For something a little different today, let’s do a Movie Preview. So I finally saw the massive box office hit Civil War, a film that I had been anticipating with mixed dread and curiosity.
So the movie was very good. I think from a critical perspective, it was phenomenal acting, obviously compelling subject matter and so forth. But for me, the most interesting thing about Civil War was what it didn’t say, it didn’t say the specific motivations behind the war, or give any real background information at all. And throughout the film, I found myself trying to figure out which side each new character we met was on, until I finally realized that’s the whole point. That’s what director Alex Garland was trying to achieve. Garland is by his own description, a left centrist and interviews, he tends to emphasize the centrist element because to him, apparently, the point of both the film and the locus of his anxiety is not as much about politics as much as it is about extremism on both sides. And an interview with PBS garland said, quote, for me, it categorically is a political film. It’s just not choosing a politics of left and right.
I think that if I sat down and asked somebody, why might your country or my country disintegrate into a state of civil war, they would know the answers. I don’t need to spell them out. Those answers surround us. So I felt it would be not just patronizing, but redundant to spell it out.
Look, I am of the opinion that you don’t change anyone’s mind in either direction by yelling at them telling them they’re crazy fascists, what have you. The way you change minds is by finding points of commonality, communicating, above all, listening. And I definitely understand that the extremism of the very far left can be damaging to the goal of unity, perhaps, perhaps even to the goal of progress. But there is a danger to this film again. It’s one I thought was very good and very thought provoking, and I do recommend it. But the thing is,
I can have my disagreements with certain elements of the far left and certain elements of the far right but the danger presented by the two. It’s not an equivalency. A simple peek at gun death statistics in our country shows that the vast majority of mass shooting events have been at the hands of white men, often white nationalists. Only one side of our sadly binary political system is calling for a bloodbath if Trump doesn’t win the next election. So while I do believe, like Alex Garland does, it seems that centrism isn’t just an ideal but probably an imperative. I take issue with the concept that the far left is just as dangerous to our democracy and very selves as the far right. It’s just not a competition.
Jordan Reid
Author; Founding Editor, Ramshackle Glam
Commentary
Our commentary partners will help you reach your own conclusions on complex topics.
Is the US looking for a war?
8 hrs ago
Peter Zeihan
How future generations could shift US support for Israel
Yesterday
Peter Zeihan
Why election of European Commission president is so important
Wednesday
Peter Zeihan
‘Both completely corrupt’: What Americans think of Biden, Trump
Tuesday
Dr. Frank Luntz
Portraying far-left and far-right as equal in ‘Civil War’ is wrong
Jordan Reid
Author; Founding Editor, Ramshackle Glam
By Straight Arrow News
The movie “Civil War,” which depicts Texas and California seceding from the nation to wage war on Washington, D.C., reflects a what-if scenario fueled by memories of the Jan. 6 Capitol attack. But as the presidential election looms, discussions about civil war have moved beyond theoretical debates to become a serious consideration among some voters.
Straight Arrow News contributor Jordan Reid analyzes the new dystopian movie in the context of America’s current political landscape.
I think that if I sat down and asked somebody why might your country or my country disintegrate into a state of civil war, they would know the answers. I don’t need to spell them out. Those answers surround us. So I felt it would be not just patronizing but redundant to spell it out.
Look, I am of the opinion that you don’t change anyone’s mind in either direction by yelling at them, telling them they’re crazy, fascists, what have you. The way you change minds is by finding points of commonality, communicating, above all, listening. And I definitely understand that the extremism of the very far left can be damaging to the goal of unity, perhaps, perhaps even to the goal of progress.
But there is a danger to this film — again, it’s one I thought was very good and very thought-provoking and I do recommend it — but the thing is I can have my disagreements with certain elements of the far left and certain elements of the far right, but the danger presented by the two, it’s not an equivalency.
For something a little different today, let’s do a Movie Preview. So I finally saw the massive box office hit Civil War, a film that I had been anticipating with mixed dread and curiosity.
So the movie was very good. I think from a critical perspective, it was phenomenal acting, obviously compelling subject matter and so forth. But for me, the most interesting thing about Civil War was what it didn’t say, it didn’t say the specific motivations behind the war, or give any real background information at all. And throughout the film, I found myself trying to figure out which side each new character we met was on, until I finally realized that’s the whole point. That’s what director Alex Garland was trying to achieve. Garland is by his own description, a left centrist and interviews, he tends to emphasize the centrist element because to him, apparently, the point of both the film and the locus of his anxiety is not as much about politics as much as it is about extremism on both sides. And an interview with PBS garland said, quote, for me, it categorically is a political film. It’s just not choosing a politics of left and right.
I think that if I sat down and asked somebody, why might your country or my country disintegrate into a state of civil war, they would know the answers. I don’t need to spell them out. Those answers surround us. So I felt it would be not just patronizing, but redundant to spell it out.
Look, I am of the opinion that you don’t change anyone’s mind in either direction by yelling at them telling them they’re crazy fascists, what have you. The way you change minds is by finding points of commonality, communicating, above all, listening. And I definitely understand that the extremism of the very far left can be damaging to the goal of unity, perhaps, perhaps even to the goal of progress. But there is a danger to this film again. It’s one I thought was very good and very thought provoking, and I do recommend it. But the thing is,
I can have my disagreements with certain elements of the far left and certain elements of the far right but the danger presented by the two. It’s not an equivalency. A simple peek at gun death statistics in our country shows that the vast majority of mass shooting events have been at the hands of white men, often white nationalists. Only one side of our sadly binary political system is calling for a bloodbath if Trump doesn’t win the next election. So while I do believe, like Alex Garland does, it seems that centrism isn’t just an ideal but probably an imperative. I take issue with the concept that the far left is just as dangerous to our democracy and very selves as the far right. It’s just not a competition.
Americans must reject Trump to defend our democracy
At the end of the Republican National Convention, Donald Trump accepted the nomination as the GOP candidate for president. In the first part of his acceptance speech, Trump called for unity and healing, although he derailed into partisanship as he continued. Critics have debated the media’s role in handling Trump’s speech. Some argued he was…
Yesterday
It’s time for Kamala Harris to pick up the torch
Debates have continued among Democrats about whether President Joe Biden is the best candidate for the 2024 election or whether an alternative Democratic leader might be more electable. While there’s no shortage of fellow Democratic leaders to choose from, President Biden and his supporters have continued to assert that Biden can and will win as…
Jul 18
Republicans want to sabotage US education
Former President Donald Trump’s official educational policy platform reveals plans to eliminate the Department of Education and seize the financial assets and endowments of elite U.S. universities. These proposals and others have convinced some liberal critics that the true goal of Republicans is to intentionally weaken U.S. education. Watch the above video as Straight Arrow…
Jul 11
Despite poor debate performance, Biden deserves our support
President Joe Biden himself admits that he delivered a “bad” performance in the first 2024 presidential debate. About a week after what some consider to be the worst debate performance in the history of televised debates, polls indicate that more voters than ever have an unfavorable opinion of the president, believe he is too old…
Jul 5
The modern-day Republican woman has terrifying role models
In a recent New York Magazine cover story entitled, “How Did Republican Women End Up Like This,” Rebecca Traister writes about some of the more polarizing examples of female Republican leaders and their positions on abortion, the transgender movement and women in general. With Republican women set to play a major role in the November…
Jun 27
Underreported stories from each side
Group accuses Pa. teachers union of illegally using money to back Shapiro’s 2022 campaign
8 sources | 0% from the left
Getty Images
Some House Republicans slam Vance as Trump’s VP pick: ‘The worst choice’
8 sources | 0% from the right
Reuters
Latest Stories
Congress still trying to figure out how to reduce wasteful military spending
Watch 2:29
3 hrs ago
US Navy, Air Force making waves with new weapons at RIMPAC
Watch 6:03
3 hrs ago
Israeli PM Netanyahu meets with Trump at Mar-a-Lago
Watch 2:54
3 hrs ago
Growing US nuclear power resurgence reaches the nation’s heartland
Watch 1:19
3 hrs ago
Beer from the sun, other solar thermal projects get government funding
Watch 2:04
3 hrs ago
Popular Opinions
In addition to the facts, we believe it’s vital to hear perspectives from all sides of the political spectrum.
Trump has an excellent opportunity with Black voters
9 hrs ago
Star Parker
Don’t fall for GOP’s cheap racist attacks on Kamala Harris
10 hrs ago
Dr. Rashad Richey
Americans must reject Trump to defend our democracy
Yesterday
Jordan Reid
Why all the changes in European parliamentary governments?
Wednesday
Newt Gingrich