|
Up to the minute notes on the current state of free thinking and free living: Kentucky moonshine - original analysis and reporting from MoreThings, and all round pop culture museum of sight and sound - photo galleries, mp3 and video downloads.
Al Barger and MoreThings - getting people's goats since 1998.
Live free or die!
----
|
May 20, 2007
Leonardo DiCaprio - Environmentalist Demagogue
Yeah, I know that slapping down idiot celebrity activist types is not sporting. It's shooting fish in a barrel. But Leo DiCaprio is SO asking for it. He's putting out an "environmental documentary" for which he co-wrote the script, called The 11th Hour. 
Still, even an actor might know something, and he's undeniably got an impressive jaw line. That scruffy bit of beard tells you unmistakably that he's a Serious Thinker, not just another pretty face. So perhaps we might grant him some credibility - until you read this promotional interview, where he says
Trying to condense a world of issues into an hour-and-a-half format in this film was the biggest challenge. But it was about giving them a platform where they didn't have to argue about the science. Because, and I keep stressing this, this is the overwhelming majority of the scientific community that believes in this. Not to have to be challenged about the science, about if their opinions were correct or if their opinions were valid. It was about them being able to express ideas and being able to give us, the public. Listen to the scientists and give us, the public, solutions for the future.
This quote tells us at least a couple of things. For one thing, Leonardo DiCaprio is an environmental Stalinist demagogue. The other obvious thing this quote tells us is that Leo is an idiot. See, there's no need to "argue about the science" ie actually establish proof of what you're saying by answering critics. Dissident scientists don't count.
Making the point of demagoguery more clear, note this explanation of intent from the same interview
But ultimately the most important thing to us was whether you were emotionally moved at the end of the movie. And on a personal level, I believe that has been accomplished. Yes, a lot of the science is very hard to wrap your head around. But I was very clear in the movie. I want the public to be very scared by what they see. I want them to see a very bleak future. I want them to feel disillusioned halfway through and feel hopeless. And then when we get into the entire section in the second half when we talk about cultural transformation and a new way of looking at things and the alternatives or green technology and all these things, you realize there is great hope and there are options on the table. And hopefully the audience is moved and galvanized to do something about it
See, we don't need to inconvenience people with all that complicated opposing viewpoints and reasoned analysis. Just tell them what they're supposed to think, and push their buttons so that they are "emotionally moved" to do your bidding. That's classic demagoguery.
All this leads to the broader conclusion that Leonardo DiCaprio is not just an environmental demagogue, but an idiot as well. As a way of promoting his moviefilm, he openly and purposely explains exactly the demagogic process. He as much as says in so many words that he's not going to bore the audience with real scientific inquiry, but rather an appeal to low-level biological mammalian fear circuits. He says that in public and on purpose - like that's supposed to get people to support his project rather than ridicule him mercilessly.
Science, schmience. Manbearpig is coming to get you! Better do what the handsome alpha male says if you want to live!!!
PS If there is for some reason lingering doubt in your mind regarding Leo DiCaprio's idiocy, note that he was happily funding Timothy Treadwell, the infamously idiotic "grizzly man."
posted by Al at 5/20/2007 03:58:00 PM
Link Soup
morethings master
photo gallery index
MP3
new album
releases
lyrics
sammy davis
little richard photos
buddy holly pictures
fats domino images
chuck berry pictures 01/
02/
03/
04/
05/
06/
07/
08/
09/
10/
11/
12/
01/
02/
03/
04/
05/
06/
07/
08/
09/
10/
11/
12/
01/
02/
03/
04/
05/
06/
07/
08/
09/
10/
11/
12/
01/02/
03/
04/
05/
06/
07/
08/
09/
10/
11/
12
01/
02/
03/
04/
05/
06/
07/
08/
09/
10/
11/
12/01/
02/
03/
04/
05/
06/
07/
08/
09/
10/
11/
12/08/
09/
10/
11/
12/
la
24
lucille ball images james
blunt photos
clint eastwood pictures lena
horne images team
america pictures
robert mitchum photos
bruce springsteen pictures
mariah carey pictures
ann coulter photos
george clooney images
loretta lynn pictures
beatles pictures
white stripes pictures
andy griffith pictures
kill bill pictures
beverly hillbillies pictures
robin williams
frank zappa pictures
jerry lee lewis pictures
richard pryor photos
june carter johnny cash pictures
vic mackey shield pictures u2 photos
four seasons images
james cagney images
elvis presley pictures
country music
blog
dolly parton pictures
olsen twins photos
tom petty photos
tori amos pictures
joaquin phoenix images David
Bowie photos
Quills movie images
reese witherspoon pictures rolling
stones photos
fiona apple images kim
novak images ray charles photos marx
brothers pictures
prince rogers nelson pictures blazing
saddles images
sinead o'connor images
eddie murphy photos aretha
franklin photos
south park pictures homer
simpson images
bob dylan pictures elizabeth
taylor photos madonna
images
saturday night live pictures willie
nelson images hee
haw pictures james
brown images pete
townshend photos
tina turner pictures
dixie chicks photos
margaret thatcher photos
guns
n roses pictures
paula abdul pictures
jodie foster photos
amy winehouse
eminem
frank sinatra photos
van
halen images
satan
blondie photos
joni
mitchell pictures
merle haggard
images
rocky horror pictures
monty
python
|
|
