From a Marxist perspective, what could be more frightening than not even knowing what you do for work, or what injustices are perpetrated on you there? What more villainous than an owning class who can’t be held accountable because they’re never seen or spoken to directly? What more ominous than an organization that refuses you all knowledge of the means and ends of production? Lumon is not just a Marxist nightmare, but a perfect one, one that refuses to be interpreted any other way.
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I’m sure this is an interesting analysis and all but I do find this thing the western left has about trying to analyze all media by how “leftist” it is a bit tiring sometimes. Sometimes a good show is just a good show.
I think it’s fun to do, but ultimately a worthless endeavor. There isn’t a left in English-speaking media. If a story’s writers aren’t explicitly leftist saying their product is explicitly leftist, then it’s more likely some liberals accidentally stumbling their way around. Most media in English, even when it’s “progressive,” is anti-communist. How many shows and movies do the “villain is right but takes things too far and it’s just as bad,” bait-and-switch?
It’s okay to enjoy things (or not enjoy things). Just realize everything is going to have liberal brainworms.
Yeah it’s mostly just intellectual masturbation. But masturbation is good sometimes, it relieves stress and is an okay way to kill some time.
Andor is based tho, even if accidentally, I will stick to that.
I wasn’t going to go as far as to say its intellectual masturbation, but I see your point. I think once people start decomposing the world through a materialist lens (intentionally or not, usually just through exposure to new ideas or there own material conditions) its easier to spot the gaps in the ideology running through media. The fact that the gaps can be so glaring can make them seem intentional, maybe even radical , when the consumer is looking for that.
I guess that’s my masturbatory way of saying its projection.
As someone who doesn’t consume much media in the way of shows or movies I hate this pattern. I’ve been disappointed by a number of them this way: the substance, squid game (haven’t watched s2), etc. They’re still enjoyable on their own but its another way to overhype content. Its fine to just enjoy the show even if it doesn’t teach a radical message.