All Hail Moore

NY Times ^ | June 26, 2004 | DAVID BROOKS

[neverdem]

In years past, American liberals have had to settle for intellectual and moral leadership from the likes of John Dewey, Reinhold Niebuhr and Martin Luther King Jr. But now, a grander beacon has appeared on the mountaintop, and from sea to shining sea, tens of thousands have joined in the adulation.

So it is worth taking a moment to study the metaphysics of Michael Moore. For Moore is not only a filmmaker; he is a man of ideas, and his work is based on an actual worldview.

Like Hemingway, Moore does his boldest thinking while abroad. For example, it was during an interview with the British paper The Mirror that Moore unfurled what is perhaps the central insight of his oeuvre, that Americans are kind of crappy.

"They are possibly the dumbest people on the planet . . . in thrall to conniving, thieving smug [pieces of the human anatomy]," Moore intoned. "We Americans suffer from an enforced ignorance. We don't know about anything that's happening outside our country. Our stupidity is embarrassing."

It transpires that Europeans are quite excited to hear this supple description of the American mind. And Moore has been kind enough to crisscross the continent, speaking to packed lecture halls, explicating the general vapidity and crassness of his countrymen. "That's why we're smiling all the time," he told a rapturous throng in Munich. "You can see us coming down the street. You know, `Hey! Hi! How's it going?' We've got that big [expletive] grin on our face all the time because our brains aren't loaded down."

Naturally, the people from the continent that brought us Descartes, Kant and Goethe are fascinated by these insights. Moore's books have sold faster there than at home. No American intellectual is taken so seriously in Europe, save perhaps the great Chomsky.

Before a delighted Cambridge crowd, Moore reflected on the tragedy of human existence: "You're stuck with being connected to this country of mine, which is known for bringing sadness and misery to places around the globe." In Liverpool, he paused to contemplate the epicenters of evil in the modern world: "It's all part of the same ball of wax, right? The oil companies, Israel, Halliburton."

In the days after Sept. 11, while others were disoriented, Moore was able to see clearly: "We, the United States of America, are culpable in committing so many acts of terror and bloodshed that we had better get a clue about the culture of violence in which we have been active participants."

This leads to Michael Moore's global plan of action. "Don't be like us," he told a crowd in Berlin. "You've got to stand up, right? You've got to be brave."

In an open letter to the German people in Die Zeit, Moore asked, "Should such an ignorant people lead the world?" Then he began to reflect on things economic. His central insight here is that the American economy, like its people, is pretty crappy, too: "Don't go the American way when it comes to economics, jobs and services for the poor and immigrants. It is the wrong way."

In an interview with a Japanese newspaper, Moore helped citizens of that country understand why the United States went to war in Iraq: "The motivation for war is simple. The U.S. government started the war with Iraq in order to make it easy for U.S. corporations to do business in other countries. They intend to use cheap labor in those countries, which will make Americans rich."

But venality doesn't come up when he writes about those who are killing Americans in Iraq: "The Iraqis who have risen up against the occupation are not `insurgents' or `terrorists' or `The Enemy.' They are the REVOLUTION, the Minutemen, and their numbers will grow — and they will win." Until then, few social observers had made the connection between Abu Musab al-Zarqawi and Paul Revere.

So we have our Sartre. And the liberal grandees Arthur Schlesinger, Ted Sorenson, Tom Harkin and Barbara Boxer flock to his openings. In Washington, a Senate vote was delayed because so many Democrats wanted to see his movie.

The standards of socially acceptable liberal opinion have shifted. We're a long way from John Dewey.

Perhaps inspired by Moore, I got a fact wrong in my previous column. Bill Clinton did not win the evangelical vote in 1992 and 1996. I had relied on a report that was later corrected.

[jocon307]

"I don't think [Clinton] ever actively loathed this country to the extent Michael Moore does."

No, he did not, he doesn't. I firmly believe that Bill Clinton loves America, at least on his own little self-indulgent terms. His wife is basically a commie, but I don't think Bill is. In fact, as of right now, he looks pretty darn good compared to the rest of the looney, screaming faced, losers in that party.

I can't say what I want to say next, but lets just say there are a LOT of people who have shown their true colors since 9/11 who are a LOT more HATEABLE than Bill Clinton could ever be.

[garbanzo]

That's why we're smiling all the time," he told a rapturous throng in Munich. "You can see us coming down the street. You know, `Hey! Hi! How's it going?' We've got that big [expletive] grin on our face all the time because our brains aren't loaded down."

I almost feel sad for him. One has to wonder about the source of the intense violent hatred and rage that fuels such resentment of other men's happiness.

[section9]

Based on this article, it seems like Moore is the counterpoint to Bush which must comfort certain restless anti-Aericanism. Otherwise, what do we tell people around the world - we're invading for our freedom? Moore's point makes more sense - it's like NAFTA, but global. Bush's point: freedom, is not really selling anywhere... except Micronesia, they love it.

I disagree. Freedom always sells. It undid the Soviet Empire. It will undo the jihadist enterprise. Moore loathes his people and his government so much that he despises even the attempt to bring light unto darkness.

Moore is like so many on the Left: they cannot love their country unless they rule their country.

A devastating take on Moore by Brooks, btw. And a nice blow against the Democrats who flocked to his film, as well.

Be Seeing You,

Chris

[LadyDoc]

A NYT Editor using satire to skewer the saint of the left, Michael Moore?

MERDE! What's wrong with him. Doesn't he know that all of use in flyover country just adore this prophet of the left (sarcasm)

[Grampa Dave]

JL posted:"So how long will it take for the media to pull some smuck off the street who claims he was going to vote for Bush but after seeing this movie he is voting for Kerry ?"

Well, John, a troll got zotted on Free Republic yesterday claiming that it was a previous GW Republican and will vote for al Kerry due to Moore's lies on film.


Recently Zotted Troll claiming to be a great republican for GW

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/1160345/posts

FreeRepublic.com "A Conservative News Forum"

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ZOT! I Just saw Fahrenheit 911!
me | me


Posted on 06/25/2004 3:37:41 PM PDT by highly skilled professional


"I Just saw the Movoie Fahrenheit 911. Man, was I blown away. I am a lifelong Republican and a solid Bush supporter. Did Mr. Moore ever open my eyes! Who knew Bush was so corrupt and incompetent! Good job, Mr Moore for getting the truth out. I feel like my wisdom has doubled after seeing this great movie. Mr. Kerry, chalk up one new vote."

[MeekOneGOP]

LOL!

[ATOMIC_PUNK]

What do you call such fancy HTML? Does it qualify as a website, or is it just a program?

I just call it a wealth of Information for the good fight against bad things !

Ive already printed it out twice and slipped parts of it into those free magazine racks at certain stores around the area where i live so when people look for information FREE information on certain things they get more than they bargain for FOR FREE !

Freedom is not free we have a republic if we can keep it we must fight to do so or be forever under the thumb of tyranny !

[Steel Wolf]

Anyone think Zarqawi would saw Moore's head off if he had a chance? Personally I think they'd take tea together.

Not a chance.

Not only would he saw Moore's head off, but he'd probably be laughing as he did it.

Al Qaida and co. wants a war. They want the people on the sidelines to join in, and they want the people against the war to join in. They may appreciate Moore's anti-Americanism from an aestetic point of view, but if they ever got their hands on him, they'd make a point to execute him publicly.

[Lady Jag]

Michael Whore

[VadeRetro]

Overwhelming, the Left's vision of and for America. I try never to forget it.

[aculeus]

IMO, Moore will go the way of Chris Farley and John Candy.

Ouch! What did Farley and Candy do to deserve being in the same comment as Lumpy Reifenstahl?

[hosepipe]

[ "We Americans suffer from an enforced ignorance. We don't know about anything that's happening outside our country. Our stupidity is embarrassing." ]

URPeans don't even know socialism is slavery.. and in URP the governments grant privileges not "rights".. Mikey.. is quite dumb you know... Parliaments are very primitive governments because of that.. Mike has no idea of the miracle of the American Constitution.. and why its special and unique in the world.. Our rights are given by God not government... Thats why some are trying to deport God from America as we speak.. but ALL Gods... only the Judeo-Christain one.. the immigrant Gods are OK ...

[neverdem]

Excellent, BTTT

[neverdem]

One other thing about Brooks' correction -- it kind of negates his entire previous column, which was about how Clinton was able to win the evangelical vote!

I wouldn't say that. Think about how many of the religious right thought it was safe enough to stay home and not vote because the difference between the two main contestants was the difference between tweedle-dum and tweedle-dee.

Forget about what Clinton did to our culture, although that was bad enough. Remember how the idiot, after taking the contributions of Bernard Schwarz and Michael J. Armstrong, enabled those Benedict Arnolds in perfecting Chicom ICBM technology in the guise of helping them launch satellites.

In a lighter vein, check out comment# 73, if you haven't done so already.

[neverdem]

A NYT Editor using satire to skewer the saint of the left, Michael Moore?

MERDE! What's wrong with him. Doesn't he know that all of use in flyover country just adore this prophet of the left (sarcasm)

This author and Bill Safire are the two token OpEd columnists whose perspectives come from the right, as far as the NY Times OpEd page goes. Brooks former employer is The Weekly Standard. Safire wrote speeches for Nixon.

[Helms]

Moore As Infantile Leftist and Neo-anarchist

He epitomised what one of his critics called "infantile leftism", an egotistical school of politics which is concerned principally with making gestures; attempting to shock (think Michael Moore) and constantly criticising, but never proffering a coherent alternative. J G Merquior labelled Foucault a quintessential neo-anarchist.

Whereas traditional anarchists were inspired by Pierre-Joseph Proudhon's mutualism and Kropotkin's co-operatives, and took pride in their embrace of science and humane Enlightenment values, Foucault owes more to the egotistical, destructive spirit of Mikhail Bakunin, whose anarchism luxuriated in its negativity and irrationality.

Its beliefs consist entirely of what it opposes. This legacy can be seen in today's "anti- capitalist" demonstrators, who are clear about what they seek to destroy, but rather vague as to what they want to create.

...............................................................http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1160760/posts?page=3#3

[neverdem]

Thanks for your reply. Keep up the great work. You're a great American.

[neverdem]

LOL

[neverdem]

Don't be so humble. This is as good a piece on the origins of "modern" political philosophy as anyone could find without looking for it.

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1160760/posts

[neverdem]

From time to time, I’ll post or ping on noteworthy articles about politics and foreign and military affairs. Let me know if you want off my list.

This is pretty good piece of satire. If you don't want to read the whole thread, please make sure you read the article linked in comment# 99 to have a grasp from where the idiotic left has descended.