Three Years of Hell to Become the Devil: Outgeeking Bainbridge

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Outgeeking Bainbridge

Now, I'd never take on Professor Bainbridge when it comes to wine: I haven't the taste buds. And on corporate law? More fool me to challenge the guy who authors textbooks. But outgeeking? There we're on more equal ground. And I'm afraid that his accusation that George Lucas has sold the soul of Star Wars to the Democrats just rings hollow.

Basically, the good Professor is upset because:

...Lucas betrayed the basic story arc of the Star Wars mythology in order to score these cheap political points. In the original trilogy, Luke struggled against the absolutism of Obi-Wan and Yoda. It was Luke who insisted that there was still good in Vader, which Yoda and Obi-Wan rejected.

The betrayal in question is in having Obi-Wan say to Anakin, after the latter has muttered some you're-for-me-or-against-me line, "Only a Sith thinks in absolutes."

Now, I've not seen the movie yet, and to the best of my knowledge, neither has Prof. Bainbridge, but to my mind his internal critique doesn't hold up. Bainbridge spends a great deal of time talking about how an older (presumably wiser) Obi-Wan was still doctrinaire and absolutist in his consideration of the Force. But if we consider this Obi-Wan to be less mature than Alec Guinness (and who wouldn't), then the plot still hangs together. Obi-wan may just be full of it. And there's no "betrayal" for "cheap political points" so long as the elder Jedi isn't doing anything more than the lightsaber equivalent of Godwin's Law: you know the conversation's over (and someone's limbs are about to go) when somebody mentions the Sith.

So why are so many assuming that Old Kenobi needs to be taken seriously? It seems that the New York Times found political meaning in the film:

"This is how liberty dies - to thunderous applause," Padm observes as senators, their fears and dreams of glory deftly manipulated by Palpatine, vote to give him sweeping new powers. "Revenge of the Sith" is about how a republic dismantles its own democratic principles, about how politics becomes militarized, about how a Manichaean ideology undermines the rational exercise of power. Mr. Lucas is clearly jabbing his light saber in the direction of some real-world political leaders. At one point, Darth Vader, already deep in the thrall of the dark side and echoing the words of George W. Bush, hisses at Obi-Wan, "If you're not with me, you're my enemy." Obi-Wan's response is likely to surface as a bumper sticker during the next election campaign: "Only a Sith thinks in absolutes." You may applaud this editorializing, or you may find it overwrought, but give Mr. Lucas his due. For decades he has been blamed (unjustly) for helping to lead American movies away from their early-70's engagement with political matters, and he deserves credit for trying to bring them back.

Dear goodness, we can only hope. I mean, if Democrats can't do better than Lucas's tin-ear for dialogue for their political bumper stickers, then I suspect the Republicans will get the geek vote. But now the New York Times has done the impossible: it's made me curious about the final Star Wars film.

Let's face it: Lucas is about as subtle as a chainsaw running through a screen door, at least when it comes to dialogue. I'd expect that even if Chewbacca were mouthing Bush-lite rhetoric, you wouldn't need to be Han Solo to figure out the reference. On the other hand, the New York Times could probably scan Beowulf and find hidden anti-Bush meanings.

So who is it? Is George L. taking on George B.? Or is this all a figment of the Times' fevered fantasies? Sadly, I'll have to see the film to find out, because when it comes to a conflict between the Lucas lack of subtext and the Greying Lady's determination to find same, we reach a level of difficulty almost equal to that of the Great Sci Fi Paradox: What happens when a bunch of clueless red-shirts, guaranteed to survive less than three minutes after a beamdown, meets a platoon of Imperial Stormtroopers, who can't hit a barn from inside it?

Comments

This article on a Cannes press conference might save you the trouble of going to the movie.
http://midwestsummerassociate.blogspot.com/
A wise man once pointed out that "Sometimes a cigar is just a cigar", and I think someone needs to remind Prof. Bainbridge that sometimes a trashy sci-fi B flick is just a trashy sci-fi B flick.....
The "wise man" was Freud, on the sometimes-noninterpretation-of-dreams. Less well known is his debt to Kipling. The original line went something like "Wine is only wine, but a cigar is a smoke."
I've noticed that people who are absolutist often think that they are nuanced. (Often because they know other people on their own side who are even more extreme, or have unexpressed feelings which are much nastier.)
TTP: I know it was Freud; I was under the impression that the quote was familiar enough that nobody (at least nobody well educated enough to be follwoing a first person narrative of American legal education) needed to be told who said it. :-)
Oh, perhaps I've underestimated folks. I was under the impression that a lot of people didn't know the source. Eh. Also I was trolling for the exact phrasing of the Kipling quote.
"Now, I've not seen the movie yet, and to the best of my knowledge, neither has Prof. Bainbridge..." And thus continues the conservative tradition of critiquing movies without having seen them. :)
If you notice, Dave, the above isn't a critique of a movie, but a series of questions about it. And having now seen the movie, if you want to carry water for Lucas's dialogue, I hope your back's pretty strong.

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Four Nights in Beijing

We’d been moving fast and furious on the road so we were more than excited to bunk up with a friend on our visit to Beijing. Here we were able to enjoy many comforts of home from a posh Peking pad. We hung up our budget traveler shoes, for the time being, as my buddy would be showing us the high life.

Peking D Four Nights in Beijing
First stop was dining at a sophisticated restaurant where we rubbed elbows with Beijing’s elite. My buddy treated us to a memorable feast of succulent Peking duck – a meal I’ll be dreaming about until my return.

Forbidden City Four Nights in Beijing

Next up it was time to play tourist with a visit to Tiananmen Square and the Forbidden City (what happened here is a story in and of itself and deserves its own post – check it out here). Most memorable was watching the sunset over the Forbidden City from the hill at Jinshang Park. Breathtaking!

4620707115 a7250efc0f Four Nights in Beijing

The culinary food adventure continued (and would be a theme of our visit to Beijing). We were scheduled for a big night out and were excited to have two of our pals and fellow round the world Chicago travelers (check out their blog here) along with us for the ride. To get things going we headed to Beijing’s hottest hot pot destination. This meal consists of a huge pot of boiling water in the middle of the table with a variety of herbs and spices added to it. You dip in your meat and vegetables and cook them to your liking before dunking them into a delicious peanut sauce. I liked to call it China’s version of fondue. Best part was undoubtedly the noodle-making ninja (see video here) who brought his skills tableside.

Karaoke Lobby Four Nights in Beijing

The lively hot pot meal was followed by a licentious night out on the town. It was time to get serious. We moved the party on to a karaoke bar. Let me tell you, though, this wasn’t any karaoke bar. It was a five-star, exclusive karaoke ‘club.’ Pictured above is the posh lobby of the joint, appropriately dubbed ‘Party World.’ Here we were lead to our private room, which, with leather sofas and plasma screen TVs, looked more like a lounge for some high-rollin businessmen. We sang our hearts out to some karaoke favorites and even tried our luck on some new Chinese tunes, including the memorable and epic “One Night in Beijing.”

4623154143 93d9387e4f1 e1277990042655 Four Nights in Beijing

Hoping to save the best for last, we headed to the Great Wall of China on our final day in Beijing. This was a huge mistake, as our debauchery in Peking had us out till the wee hours of the morning for three consecutive nights. By the time our Great Wall visit was in order, we were unfortunately feeling exhausted…and yes, I must admit, a wee bit hung-over. We were in less than ideal shape to enjoy the splendor of the Great Wall, but amidst this gloomy, foggy day, we did our best to take it all in.

Next time, on the eve of seeing one of the world’s greatest sights, I’ll be sure to pull the reins our nightlife activities. Lesson learned.

pixel Four Nights in Beijing

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