In Superman/Seinfeld terms this could be termed Bizarro world but it was Dave @ Complex System of Pipes who coined the Spock reference in comments to his post BnpBC (part 2) where the Daily-Fucking-Mail (that’s the official title when incredulous at something it does) actually takes the BNP fascists to task (while the BBC coddles them like old pals). Hence this is bizarro world, opposite world, The Mail, criticising fascists? Blimey, I said it would rain frogs next and Dave said- this is all getting a bit too Mr-Spock-with-a-beard.
If this doesn’t make sense then- it’s reference to the original Star Trek series where in an episode (Mirror, Mirror teh interwebs tell me) we flip into a mirror universe where all the crew are thoroughly nasty imperialist brutes (oh the satire, take that ‘The Federation’. However Spock’s intellect even in his beardy evil incarnation allows for a resolution and Kirk is saved to further pursue alien skirt) which is denoted in part by Spock sporting a goatee/circle beard (and is helpfully explained in this t-shirt noted @ Boing Boing)-
Cultural attitudes toward facial hair? I’m sure there’s a thesis sitting somewhere that details this at length, still does it explain the ease with which non too bright punters can be convinced about thewaronterror ™ against the Islamocomufacismosomethingorotherjustpleasegivemepeopleto hatesoIdon’thavetothink ™? Facial hair! They must be evil! Shout the bearded rednecks, hmmm. Although given the vintage was this more a Lenin-esque anti-communist Cold War inspired trope?
Which is an awfully long introduction to this Newseek piece on Bolivia which *gulp* interviews Mark Weisbrot, a rather less America Fuck Yeah! kinda guy, about the coup and is really a pretty good piece all things considered, although I note it is a ‘web exclusive’, so the magazine won’t endanger its wood pulp readers with such subversion (after all in the past Newsweek has had different covers in the US to the rest of the world so as not upset the fragile constitutions of the Homeland’s audience in their dotage) first the Daily Mail, now this. Beardy Spock!
16 September, 2008 at 12:02 am
I made a meme!
But yes the whole Beardy Spock story arc was reactionary to its core. Not only did it let the “good universe” Starfleet off the hook for imperialism but – as sequel episodes of Deep Space Nine – revealed, Spock’s exposure to the “good universe” made up his made to reform the empire, at which point it was wiped out and the human race enslaved by an even-worse empire of orientalised aliens.
16 September, 2008 at 12:40 am
I think you have!
Warning SF TV geekism ahead- Wow, never saw that DS9 episode (for some odd reason my local library where I lived at the time had loads of DS9 tapes, I’m guessing the staff were fans and used the funds to feed their evil Trekkie vhs habit, so I saw maybe most of the first 2 seasons but not much since). I think a fair number of US tv SF does sometimes make some forays into politics but do often fail in their self analysis which is symptomatic of an imperial power’s culture. What I saw of DS9 it seemed a bit deeper than other Trek, someone even suggested the Bajorans were perhaps Palestinian figures, but then I haven’t seen enough to tell if that pans out and how they were represented overall.
I mean BSG is entertaining but it’s hopelessly militaristic and metaphorically likens 911 to an apocalypse of several planets! It’s got some chops for being more grey than others but it’s still quite reactionary. I do think Babylon 5 was good when it had earth go fascist and it left it to the viewer to detect that before making it explicit and the ‘goodies’ then went to war with earth (a prophecy of the Bush admin??). And I do like Farscape because it’s a bit mad, very sexy (while it shot I’m sure the fetish industry in Oz were seeing record breaking profits) and the heroes are not in uniform, they are in fact escaped prisoners/resistance/terrorists (like Blake’s 7). Plus y’know…muppets!
I think AVPS talked about some of these shows a while back too.
If anyone wants to buy me DVD sets for xmas-
Complete Farscape
Complete Kids in the Hall
Complete Angel
Complete Buffy
Complete Father Ted
Complete The Wire
Complete OZ
Help I’ve caught consumerism!
16 September, 2008 at 2:01 am
I am sick of people biggin up BSG‘s sharp political satire to me, you’re right it’s paranoid militarism all the way. I enjoy it except for when it tries to get or deep (and I find the prophecy storyline pretty patronising too). Though I should point out I’ve only seen the first 12 episodes or so.
Deep Space Nine was IMHO the best of the Star Trek spin offs to watch (with a Mirror Universe episode about once a year) and by far the best politically. DS9 aside though, Star Trek‘s politics are pretty terrible, too much glorification of the military and its hierarchies, and far too much essentialising of the different alien races (Klingons are angry and stupid, the Romulans are devious and crafty, the Ferengi greedy, the Jem’Hadar disciplined) etc with only the Americanised humans being rounded individuals. I think this all came through less in the original, which was a bit more about wow-isn’t-the-future-gonna-be-exciting!
Not seen Farscape, I must admit. But why no mention of Firefly/Serenity?
16 September, 2008 at 3:06 am
I enjoyed them but it was so brief I don’t think it had time to show what it could do and the western motif was a bit too cheesy at times. Mal never got a chance to develop much past grumpy (I want to be a broken man & mercenary trader and you keep making me care about things dammit) and they had to wrap it up in one movie but the Whedon back & forth was as ever fabulous (although as someone pointed out considering Chinese culture had become pervasive yet no Asian characters in the main ensemble). Politically it seemed to be sort of American libertarian/liberal in its setting and struggle and dwelled more on philosophical idea of liberty vs. institutions and avoided obvious current events metaphors. I don’t expect we’ll see a US TV SF deal with class or capitalism (other than populist big evil corporation type stuff) anytime soon (unless The Wire inspires others, even still funding is through corporations), the anti-communist period seems to have permanently erased a whole arena of popular left wing discourse (Kucinich liberals & left greens apart), 20-something people being rebellious in their politics = libertarian (Reason magazine etc) or anarchist (although often they have socialist ideas but it is an archaic mistrusted word).
The sad thing is something like ‘Freakonomics ‘ while peddling decades old orthodox right wing shtick gets some kudos for applying it to ipods & sneakers or something. MBA’s are considered a qualification not an indoctrination.
Like in The Usual Suspects (ok not SF) – “The greatest trick the Devil ever pulled was convincing the world he didn’t exist”-
that’s what the ruling class have done in America (and most other places, I mean jeebus we have a Queen for fuck’s sake).
16 September, 2008 at 3:51 am
B5 and Farscape with a good helping of Firefly (the movie kicked ass and did a number on the law and order crowd). DS9 didn’t quite make it as far expected. I always thought they where playing catch up to with B5. Enterprise had a good premise, but with so much back story to the ST universe, they ignored all of it and went their own way, with at best mixed results. But for true SF self-reflection, nothing beats The Twilight Zone.
16 September, 2008 at 4:16 am
Yeah I think maybe B5 doesn’t get enough recognition because it got messed around with channels/renewal and had lower budgets. Enterprise sort of passed me by. The Twilight Zone (original b/w) got shown here on tv a while back, it’s been parodied so much (The Scary Door!) but when it’s good it still works beautifully. Ever see The Invaders (A Quinn Martin Production!) I used to love that, (even though for all their tech the aliens couldn’t fix a wonky pinky).
16 September, 2008 at 5:10 am
You must watch
The Prisoner in its entireity – but especially the final episode… and its ending!
The Doctor Who serials “The Happiness Patrol” and “Paradise Towers”
and not exactly sf, Edge Of Darkness is science themed and a cracking political thriller…
16 September, 2008 at 5:18 am
Hey Charliemarks!
A man after my own heart, I already have The Prisoner (an old vhs set) it is quite simply essential and (2) Edge of Darkness dvd’s (it’s complicated) also a must see I agree and a personal favourite.
I will have a look at the Who stories, I have a friend who’s a massive Whover (well that’s what I call them).
23 January, 2009 at 9:43 pm
[...] So, Have The BBC Stopped Colluding With War Criminals Yet? 23 January, 2009 — RickB Update: Stop the War Coalition report the government have complained to the BBC, curiouser and curiouser (although makes me feel ..odd…being with the govt. in complaining about the BBC, beardy Spock!). [...]