- Sep 22, 2013
- 4,956
- 250
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This is a TrumpUSA parable and debate/discussion involving the Marvel Comics characters Lilandra, Gray Goblin, and Gambit.
It's inspired by Brewster's Millions, and since it's overly-political, I didn't want to post it in the Writing section of USMB.
Thanks,
====
"Two alien visitors landed on Earth to make waves and add some spice to TrumpUSA. The first was a gorgeous female empress named Lilandra who was a pure siren of violence and anarchy. The second was a mutant jet-glider soaring Devil's Advocate named Gray Goblin who was a representative of nihilism and darkness. Lilandra and the Goblin wanted to see what TrumpUSA was all about and whether America's fascination with commerce and consumerism warranted the sort of festivity (e.g., Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade) that defied the notion that capitalism inspired terrorism. Lilandra and Goblin were both silver/gray in color and therefore decided to cloak themselves to make themselves invisible to the naked eye."
{Lilandra & Gray Goblin}
"Fortunately, God, protector of the Earth, sent a guardian-figure to watch over mankind, American, and TrumpUSA and prevent Lilandra and the Goblin from making too much trouble. This guardian was Gambit, a pirate-like daredevil and poetic warrior who threw explosive playing-cards (energized from electron-manipulation) and wielded a powerful bo (weapon-stick) which he could use to disorient his adversaries' bodies. Gambit was not unlike the Christian angels Raphael and Gabriel, so God gave him the 'field-alias' Apollyon (an allusion to the enigmatic figure from the underworld who was supposedly a heroic 'master of the bottomless pit'). Gambit ('Apollyon') was charged with engaging Lilandra and Goblin and debating with them about the value of American civilization (TrumpUSA)."
{Gambit}
GAMBIT: God helped me find you two hellraisers!
GOBLIN: So you found our secret lair...this abandoned warehouse.
LILANDRA: Yes, our warehouse outside Brooklyn is quite private.
GAMBIT: What is your mission on Earth?
GOBLIN: I'm here to remind Americans that capitalism creates angst.
LILANDRA: I'm here to suggest that anarchy and violence are very real!
GAMBIT: There's nothing glorious about the fear-mongering you two espouse.
GOBLIN: Isn't it peculiar to you, Gambit, that capitalism facilitates piracy?
LILANDRA: Yes, what's the difference between piracy and the American Dream?
GAMBIT: There's a huge difference between theft and labor, Goblin/Lilandra.
GOBLIN: Would you care to elucidate this difference?
LILANDRA: Why do we see stories about minorities looting stores during race-riots?
GAMBIT: The 1992 Los Angeles Race Riots was a failure in social-control.
GOBLIN: Well, deviance and social control are not simple subjects.
LILANDRA: Did you know primitive African tribes engage in rituals of female genital mutilation?
GAMBIT: Perhaps TrumpUSA makes Westerners apathetic about Third World poverty.
GOBLIN: What about post-Apartheid economic problems in South Africa?
LILANDRA: It seems Americans have the luxury of ignoring savagery/malady elsewhere!
GAMBIT: Americans always welcome immigrants seeking fortunes through labor.
GOBLIN: It's true the U.S. government cheers on lottery-prizes, but minorities are poor.
LILANDRA: Class differences in America are based on racism often.
GAMBIT: Americans celebrate Christian values and inclusive festivities (e.g., Christmas).
GOBLIN: Not everyone can celebrate Black Friday (the shopping-day after Thanksgiving).
LILANDRA: Do American yuppies' kids learn about female genital mutilation in Africa?
GAMBIT: The ritual strangeness of peoples outside America are studied by anthropologists!
GOBLIN: How can you endorse Christian marketing in America without addressing 9/11?
LILANDRA: Yes, the destruction of the World Trade Center in NYC symbolized anti-capitalism.
GAMBIT: Sentiments towards anti-capitalism are tempered/treated with peaceful commerce.
GOBLIN: It's true the PyeongChang Olympics saw a peace-accord between the Koreas.
LILANDRA: However, PyeongChang was only an isolated achievement...not a trend!
GAMBIT: Many Americans believe Christian teamwork is the way to capitalism-fruition.
GOBLIN: Perhaps Microsoft and Apple engage in exemplary profit-sharing schemes.
LILANDRA: However, it's difficult to refute the notion that theft is a natural instinct.
GAMBIT: Hollywood (USA) makes movies about Christian values.
GOBLIN: Does Planet Hollywood and the entertainment industry cater to pluralism?
LILANDRA: Do all ethnic groups in America feel like they're being represented in cinema?
GAMBIT: I'm here to merely convince you two that TrumpUSA is a capitalism-school.
GOBLIN: How would you prove TrumpUSA is not a capitalism-cauldron?
LILANDRA: Yes, TrumpUSA offers both fun consumerism and scandalous cynicism!
GAMBIT: Well, TrumpUSA does manage to convey to the people that media is free-speech.
GOBLIN: The 'media-chatter' in TrumpUSA helps liberals, but there's also chauvinism.
LILANDRA: Yes, Trump has made incendiary remarks about women and minorities!
GAMBIT: I disagree that 'capitalism-intrigue' warrants nihilistic remarks!
GOBLIN: Remarks like, "Violence is art in capitalism!"?
LILANDRA: Or perhaps remarks like, "Beauty is subjective in consumerism!"?
GAMBIT: Chaos is never 'desirable,' and beauty can be praised privately.
GOBLIN: So how does capitalism safeguard the privacy of all consumers?
LILANDRA: Do eBay seller-ratings really offer consumers universal psychological comforts?
GAMBIT: Americans buy case-books about African female genital mutilation on Amazon.
GOBLIN: Perhaps consumerism creates markets for intellectual debates...
LILANDRA: How can U.S. Presidents offer substantial securities regarding commercial needs?
GAMBIT: Under TrumpUSA, the FDA and the EPA work to balance commerce with hygiene.
GOBLIN: Alright, Gambit; we concede that TrumpUSA has 'potential.'
LILANDRA: We will depart from Earth, but remember our omen --- capitalism is a 'hotbed.'
"After Lilandra and the Goblin departed from the Earth, Gambit gave a huge and much-needed sign of spiritual relief. Gambit thanked God for all the moral guidance and wisdom that was necessary to engage with such incendiary hellraisers such as Lilandra and Gray Goblin. God blessed Gambit and assured him that the departure of Lilandra and the Goblin from Earth would mean more peaceful commercial traffic for TrumpUSA. Gambit still felt haunted by Lilandra's incendiary suggestion that American consumers have the 'luxury' of ignoring ritual problems elsewhere such as female genital mutilation practices in Africa. He also felt haunted by the Goblin's suggestion that nihilism creates forms of 'intellectual stimulation' in capitalism-societies which may naturally become saturated with vanity. However, Gambit reasoned that Christian values in America would help capitalism see its way through this infant state of 'commercial blindness'."
====
{Lilandra and Goblin's Artworks}
It's inspired by Brewster's Millions, and since it's overly-political, I didn't want to post it in the Writing section of USMB.
Thanks,
====
"Two alien visitors landed on Earth to make waves and add some spice to TrumpUSA. The first was a gorgeous female empress named Lilandra who was a pure siren of violence and anarchy. The second was a mutant jet-glider soaring Devil's Advocate named Gray Goblin who was a representative of nihilism and darkness. Lilandra and the Goblin wanted to see what TrumpUSA was all about and whether America's fascination with commerce and consumerism warranted the sort of festivity (e.g., Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade) that defied the notion that capitalism inspired terrorism. Lilandra and Goblin were both silver/gray in color and therefore decided to cloak themselves to make themselves invisible to the naked eye."
{Lilandra & Gray Goblin}
"Fortunately, God, protector of the Earth, sent a guardian-figure to watch over mankind, American, and TrumpUSA and prevent Lilandra and the Goblin from making too much trouble. This guardian was Gambit, a pirate-like daredevil and poetic warrior who threw explosive playing-cards (energized from electron-manipulation) and wielded a powerful bo (weapon-stick) which he could use to disorient his adversaries' bodies. Gambit was not unlike the Christian angels Raphael and Gabriel, so God gave him the 'field-alias' Apollyon (an allusion to the enigmatic figure from the underworld who was supposedly a heroic 'master of the bottomless pit'). Gambit ('Apollyon') was charged with engaging Lilandra and Goblin and debating with them about the value of American civilization (TrumpUSA)."
{Gambit}
GAMBIT: God helped me find you two hellraisers!
GOBLIN: So you found our secret lair...this abandoned warehouse.
LILANDRA: Yes, our warehouse outside Brooklyn is quite private.
GAMBIT: What is your mission on Earth?
GOBLIN: I'm here to remind Americans that capitalism creates angst.
LILANDRA: I'm here to suggest that anarchy and violence are very real!
GAMBIT: There's nothing glorious about the fear-mongering you two espouse.
GOBLIN: Isn't it peculiar to you, Gambit, that capitalism facilitates piracy?
LILANDRA: Yes, what's the difference between piracy and the American Dream?
GAMBIT: There's a huge difference between theft and labor, Goblin/Lilandra.
GOBLIN: Would you care to elucidate this difference?
LILANDRA: Why do we see stories about minorities looting stores during race-riots?
GAMBIT: The 1992 Los Angeles Race Riots was a failure in social-control.
GOBLIN: Well, deviance and social control are not simple subjects.
LILANDRA: Did you know primitive African tribes engage in rituals of female genital mutilation?
GAMBIT: Perhaps TrumpUSA makes Westerners apathetic about Third World poverty.
GOBLIN: What about post-Apartheid economic problems in South Africa?
LILANDRA: It seems Americans have the luxury of ignoring savagery/malady elsewhere!
GAMBIT: Americans always welcome immigrants seeking fortunes through labor.
GOBLIN: It's true the U.S. government cheers on lottery-prizes, but minorities are poor.
LILANDRA: Class differences in America are based on racism often.
GAMBIT: Americans celebrate Christian values and inclusive festivities (e.g., Christmas).
GOBLIN: Not everyone can celebrate Black Friday (the shopping-day after Thanksgiving).
LILANDRA: Do American yuppies' kids learn about female genital mutilation in Africa?
GAMBIT: The ritual strangeness of peoples outside America are studied by anthropologists!
GOBLIN: How can you endorse Christian marketing in America without addressing 9/11?
LILANDRA: Yes, the destruction of the World Trade Center in NYC symbolized anti-capitalism.
GAMBIT: Sentiments towards anti-capitalism are tempered/treated with peaceful commerce.
GOBLIN: It's true the PyeongChang Olympics saw a peace-accord between the Koreas.
LILANDRA: However, PyeongChang was only an isolated achievement...not a trend!
GAMBIT: Many Americans believe Christian teamwork is the way to capitalism-fruition.
GOBLIN: Perhaps Microsoft and Apple engage in exemplary profit-sharing schemes.
LILANDRA: However, it's difficult to refute the notion that theft is a natural instinct.
GAMBIT: Hollywood (USA) makes movies about Christian values.
GOBLIN: Does Planet Hollywood and the entertainment industry cater to pluralism?
LILANDRA: Do all ethnic groups in America feel like they're being represented in cinema?
GAMBIT: I'm here to merely convince you two that TrumpUSA is a capitalism-school.
GOBLIN: How would you prove TrumpUSA is not a capitalism-cauldron?
LILANDRA: Yes, TrumpUSA offers both fun consumerism and scandalous cynicism!
GAMBIT: Well, TrumpUSA does manage to convey to the people that media is free-speech.
GOBLIN: The 'media-chatter' in TrumpUSA helps liberals, but there's also chauvinism.
LILANDRA: Yes, Trump has made incendiary remarks about women and minorities!
GAMBIT: I disagree that 'capitalism-intrigue' warrants nihilistic remarks!
GOBLIN: Remarks like, "Violence is art in capitalism!"?
LILANDRA: Or perhaps remarks like, "Beauty is subjective in consumerism!"?
GAMBIT: Chaos is never 'desirable,' and beauty can be praised privately.
GOBLIN: So how does capitalism safeguard the privacy of all consumers?
LILANDRA: Do eBay seller-ratings really offer consumers universal psychological comforts?
GAMBIT: Americans buy case-books about African female genital mutilation on Amazon.
GOBLIN: Perhaps consumerism creates markets for intellectual debates...
LILANDRA: How can U.S. Presidents offer substantial securities regarding commercial needs?
GAMBIT: Under TrumpUSA, the FDA and the EPA work to balance commerce with hygiene.
GOBLIN: Alright, Gambit; we concede that TrumpUSA has 'potential.'
LILANDRA: We will depart from Earth, but remember our omen --- capitalism is a 'hotbed.'
"After Lilandra and the Goblin departed from the Earth, Gambit gave a huge and much-needed sign of spiritual relief. Gambit thanked God for all the moral guidance and wisdom that was necessary to engage with such incendiary hellraisers such as Lilandra and Gray Goblin. God blessed Gambit and assured him that the departure of Lilandra and the Goblin from Earth would mean more peaceful commercial traffic for TrumpUSA. Gambit still felt haunted by Lilandra's incendiary suggestion that American consumers have the 'luxury' of ignoring ritual problems elsewhere such as female genital mutilation practices in Africa. He also felt haunted by the Goblin's suggestion that nihilism creates forms of 'intellectual stimulation' in capitalism-societies which may naturally become saturated with vanity. However, Gambit reasoned that Christian values in America would help capitalism see its way through this infant state of 'commercial blindness'."
====
{Lilandra and Goblin's Artworks}
