wolves & liars & cons, so what?

I often denounce the banality of our United Statesian juvenile-boy culture but today’s post specifically targets “entertainment.” If it’s been done, it’s been done ad nauseum.

I want movies, TV, books and art to inspire. That doesn’t mean they have to be uplifting or saccharine. But most films/TV shows are based in stimulation not inspiration. What’s that Georges Braque quote? Art disturbs, science reassures. ‘Disturb’ doesn’t have to denote degrading or doltish.

Yes, people can be greedy, violent, criminals. They cheat, fuck, lie and con. And so? Do we have to be subjected to it over and over with no experimental depths, no new inner regions to explore? Breaking Bad, for instance, dealt with all the above in mostly fresh non-gratuitous ways.

People also pick their ass, eat boogers, punch toddlers, pop juicy pimples, splurt diarrhea and I don’t want to watch any of that either.

Recently, I had two new subscribers to Rant-ology! I checked their profiles and found a bevy of boobs and shaved pussies. Ho-hum. What’s the thrill in sending out porn spam? Why must others see it with you? I forgot—it’s that sophomoric “Look At Me” bullshit.

So, movies. Sigh. If a director keeps making the same film again and again just altering details, maybe said director should see a therapist each week instead of subjecting the world to his neuroses/disorders. Psychologists are paid to listen—and deal with narcissists.

What I’m saying is that dysfunction doesn’t necessarily translate into art.

The Wolf of Wall Street and American Hustle are new films about rapacious sociopaths, brimming with humping, lies, indulgence, nimiety and over the top sexism. Yawn.

Christina McDowell, daughter of another piece of shit Wall Street psychopath wrote a courageous open letter to Scorsese about his veneration of the above redundant monotony. Her father was “business partners” with Jordan Belfort—self described Wolf in the first film. [BTW, I resent this scumbag affiliating himself with actual wolves]:

“You have successfully aligned yourself with an accomplished criminal, a guy who still hasn’t made full restitution to his victims, exacerbating our national obsession with wealth and status and glorifying greed and psychopathic behavior. And don’t even get me started on the incomprehensible way in which your film degrades women, the misogynistic, ass-backwards message you endorse to younger generations of men.”

I won’t be seeing either of these films; I don’t need to…because there’s nothing new here, just more and longer.

It’s often said: you vote with your dollars. If you want higher quality entertainment, stop paying for crap: the worship of greedy-white-guy “values,” special effects (not special when excessive), shoot-em-up-chase, male fantasy fucking/sucking, manic all-noise-no-rest animation (must all talking be yelling?), misogyny, exalting war in make-believe or real life. The zeitgeist of the day could use some fresher, restorative images that appeal to more than one demographic.

What if we created women-friendly shows? NOT chick lit/flick; this is what the “establishment” thinks women like. What if we explored the profundity and complexity of humanity instead of the depths of depravity?