

UPDATE V (Aug. 23, 2011): GOLD AS BONA FIDE. If devotees of Austrian economics had a support group in every state, here is how I’d introduce myself: “ILANA MERCER, author of ‘Into the Cannibal’s Pot,’ and WND.COM’s longest-standing (possibly most predictive), exclusive, libertarian column. Gold-bug since $800.”













From: Michael
Sent: Sunday, April 10, 2011 10:41 AM
To: ilana@ilanamercer.com
Subject:

Ilana,

I admire your ability to write clearly and concisely. However, the icing on the cake for me is your ability to turn a phrase. Sometimes they are hilarious and other times they carry a richness; an intellectual heft I understand but could never create on my own. I also admire the fact that you are fluent at least in English and Hebrew. You’re one smart chick! I don’t know of many writers who can write about Brownian motion and actually know what it means!

Until the last few years I’ve considered myself a “conservative with libertarian leanings”. Your writing and resources in your blog site are helping me understand why I’ve had these libertarian leanings all these years. Because of your articles and some of the words of Myron Pauli I’m rethinking my whole attitude toward the post-World War II application of force in our foreign policy. The outcomes in both Iraq and Afghanistan concern me. Did we sacrifice the lives of our young men on the altar of creating Islamic Republics under the ruse of exporting democracy? The law of unintended consequences has played a huge role in the aftermaths of our “adventures” in the Middle East and Southwest Asia.

Have a blessed Passover,

Michael

From: Kerry
Sent: Wednesday, February 23, 2011 12:58 PM
To: ilana@ilanamercer.com
Subject: (No Subject)

Dear Ilana,
I would just like to thank you for all your work you’ve done and continue to do. You are the most coherent, intelligent and readable ambassador of libertarian, Old-Right thought writing today. The fact that you are never asked to be on Fox news (or Fox Business) is rather telling, since they claim to champion truth in a “fair and balanced” package. It seems one has to be a neoconservative statist or an establishment, left-leaning libertarian to get any air time with them.
All the best,
Kerry

From: Len
Sent: Friday, February 18, 2011 9:45 PM
To: ilana@ilanamercer.com
Subject: Wow!!

Dear Ms. Ilana Mercer,

You are a shining beacon of TRUTH in an otherwise dark, evil, crazy world. I do not have the vocabulary (as you do) to convey the knowledge I gain from your articles. I have been reading your articles since 2004, when I was in Iraq working for KBR and wrote you an email chastising you for an article on George W. Bush and his neocon practices. You wrote back within hours and explained your reasoning behind your belief and it changed the way I look at the world’s politicians. As the old saying goes, I saw the light! I have just finished your article “Media’s Sickening Sentimentality On Egypt.” I was thinking, as I watched it unfold on my laptop (I’m back in Iraq working again), along the same lines your article talked about, and I thought: Wow!! You hit the nail square on the head. Another old saying. I wanted to let you know my appreciation for your wisdom and thinking that has changed the way I look at the world! Thank you!!
Sincerely a reader for life!
Len
Basra, Iraq

From: Robert
Sent: Friday, May 13, 2011 10:13 AM
To: imercer@wnd.com
Subject: Aid to Israel

Beloved Queen Ester (aka I Mercer),

How right you are concerning the aid to Israel. As one that was in the biz of providing the direct support thru foreign military aid (FMS) during my tenure with the Department of Defense in Denver, I can attest first-hand to the control of that country through strings attached to aid. … I had the opportunity to travel to the Israeli Mission in Manhattan to audit the contracts let with those same funds. In doing so, I was able to meet the most able and influential folks within the mission and visually confirm that they are some of the most capable and ethically sound reps Israel has in service to their country.

Just keep on keeping on young lady. You do good stuff. Being a good evangelical Christian that I am, I do love Israel and always hope for her well-being. Not only is it scripturally sound, it makes good sense (cents) to pray for her continuation. You just do what you do best and write down for future generations the wisdom you have at your disposal.

As an old geezer now, I still think you ought to remind your husband what a lovely jewel he has in you. May The Almighty Father keep you in his loving care.