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Barack Morpheus Preaching To Americans To Believe Whatever They Want To Believe
Zero Hedge presents Obama's take on healthcare reform as represented by popular movie culture. Mr. President, just as an FYI, the blue pill was (is) the wrong choice.
Morhpeus: This is your last chance. After this, there is no turning back. You
take the blue pill - the story ends, you wake up in your bed and
believe whatever you want to believe. You take the red pill - you stay
in Wonderland and I show you how deep the rabbit-hole goes.
As an aside: is America doomed to promote policy and relate to a mass audience only by anchoring to widely symbolic film narrative such as "The Matrix", "The Big Lebowski", and "Fight Club"
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Ouch. Both "The Dude" and "The Other Jeffrey Lebowski" spelled their names with an "i".
collosal oversight attributable to one too many caucasians.
Easy man!! There's a beverage here!!
b.o. must've thought the blue pill was viagra.
we have elected a moron in the white house ... oh no wait ... the MACHINES ( you know which machines i'm talking bout ) did that for us ...
Computers don't make errors. What they do, they do on purpose.
Is Rahm Emanuel the Merovingian?
no, Rahm is a dick
interesting question.
Ahahahahaha awesome.. Just noticed your logo "Zero Intelligence" LOL
gaspirino won't ever live this one down. he will regret he ever messed with anonymous.
We have two bunch of a-holes that we vote in alternation.
a) Democrats - Those who re-enact hollywood scripts
b) Republicans - Those who write scripts for hollywood
Does he hear voices narrating his life when he brushes his teeth?
Maybe Rahm is Jesus
It doesn't fucking matter to Jesus
Then, I must conclude that Bush broke the blue pill and poured it in the water supply.
How do you pour a pill into the water supply? Someday soon, Hoss, you're going to wake up and realize 2 things:
1. Bush is gone.
2. The idiot you voted for is finishing the job he started.
That is the problem democrats don’t wake up, if they did do you think they would have voted for our new communist leader?
beats you are with us or against us, lets make billions off balance sheet in Iraq type of Strategerism. hehe
Lordy lordy, was he fully aware of the truth he was telling by using the classic red pill blue pill implications...tough s@#$^ for him...his little spin doctor will be out soon saying, OOPSIE, he meant the red pill-hahaha, too late to pass off that lie!
my company is out blocking crap again. I get nothing where I am assuming there is a video. Any other way of getting around it so I can view this at lunch?
WHERE IS THE CAPTCHA THINGY???
Starring: Lloyd Blankfein as Jackie Treehorn
I can best relate to the current 'stimulus' efforts by referencing Brewster's Millions.
Idiocracy
dude...Why come you don't have a tatoo...
kudos.
my favorite part about brewsters millions is that they insisted on using gigantic stacks of cash and carted it around with wheelbarrows. That's so classy I'm nearly speechless.
DONT BLAME THE GUY FOR TRYING TO EXPLAIN THINGS IN TERMS THAT THE AVERAGE AMERICAN FOOL WILL UNDERSTAND...I AM SURE MOST AMERICANS HAVE WATCHED THE MATRIX....SO IF HE CAN GET A MESSAGE ACROSS THROUGH THAT, IT WILL PROBABLY WORK. THOUGH I THINK TAKING IT FROM THE MOVIE DUMB AND DUMBER WILL PROBABLY MAKE MORE SENSE.
yes, dumb down society even further. great fucking idea. the dumber you are, the more democratic you vote.
But that fool picked THE WRONG PILL! It most definitely didn't help.
considering that the great failed state of cali is issuing IOUs (like Harry and Lloyd), Dumb and Dumber references are much more apropos
fyi - breakingthematrix.com is a great site
Hey curbyourrisk
how about you get your own computer instead of bitching about "work blocking crap"
oh come on, his company doesn't want him looking at porn while he is supposed to be adding up columns and compiling reports and other stuff.
Just as a cultural note, I wouldn't say that its necessarily a bad thing that we anchor our narratives to popular culture. Mountains of Greek political discourse related itself back to the story of Achilles, Homer and other myths. We relate to eachother through shared stories, since our personal experiences are so wide and disparate. Surely Mr. Durden (that is your real name isn't it?) you can understand how seizing on elements from a film that uses powerful metaphors to tap into a widely shared but difficult to articulate sentiment among the masses can be a useful reference to put people on the same page.
That and the inside jokes from whatever said reference afford an additional level of comic relief and relatability. Like did you hear the one about Homer and the Cyclops...Homer tells the Cyclops his name is "Nobody" so when attacking the beast it shouts for help saying "Help, Nobody is attacking me!"
I think referencing our myths and parables in public discourse in no way lowers the level of discussion...if used properly it elevates the understanding between all involved. Which makes the whole blue pill thing all the more amusing :-)
Awesome Steak!
yeah right you are. Where would we be without the stories in the Illiad or the Odyssey where Homer describes the adventures of Odysseus.
Scylla and Charybdis anyone?
The Dude Abides
My husband and I have been married 52 years. We have a huge mental library of favorite movie dialogue. You form a sort of code that's wonderful for a couple who's been best friends as long as we have -- all sorts of hidden nuance and political importance. It's like knowing a foreign language that's safe to speak deep in enemy territory.
In fact, you only have to say a couple of words of the movie, and each knows what the other is talking about. Drives the kids crazy: "I hate it when you do that, Mom!"
Do you guys use, "CHRISSY..GET ME THE BIG KNIFE!" from Moonstruck?
hehe...I know it well!
Staykitty, my other favorite line from that movie, ( every line is incredible ) is, "...i ain't no frickin monument of justice!"
yeah its great for me cuz i don't read no books luv movies though so i get it good he no leave me out
sense when was cyclops on the simpsons?
red pills, blue pills? heck the next thing you know he will be talking about his wonderful time hanging out with his boy friend larry sinclaire, smoking crack and getting blow jobs.
That is classic! Yes, we seem to be relegated to dumbing everything down to some mass market level, but let's not lose sight of the true (and enduring) message of The Matrix - we are, in fact, in Wonderland...
http://whoistheabsurdman.blogspot.com/2009/06/do-you-want-red-pill-or-blue-pill.html
"do you think those are stocks you are trading?"
"CDS THIS!" *blam*
hah! for some reason I found that to be very funny.
I find it amusing that there are some Americans who believe what Obama says is what he wants. This person has been hired to sell you something you don't want. He is a pitchman, dressed up with authority. He entered in to a contract with forces that could squash him like a bug and sometimes it looks like he starting to regret it. What happens when he loses his effectiveness? I'll leave it to you to imagine the possibile outcomes.
Wow.
Pres Obama has made no short use of the barely concealed sarcastic gag. He told the press core a joke a few weeks ago that was something like:
I was in bed and got an emergenct phone call. I thought about it, then rolled over and asked brian williams what he thought about it.
Implying that the press was in bed with him and they were his bitches.
As I recall, nobody laughed.
Now we have an insinuation that we all need to lie to ourselves and everything will be o.k.
Cant wait for his next turn of phrase. "Did you hear the one about the vaccine? Turns out it wasnt a vaccine and it kills people HA HA HA HA" (audience is stunned, sits silent.)
He definitely seems to be losing his sense of humor. He looked uncertain, confused and altogether lifeless last night. It was striking to me.
Anybody else notice that?
But but but... you're going to destroy my Presidency... and it's my birthday, too. *sobs*
Oh Mr. Smith - or is that Mr. Smiths
There's some ass that needs some kickin'
Pete
Tyler, is that really you questioning the use of movies as allegory, including FIGHT CLUB?
The world has always been like that, which is why most intensely political critiques offered to the masses must be presented under the radar as entertainment.
Here Barry really fucked up on his metaphor (and, despite favoring health care reform, I immediately posted it on the Asness post thread.) Jesus, what an idiot!
Does it really mean anything, though? Sure, it'll get a lotta play--and I do mean play--but what's a really stupid misreference to a movie(asuming it wasn't random) gonna do to/for discussion of the bills?
Hey Bob, or was it a misreference? It is looking more and more everyday like that that was not a misreference.
a-greed.
Beats me, every day gets stranger. Who would have seen "socialist" Obama giving away the country to the rich?
Sure, he now says he's selling universal health care, but his performance last night looked like the Anti-Obama. He couldn't have sold free pussy with that presentation.
I wonder what's up with that? Maybe it's a crumb that's been thrown out to the people, but regardless of what they think the fix is already on?
Regular Obama and that guy last night were two different people.
The spin doctors for his image will be looking for ways to make this all go away. But, on a gut level, it is very clear that he is over his head, and a bought puppet for the financial-government complex, and his socialist agenda looks more like communism.
I would never wish anyone ill will, and it is always sad when people have to learn their lessons, but, looks like selling your soul didnt work out too well for him--i am afraid that he is so fragile that he could have a breakdown over not getting his way.
A real possibility, all of it.
He's looking like a poor sap who can't stand conflict and has just hit the end of any possibility of avoiding it and saving his sole.
Not sure if he has any left. He's obviously learning disabled on econ matters, though.
May be I am a bit thick, but I fail to get what is so controversial about the health-care reform plan. Of course it is going to cost a lot of money, but at least this is money that is going to be benefit the American people, rather than a handful of bankers.
In particular, I would love to find out what the most vocal critics of the reform want the government to do. Are they just happy with the current status-quo under which 43m Americans do not have access to health-care? Is this perceived to be part of some inevitable natural selection? If not what is the alternative?
I look forward to reading you all
Sincerely,
:wearflameproofcoat:
OK - here is one person's thoughts:
http://market-ticker.org/archives/1187-Health-Reform-Who-Are-They-Trying...
"
...
Look folks, you want to know why we have the health cost problems we have? I'll lay it out for you - in a way you can't refute or argue with:
#1 and #2 exist because of explicit efforts by the "health care" industry to exempt themselves from the laws that every other merchant of every other good and service in the United States must adhere to.
To put this bluntly the medical industry has intentionally put forward a system by which it can screw you with impunity, obtaining exemptions from the laws that cover every other area of commerce, thereby effectively forcing you to buy overpriced services you do not want to purchase lest an unexpected life event literally wipe you out.
This is an extortion racket and absolutely none of the proposals being put forward have done a thing to address any of it.
If we want to fix the health care pricing problem we can do so. It isn't very difficult. Here's the prescription:
...
"
Pete
Atleast citing or mentioning Karl Denninger would have been nice. There are numerous reasons, as I explained over there why his solution is problematic.
OK - fair. I'll be more precise. Edited the original - oops can't.
Link and comments are from Karl Denninger.
Pete
youtube.com. search new world order. watch. you decided for yourself.
decided should be decide (damn adds on the right).
Like it or not popular political discourse is often rooted in easily understood themes or metaphors. Especially in a Madison Avenue message driven society of Gerberviores. Hence the reasoning behind the centrality of a market scored PSYOP boost to consumer confidence to reinflate the unreinflateable, hehe. The fact that current society can relate to the Matrix rather than the Illiad or the Odyssey speaks volumes in itself. Most folks have little time or understanding of anything that can be referred to as classics unless its coke, corvettes or banana flavored slop served from glass jars.
In general, there are more than two choices in life. However, it seems that the choice of not taking any pills has been postponed indefinitely.
Whoo-hoo! Dow tops 9,000! I'm going out to buy a new BMW right now... ON CREDIT!
nice. i just got a 110% mortgage and put nothing down
oh and its a mcmansion and only 90 minutes from NYC. commute will be rough but i can sell my home in 5 years for a 50% gain
Don't forget to furnish it with some cheap plastic crap from a rent to own place or "no payments for 6 years" promo at your local Chinese furniture importer. Be sure to get particle-board covered in laminate! It's CHEAP!
I hear they have GREAT deals on Suburbans and Yukons right now too!
Actually, a popular work could not possibly be deeper in "legit" thought and influences than The Matrix. Check out http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Matrix
I heard an interview of the Wachowski brothers (who made the movie) and they noted in particular their reliance upon Bauchrillard's Simulacra and Simulation, which somebody in the movie is actually shown reading.
Don't hate the players, hate the game. It is a shame, but the artists are doing THEIR part. And a massive segment of the public GETS IT.
Baudrillard. "The Intelligence of Evil or the Lucidity Pact" is 'good' if you're into that sort of thing..
Consider it another "Freudian slip". Perhaps he meant exactly what he said. After all, what is the difference between our current "blue pill" economy and our "blue pill" stock market. Now he wants "blue pill" health care: wherewe "play pretend" and claim everything is okay.
Until we wake up.
I refuse to take a pill. I think "Pete" up above me is on to something.
Unless Pete is Karl Denninger, then he's just saying someone else's ideas. In fact, some of it looks word for word.
I am not Karl, but I slept in a Holiday Inn Express one time.
I haven't figured out how to do blockquotes so I use the cheap ASCII ones - note the " "
I am usually only smart enough to recognize good shit and reference it with hopefully proper attribution.
Pete
Regarding Zero Intelligence, pull the teleprompter away from Barry and there you have it.
Hey cnbc, how do you like the new "Zero Intelligence?"
"YOU CAN'T HANDLE THE TRUTH!"
I think the Obama presidency will go down the shitter of history. Things will get so bad that we'll be begging for Bush to come back (not that it would make any difference).
GW(mindless puppet) was a set up for BO(mindless puppet)...who's next? The Puppeteer - just in time to "save" us (again)?
As much as I would like to agree with you Gekko its like Kim Jong Il in North Korea. We can't fight it. It's a cult.
ObamaNation is going on the face of Mount Rushmore. He is the first president of color. Teachers love him. History is always written by the victors.
Eh, you guys, with so little real hope I wonder how you get outta bed each morning. What's the use?
I consider it a very hopeful sign when lies are uncovered and a mission to create a socialist (more like communist) country is thwarted, and that is what we have when Obama's plans get examined carefully.
So, Bob, you must be reading this ALL wrong.
Nah, just being flippant. I'm with you. Sometimes our apparent powerlessness seems overwhelming, though.
Hi Bob,
Even if it may seem that way, what we do, how we participate, through letter writing and calling the people who are supposed to represent us in Washington, and talking with others and spreading the word and increasing others understanding is your power, so please keep that in mind! Every bit of it makes some kind of a difference even if it is hard to see or believe. So, please don't forget--all your actions have an affect, just like what you can see when you throw a rock in a pond--it may not be immediate and noticeable, but we definitely all have an impact on each other and our collective outcome.
Yours truly
exactly - with Bush it was a waste of money - with Obama it is just thievery
i still remember watching bloomberg tv when congress voted down the $700 billion and then turned to CNBC and saw their fear rise worse than 911.... and then another $130 billion sweetner added, stirred, and here we are about 13 stimulus packages later..
It was an accident. Red = Republicans, blue = Democrats. Someone should have caught that though, because everyone else will. Does Obama have Manchurian aides, sleeper Republicans feeding him bad sound bytes to make him look like more of an Orwellian character? Probably not but that definitely didn't help his cause.
I wouldn't have thought of that. Makes sense. But what kinda writers and aids does this fool have?
He has Kumar in the house--and he woulda caught the mistake between bong hits!
I was pretty pissed that they preempted "Wipeout!" for that.. Boring.
you should've watched "Fight Club" on AMC. I did.
"Crippled but free,
I was blind all the time I was learning to see."
"Once in a while you get shown the light,
In the strangest of places if you look at it right."
you left out "V - Vendetta".... I noticed the security guards watching the front gate at this year's Bohemian Grove conclave as disguised a "V"
I work and live life and health insurance for 11 years. ANYONE who has personally dealt with a physician or provider understands that Elmo (Mr. Obama) has no idea what he was talking about. He proved that in his touching example of the "child" who needed to have his/her tonsils taken out. Let's not forget to mention, that he decided to change his emotive focus from "you" (an adult) to a "child" to emotionally charge his statement/example. This is not effective when you change tactics mid-sentence. Much of this inexperience and lack of knowledge comes from Elmo NOT having to pay for his own families insurance.
Furthermore, he provided a "slap in the face" to physicians when he suggested that "the doctor might make more money by taking the tonsils out". “I have Doctors following me around all the time”… well, I hope the next time you have a prostate exam, your doctor uses his entire hand style… “Moon river…..”
He's done... The Dems will squash him. I would venture to say, that his close allies don’t like him and would happily help him screw up enough to run against him in 12 (Sharks eat their own young). Putting McCain against him as a born Monson might be one of the best strategic moves in 20 years. That positions Romney or someone else to take him out easily and hand over the White House and Congress to repubs for another decade. That said, I don’t like the Repuds either.
Run with the hunted America!!!!
Having been in the health industry a long time, I think Barry's inpolitic example of doctors as often corrupt people (just as any other group) was a mistake, but it's something the vast majority of us know is true. Sometimes common knowledge is right.
But I found the entire speech and Q&A bizarre in its presentation. Obama didn't look like he wanted to be there (when have you ever seen THAT?) His speech was as lame as it could be (like Michael Jordan missing a slam) and I saw actual fear and insecurity rippling through him as several of the questions were being asked.
What's happening to Barry Obama?
Emperor Barry is simply being exposed as an empty suit like his predecessor Emperor George II.
Mr. Narcissus is not getting his way anymore and the facade is cracking. Care rationing (especially to the elderly--look up QALY) and other considerations of who in society is "worthy" of getting treatment is getting too close to the 1939 Nazi "health plans". People are calling him on it. And...it's gone!
That was Freedom, RATM at the end. For those like me who now need a fix. www.youtube.com/watch?v=vqcM5lVoteQ
I can appreciate the reference to Brewster's Millions, but I have a better one. How about Trading Places? Obama is Eddie Murphy a street hustler that is elevated by a Goldman Sachs like trading company. I can only hope Obama places some false information like a hurricane is going to hit Florida, better buy up all orange futures contracts in the path of Rahm. After a quick call to his friend L.B., Goldman buys the futures but it's a bumper crop and GS loses billions.
"They Live",
"Three Days of the Condor",
"China Town"
This is just another pretty teleprompter speech, nothing more.
This health care plan isn't a plan. I haven't seen anything laid out as a plan. I haven't seen anything that says EXACTLY how much it's going to cost, or EXACTLY what we, as Americans, are going to get out of it.
Except screwed, again.
We'd get a better financila plan out of this. I'll put it together for you all right now and we'll launch it from the comments section at Zero Intelligence...er..Zero Hedge.
This is the Ich bin ein whatever plan for health care, aka "The Fortune Cookie" plan.
Choose one from Column A and Two from Column B. Take twp aspirin and call me in the morning.