Dialogic Cinephilia - January 26, 2019

MB - I know it is probably reflective of my worldview/politics, but for me, the capacity to be aware of your own failings/mistakes and to be open about them in order to continue to improve as a person is essential. Trump, the ultimate salesman (no offense to actual sales people - his is a twisted maniacal form of sales/marketing), is incapable of self-reflection or self-correction because he constantly hammers on his particular brand designed to appeal to his target audience and fears that his manufactured fantasy brand of self-made, can-do-anything, tough guy will be damaged if he re-thinks a deeply flawed (or in my mind ridiculous/absurd) proposal that appeals to his core audience.

In the good discussions I have had with people that support the Border Wall I ask them to consider how this will become the image of America (remember our decades long, successful propaganda campaign against the Soviets in which we portrayed border walls like the Berlin Wall as the symbol of an 'Evil Empire'?) for the rest of the world. Not to mention its ultimate lack-of-effectiveness, its racist foundation (if you are worried about terrorists coming across why is no one asking for a wall on our Northern border), and the waste of funds that could be put to use actually helping people.

I think, like a lot of socio-political trends in our society, that this fear-mongering and hateful policies goes back to those first days after 9-11. The world joined America in horror at the destruction of the twin towers and loss of life of peoples from around the world. We could have chosen two paths: 1) we could have used that moment in which people/governments around the world would have listened to us and claimed that we were committed to ensuring that we work toward a better, peaceful world in which people were not oppressed and brutalized and people did not find their only recourse as being to blow others apart 2) or we could increase the fear and distrust by unleashing a global war in which people/governments everywhere began to attack and imprison those that they viewed as different and in need of elimination.

To my horror we chose #2. Such a failed moment. When will we learn from our mistakes and choose a new direction. The world is depending on us ...
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Advertising/Marketing/Public Relations/Lobbying Dialogic Cinephilia (Ongoing Archive)

Anderson, Pamela and Srećko Horvat. "On Europe's Turmoil." Jacobin (December 17, 2018) ["Pamela Anderson spoke to Jacobin and philosopher Srećko Horvat about the protests in France, the crisis in the European Union, and her own activism."]

Beauchamp, Zack. "The controversy over laws punishing Israel boycotts, explained." Vox (January 9, 2019)




Fishman, Howard. "I Accidently Walked Into Border and It Kind of Changed My Life." The New Yorker (November 28, 2018)

Laczkowski, Jim, et al. "Albert Brooks." Director's Club #129 (June 5, 2017)

Maing, Stephen and Edwin Raymond. "'Crime + Punishment' Exposes Racial Quotas in the NYPD & Retaliation Against Officers Who Speak Out." Democracy Now (January 8, 2019) ["A group of New York Police Department officers are challenging what they call a racially charged policy of quotas for arrests and summonses. Known as the ”NYPD 12,” they risked their reputations and livelihoods to confront their superiors, fight illegal quotas and demand a more just police force. We look at a film following their story called “Crime + Punishment.” It has just been shortlisted for an Academy Award for Best Documentary. We speak with Stephen Maing, the film’s director and producer, and Lieutenant Edwin Raymond, the lead plaintiff in a lawsuit filed by the NYPD 12."]

Zhou, Li. "Trump caves on shutdown, endorses reopening government for 3 weeks." Vox (January 25, 2019)





MB - In response to Rainbow Star's question of what snow means to you: 

When I was growing up in San Diego, CA snow was a magical substance that we never experienced unless we took a couple hour ride into the mountains (which was rare as both of my parents had jobs and were trying to save money to improve our lives). My father used to take his work truck full of neighborhood kids (all of us underdressed because we never really had to deal with serious winters) and we would willingly shovel snow into the truck until we had a full bed and drive back. When we got back we would shovel it out on the cul-de-sac corner of our working class neighborhood that was full of kids running toward our growing snow mounds and we would change back into shorts and t-shirts (as it was warm) and engage deliriously in snow ball fights in the warmth of the sun.

Snow may not be the same for me now that I'm living in KY, but it still has that magical feeling for me when it first starts to fall and accumulate or when I open my door first thing in the morning after a good snowfall the previous night.