- Sep 22, 2013
- 4,956
- 250
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The modern world is about great commerce and networking, and because of this, we see lots of storytelling about travel and adventure and toys and creativity and business dominions.
We've seen a plethora of vigilantism-daydream comic book adapted films such as Marvel's Avengers and Daredevil which represent pedestrian concerns regarding high-traffic and urban corruption.
We've seen numerous shock-value art-house films and new age horror-films such as Fright Night, Friday the 13th, and Freddy's Dead which speak to a modern interest in anticipatory reflexes relevant for networking bravado/confidence (e.g., 9/11, NATO, ISIS, James Bond, etc.).
So in this climate of 'networking-confidence expressionism,' we might understand the modern appeal of old-world barbarianism-themed storytelling (e.g., Red Sonja, Conan the Barbarian, etc.), stories/films which symbolize 'rugged language.'
Therefore, it seems rather prudent to ask, "Can outlandish images/characters in stories about adventure and bravado serve as important 'teaching-tools' for today's students?"
Imagine your kid comes home from school one day and tells you, "This new Muslim student said in class that his angry fundamentalist-Muslim uncle (who left America to return to Iran) stated that Americans like horror-films, since capitalism 'gluttony' breeds all kinds of 'indulgent storytelling'!" What would you say to your kid to respond to such a strange comment?
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A strange genetic-mutant, a product of a failed U.S. army science experiment, escaped from his Washington confines and was 'released' onto the world as a superhuman monster of terrorism --- named Venom(!). Venom believed in anarchy and terror and held civilization in contempt for spawning him. Venom had the unnatural power to regenerate cells and hence was pseudo-immortal even if seemingly fatally wounded. Venom resented his immortality and wanted a 'normal' (peaceful) life. Venom was a true American tragedy...
Meanwhile, Philadelphia sports-fans braced for a potential joyride as their beloved Villanova Wildcats (NCAA men's college basketball team) prepared to challenge the mighty Michigan Wolverines in the NCAA Championship game. The Wildcats had managed to pull off an incredible upset-victory over powerhouse Georgetown (Hoyas) in the 1985 NCAA Championship game and were now looking to grab a trophy from Michigan. The CIA was ordered to supervise a special security-operation for the highly-publicized and televised national college championship to prevent any threat of terrorism. The Wildcats cheerleaders wore their finest uniforms for the game.
An oracle from Venus named Jane heard the cries of Venom. Jane was a psychic who could 'hear' the metaphysical turbulence in the universe caused by terror, anarchy, malice, and sin. Jane realized that as the energized Villanova-Michigan game approached, Venom licked his lips in temptation, eager to create havoc and mayhem for the televised sporting event in democratic America. Jane knew that Venom understood that any act of anarchy in this modern 'world' of great commercial traffic (e.g., NASDAQ) spelled pure evil, which is exactly what Venom intended to create(!).
As expected, Jane wasn't the only one who heard Venom's deranged cries. The multi-headed dragon who also lived on Venus (deep in an underground cave) named Tiamat heard Venom's cries and decided to fly to Earth cloaked invisibly and breathe poisonous streams of darkness onto the basketball arena where Villanova and Michigan would play in front of a mass audience (in the stadium and from home through television!). Tiamat was not only a dragon but also a cannibal, so he intended to make anarchy for the NCAA game and then eat Venom alive!
Fortunately, a brave galactic knight named Sterling also heard Venom's deranged cries and travelled to Earth and donned a silver armor-suit and rode into the parking lot of the Villanova-Michigan game stadium pretending to be a 'performance artist.' Sterling knew Tiamat was on his way and wanted to prepare to strike him down (before dealing with Venom). When Sterling spotted Tiamat, he lured him to the backside of the stadium-building and sliced off one of its ugly heads, causing invisible blood to spurt out, blood which frightened Tiamat and diffused his rage to breathe poisonous streams of darkness; Tiamat fled back to his Venus-cave. Sterling then found Venom and cut him in half and then said a prayer to him before he died, "Sleep easier than you lived; your genetic abnormality was never your fault, tragic one."
Sterling decided to leave mankind a brochure of blood and muscle vitality which social pundits and philosophers and artists could use to understand the inherent 'violence' of anarchy in the modern world of networking priorities and what such anarchy did to the 'beautiful mind.' Sterling likened his man-muscle diagrams to Leonardo da Vinci's The Vitruvian Man and urged humans to respect the laws and contours of blood and water and how to avoid the modern maladies of terrorism, violence, commercial gluttony, and capitalism heresy (e.g., 9/11). Sterling knew that humanity had the potential to bring peace between Israel and Palestine...someday.
TRUMP: Sterling was a powerful prophet.
CARTER: Apparently, he respected a muse named Jane.
TRUMP: This 'Jane' was apparently a psychic from Venus.
CARTER: Sterling was from Venus too, and he wanted to 'protect' America.
TRUMP: America is a great land of democracy and commerce (and multiculturalism).
CARTER: Immigration-related crime is America's worst problem...
TRUMP: Sterling suggested we use 'violence' imagery as a teaching-tool.
CARTER: Yes, rather than as a pornography-instrument.
TRUMP: There's no reason storytellers/film-makers can't prophesy!
CARTER: There should be 'access' to metaphysics portals (e.g., Vatican website).
TRUMP: We can't market Red Sonja while disrespecting Sara Lee!
CARTER: Maybe the lesson of 9/11 is that capitalism is a true 'modern test.'
TRUMP: "Waiter...I'd like my steak...bloody rare."
CARTER: Watch out for that proverbial 'red monster of adrenaline.'
====
We've seen a plethora of vigilantism-daydream comic book adapted films such as Marvel's Avengers and Daredevil which represent pedestrian concerns regarding high-traffic and urban corruption.
We've seen numerous shock-value art-house films and new age horror-films such as Fright Night, Friday the 13th, and Freddy's Dead which speak to a modern interest in anticipatory reflexes relevant for networking bravado/confidence (e.g., 9/11, NATO, ISIS, James Bond, etc.).
So in this climate of 'networking-confidence expressionism,' we might understand the modern appeal of old-world barbarianism-themed storytelling (e.g., Red Sonja, Conan the Barbarian, etc.), stories/films which symbolize 'rugged language.'
Therefore, it seems rather prudent to ask, "Can outlandish images/characters in stories about adventure and bravado serve as important 'teaching-tools' for today's students?"
Imagine your kid comes home from school one day and tells you, "This new Muslim student said in class that his angry fundamentalist-Muslim uncle (who left America to return to Iran) stated that Americans like horror-films, since capitalism 'gluttony' breeds all kinds of 'indulgent storytelling'!" What would you say to your kid to respond to such a strange comment?
====
A strange genetic-mutant, a product of a failed U.S. army science experiment, escaped from his Washington confines and was 'released' onto the world as a superhuman monster of terrorism --- named Venom(!). Venom believed in anarchy and terror and held civilization in contempt for spawning him. Venom had the unnatural power to regenerate cells and hence was pseudo-immortal even if seemingly fatally wounded. Venom resented his immortality and wanted a 'normal' (peaceful) life. Venom was a true American tragedy...
Meanwhile, Philadelphia sports-fans braced for a potential joyride as their beloved Villanova Wildcats (NCAA men's college basketball team) prepared to challenge the mighty Michigan Wolverines in the NCAA Championship game. The Wildcats had managed to pull off an incredible upset-victory over powerhouse Georgetown (Hoyas) in the 1985 NCAA Championship game and were now looking to grab a trophy from Michigan. The CIA was ordered to supervise a special security-operation for the highly-publicized and televised national college championship to prevent any threat of terrorism. The Wildcats cheerleaders wore their finest uniforms for the game.
An oracle from Venus named Jane heard the cries of Venom. Jane was a psychic who could 'hear' the metaphysical turbulence in the universe caused by terror, anarchy, malice, and sin. Jane realized that as the energized Villanova-Michigan game approached, Venom licked his lips in temptation, eager to create havoc and mayhem for the televised sporting event in democratic America. Jane knew that Venom understood that any act of anarchy in this modern 'world' of great commercial traffic (e.g., NASDAQ) spelled pure evil, which is exactly what Venom intended to create(!).
As expected, Jane wasn't the only one who heard Venom's deranged cries. The multi-headed dragon who also lived on Venus (deep in an underground cave) named Tiamat heard Venom's cries and decided to fly to Earth cloaked invisibly and breathe poisonous streams of darkness onto the basketball arena where Villanova and Michigan would play in front of a mass audience (in the stadium and from home through television!). Tiamat was not only a dragon but also a cannibal, so he intended to make anarchy for the NCAA game and then eat Venom alive!
Fortunately, a brave galactic knight named Sterling also heard Venom's deranged cries and travelled to Earth and donned a silver armor-suit and rode into the parking lot of the Villanova-Michigan game stadium pretending to be a 'performance artist.' Sterling knew Tiamat was on his way and wanted to prepare to strike him down (before dealing with Venom). When Sterling spotted Tiamat, he lured him to the backside of the stadium-building and sliced off one of its ugly heads, causing invisible blood to spurt out, blood which frightened Tiamat and diffused his rage to breathe poisonous streams of darkness; Tiamat fled back to his Venus-cave. Sterling then found Venom and cut him in half and then said a prayer to him before he died, "Sleep easier than you lived; your genetic abnormality was never your fault, tragic one."
Sterling decided to leave mankind a brochure of blood and muscle vitality which social pundits and philosophers and artists could use to understand the inherent 'violence' of anarchy in the modern world of networking priorities and what such anarchy did to the 'beautiful mind.' Sterling likened his man-muscle diagrams to Leonardo da Vinci's The Vitruvian Man and urged humans to respect the laws and contours of blood and water and how to avoid the modern maladies of terrorism, violence, commercial gluttony, and capitalism heresy (e.g., 9/11). Sterling knew that humanity had the potential to bring peace between Israel and Palestine...someday.
TRUMP: Sterling was a powerful prophet.
CARTER: Apparently, he respected a muse named Jane.
TRUMP: This 'Jane' was apparently a psychic from Venus.
CARTER: Sterling was from Venus too, and he wanted to 'protect' America.
TRUMP: America is a great land of democracy and commerce (and multiculturalism).
CARTER: Immigration-related crime is America's worst problem...
TRUMP: Sterling suggested we use 'violence' imagery as a teaching-tool.
CARTER: Yes, rather than as a pornography-instrument.
TRUMP: There's no reason storytellers/film-makers can't prophesy!
CARTER: There should be 'access' to metaphysics portals (e.g., Vatican website).
TRUMP: We can't market Red Sonja while disrespecting Sara Lee!
CARTER: Maybe the lesson of 9/11 is that capitalism is a true 'modern test.'
TRUMP: "Waiter...I'd like my steak...bloody rare."
CARTER: Watch out for that proverbial 'red monster of adrenaline.'
====
