You always come up with provocative topics, Mark. I guess I should probably read the book you reference in order to give a well-grounded reply. I’m not sure what the author means by fictions exactly, but I know there are a lot of leaders today who are profiting by what I consider their fictitious fabrications of what is going on in the world, including denying global warming. Call it what you will, but we may all perish while they are denying it and pushing the might makes right narrative. I sometimes have a hard time finding the humor in it all, though I know it’s essential, so I do appreciate the bits of film levity you included here.
I think you would probably get along with my husband, Mark. Comedy is his coping mechanism too. Quite often I get lines from Marx Brothers films quoted at me, like: “I refuse to join any club that would have me as a member” and “If I hold you any closer I’ll be in back of you.”
I haven’t seen the Willy Wonka movie, though I did read the book to my son when he was small. We both loved it, along with several other Roald Dahl books.
My favorite Gene Wilder movie is Young Frankenstein. I could use a showing of that madcap film right now!🤗
I certainly enjoy your husband's quips :) YF was awesome. So many great movies from Gene Wilder. The Roald Dahl book Matilda movie adaptation with Danny DeVito was fantastic and VERY FUNNY
You are ALWAYS so kind and thoughtful in your comments. I appreciate it. I sometimes feel the sides are pretty dug in on issues like global warming. I also believe neither of them can articulate their point of view. I do think faith is required in both cases. I believe we will be better off if we can stop using fossil fuels and I also believe the technology is coming into place where we can do it with little or no hardship. In fact, it might actually end up being cheaper to use renewables. I feel like the President speaks for the crowd that is prone to lots of conspiracy and they believe there is nothing wrong with good old coal. They could be right but doesn't make sense to me so far. I do fear that sticking with old ways of doing things are going to have a lot of bad consequences. When European armies met on battlefields in the 20th centuries, the ones that stuck with horses did not fare very well. I feel like sticking with oil when a better replacement exists will just turn out badly for us. We may just be wasting our time, treasure and health on an irrelevant idea from the past.
I've enjoyed the two books I've read. Sapiens was good but Homo Deus got a little preachy I think. He is a historian and described as an Israeli medievalist. That would be fun to see on a business card :) -- I will try to find a guest link and share a podcast interview I heard him give. He is fun to listen to. I think sometimes he makes some leaps with some of his ideas.
I still consider Gene Wilder's portrayal of Willy Wonka to be one of his best roles every. My children when they were young all enjoyed the Roald Dahl books. From reading your Substack I just imagine you are a person who can enjoy a comedy even if a bit over the top. There's Something About Mary had some very funny and over the top scenes. The Ben Stiller scene in the car is just ridiculous.
For me, comedy is a coping mechanism. I know the issues are serious but sometimes comedy is a good way for us all to let our guard down. That is why I ended with the sled and the wheel. It seems we have all figured out there are only a limited number of reasons to stick with the sled. A wagon works better.
Wow, nice to hear from you Bruno. I am easing my way back into some writing. I also have a few other things going on so I'm not sure where this may lead. For now it is just nice to get my thoughts out. I will write back separately to you.
Seven chipmunks twirlin' on a branch, eatin' lots of sunflowers on my uncle's ranch???? That was a very strange young man. I'm not familiar with the movie...
I know it's easy in theory, but I still think it's a big problem because of the difficulty in convincing the sled crowd to change over to wheels... it probably won't happen until they have no choice. When that time comes, I expect that Darwin will have a field day and Mother Earth will breathe a big sigh of relief, because a lot of sledders will lose the game of life. Man, this was a depressing one. (but thank you, anyway!)
Thanks as always for reading and commenting Jeannine. The movie was hilarious. If you make the time for it, the greater scene where the poet appears is surreal. There are a few over-the-top scenes but just a crazy comedy. While it is a STRETCH, I always thought the movie was a crazy and silly version of Homer's The Odyssey.
There is not much we can do when humans accept something that is demonstrably untrue. The strategy we are fighting for doesn't have great exit strategies. Even if drill baby drill becomes something we force American oil companies to adopt we are just delaying the inevitable. The US has about 36B barrels of oil to recovery and the focus of the American president it to get us rich by selling that oil and gas, is short-sighted. At 20M barrels per day there is only about 1800 days of oil at that rate so under 5 years. Then what?
I think renewable energy is just going to happen. It will make life on the planet easier. Certain countries will provide the leadership to make it possible. Countries that reject the obvious will just get in line like everyone else and buy the technology for other places that worked on it. It will be great for the planet and great for the nations that develop it first. I would imagine China is thrilled we are going to give up the competition without a fight. Eventually every corner of the earth will end up with a wheel on it to replace their sled. American policy in the current four years likely just means we will no longer be the place to shop for sensible energy solutions.
I was not aiming for depressing so I am sorry if that is how this one hit.
The movie is a bit crass but it is a laugh a minute. A great escape.
The author I recommend focuses on human nature. I fear what we are locked into for a while in America is going to take some time to shake it off. One of my favored quotes attributed to Winston Churchill is something akin to "You can always count on the Americans to do the right thing -- after they have exhausted the other options."
You always come up with provocative topics, Mark. I guess I should probably read the book you reference in order to give a well-grounded reply. I’m not sure what the author means by fictions exactly, but I know there are a lot of leaders today who are profiting by what I consider their fictitious fabrications of what is going on in the world, including denying global warming. Call it what you will, but we may all perish while they are denying it and pushing the might makes right narrative. I sometimes have a hard time finding the humor in it all, though I know it’s essential, so I do appreciate the bits of film levity you included here.
I think you would probably get along with my husband, Mark. Comedy is his coping mechanism too. Quite often I get lines from Marx Brothers films quoted at me, like: “I refuse to join any club that would have me as a member” and “If I hold you any closer I’ll be in back of you.”
I haven’t seen the Willy Wonka movie, though I did read the book to my son when he was small. We both loved it, along with several other Roald Dahl books.
My favorite Gene Wilder movie is Young Frankenstein. I could use a showing of that madcap film right now!🤗
I certainly enjoy your husband's quips :) YF was awesome. So many great movies from Gene Wilder. The Roald Dahl book Matilda movie adaptation with Danny DeVito was fantastic and VERY FUNNY
You are ALWAYS so kind and thoughtful in your comments. I appreciate it. I sometimes feel the sides are pretty dug in on issues like global warming. I also believe neither of them can articulate their point of view. I do think faith is required in both cases. I believe we will be better off if we can stop using fossil fuels and I also believe the technology is coming into place where we can do it with little or no hardship. In fact, it might actually end up being cheaper to use renewables. I feel like the President speaks for the crowd that is prone to lots of conspiracy and they believe there is nothing wrong with good old coal. They could be right but doesn't make sense to me so far. I do fear that sticking with old ways of doing things are going to have a lot of bad consequences. When European armies met on battlefields in the 20th centuries, the ones that stuck with horses did not fare very well. I feel like sticking with oil when a better replacement exists will just turn out badly for us. We may just be wasting our time, treasure and health on an irrelevant idea from the past.
I've enjoyed the two books I've read. Sapiens was good but Homo Deus got a little preachy I think. He is a historian and described as an Israeli medievalist. That would be fun to see on a business card :) -- I will try to find a guest link and share a podcast interview I heard him give. He is fun to listen to. I think sometimes he makes some leaps with some of his ideas.
I still consider Gene Wilder's portrayal of Willy Wonka to be one of his best roles every. My children when they were young all enjoyed the Roald Dahl books. From reading your Substack I just imagine you are a person who can enjoy a comedy even if a bit over the top. There's Something About Mary had some very funny and over the top scenes. The Ben Stiller scene in the car is just ridiculous.
For me, comedy is a coping mechanism. I know the issues are serious but sometimes comedy is a good way for us all to let our guard down. That is why I ended with the sled and the wheel. It seems we have all figured out there are only a limited number of reasons to stick with the sled. A wagon works better.
Mark! It's great to read your reflections again! Thank you for sharing these.
Wow, nice to hear from you Bruno. I am easing my way back into some writing. I also have a few other things going on so I'm not sure where this may lead. For now it is just nice to get my thoughts out. I will write back separately to you.
Seven chipmunks twirlin' on a branch, eatin' lots of sunflowers on my uncle's ranch???? That was a very strange young man. I'm not familiar with the movie...
I know it's easy in theory, but I still think it's a big problem because of the difficulty in convincing the sled crowd to change over to wheels... it probably won't happen until they have no choice. When that time comes, I expect that Darwin will have a field day and Mother Earth will breathe a big sigh of relief, because a lot of sledders will lose the game of life. Man, this was a depressing one. (but thank you, anyway!)
Thanks as always for reading and commenting Jeannine. The movie was hilarious. If you make the time for it, the greater scene where the poet appears is surreal. There are a few over-the-top scenes but just a crazy comedy. While it is a STRETCH, I always thought the movie was a crazy and silly version of Homer's The Odyssey.
There is not much we can do when humans accept something that is demonstrably untrue. The strategy we are fighting for doesn't have great exit strategies. Even if drill baby drill becomes something we force American oil companies to adopt we are just delaying the inevitable. The US has about 36B barrels of oil to recovery and the focus of the American president it to get us rich by selling that oil and gas, is short-sighted. At 20M barrels per day there is only about 1800 days of oil at that rate so under 5 years. Then what?
I think renewable energy is just going to happen. It will make life on the planet easier. Certain countries will provide the leadership to make it possible. Countries that reject the obvious will just get in line like everyone else and buy the technology for other places that worked on it. It will be great for the planet and great for the nations that develop it first. I would imagine China is thrilled we are going to give up the competition without a fight. Eventually every corner of the earth will end up with a wheel on it to replace their sled. American policy in the current four years likely just means we will no longer be the place to shop for sensible energy solutions.
I was not aiming for depressing so I am sorry if that is how this one hit.
If I ever get time to watch movies again, I'll check it out. 😎
This wasn't depressing in itself, it's just that my faith in my fellow humans to do the right thing has been falling pretty low these days.
The movie is a bit crass but it is a laugh a minute. A great escape.
The author I recommend focuses on human nature. I fear what we are locked into for a while in America is going to take some time to shake it off. One of my favored quotes attributed to Winston Churchill is something akin to "You can always count on the Americans to do the right thing -- after they have exhausted the other options."