Demolition Man and Dystopian Literature

[@Philistine47]

"Warm and fuzzy totalitarianism" is the scariest kind of totalitarianism, if only because of the large percentage of the population who would eagerly embrace it. I had no idea how many until a discussion of Iain Banks's Culture novels several years ago, when I found I was the only person in the group who had any objection to the idea of living as, effectively, a pet of the AI "Minds" in the setting. Every other person thought the idea of a life of endless drug-fueled orgies, with no responsibilities and no consequences, ever, sounded like an absolute utopia.

[@boobah5643]

I worry that I'm in the group that would never choose such an existence, but if I found myself already in that situation would never be able to find the initiative to do anything about it.

[@chrisbullard5901]

The willingness to deliberately ignore the deductive conclusion and keep working oneself into circular logic to maintain invalid ideas has become so prevalent today, it’s near impossible to have an intelligent conversation with anyone. There are days Stalin’s Purges sound like the best, only solution to a population so broken, it can’t think.

[@craig.a.glesner]

Not sure why having a utopian universe is somehow a bad thing. Oh, right you probably think humans are somehow special and stuff even though there is not one iota of evidence that is true. Plus, look at how many people are fine with being pets for gods, how exactly is it a stretch that people might be okay with having a truly benevolent superior who happens to be an inorganic intelligence?

[@Philistine47]

@@craig.a.glesner "Utopia"? It's just _Brave New World_ with better PR.

[@craig.a.glesner]

@@Philistine47 you say that like having all your basic needs taken care of was a bad thing and not the goal of human civilization. Pretty sure that people like you haven’t had enough trauma in their lives because you do not appreciate how wonderful a utopia would be. A world without suffering, disease, a world where you can change up your body if the one you born to isn’t right for you, where you can live a life of leisure and where you are safe from dying of starvation or being homeless, unclothed, or uneducated. Yeah, I really don’t get you people and your dislike of fully automated luxury gay space communism. :) Meanwhile, pass the Soma would ya? :p

[@robertlehnert4148]

Nice D&D reference *Lawful Evil can't control Chaotic Evil"

[@cmbaz1140]

Time to learn how to use the shells...

[@cjperry2731]

One shell is used to insert another shell that acts as a barrier to prevent any waste from contacting your skin altogether, then the 3rd shell is used to remove.. Makes Spartan being laughed at and mocked so much more ironically funny 👍

[@bombfog1]

Hey, I think you’re channel has gone super critical; in two years we’ll be congratulating you on reaching 100k subscribers. And, as always, I appreciate the longer format that you’ve invested in recently.

[@feralhistorian]

It's definitely reached the point where I have to start planning instead of just doing things.

[@TheIconicHat]

In my opinion, the horror at the core of dystopian/utopia is not the absolute anarchy or comfort from their respective genres but the lack of ludens (play) within them. Not in the basic sense of chess or soccer or political intrigue, but homo ludens (human games) in competition. The same paradigms our parents would introduce to us through "tag"/ "hide and seek" would later become the framework of actionable skills like "hunting"/ "escape/evasion." This childish play is not exclusive to ourselves but incorporates all of society. Competition in which everyone participates, no matter how little. Creating an environment in which there is no need for competition or it is useless to compete has ramifications on culture, ethics, morals, and society. I think that there is a "goldilocks zone" for this homo ludens that inspires and encourages competition and individuality without the complete stratification of society into isolated systems. An equilibrium akin to that of a biosphere, and when one entity (dystopian/utopian) does not allow the random yet cyclical renewal of competition, the game (society) more or less stops. There is either no development at all or no innovation at all. The ebb and flow of all (participants, ideas, inventions) is essential. I believe the most important thing is for us as a society is to constantly interrogate and open ourselves to discourse to be both strong and vulnerable (ebb and flow) in an academic manner in order to prevent this stagnation. A fair ludens of discourse.

[@feralhistorian]

I agree, exactly right. It’s like the search for “stability” in society or government, we don’t want true stability so much as manageable tension. A little bit of discord is good. I haven't encountered a reference to "Homo Ludens" since around the time Demolition Man was in theaters.

[@Conejoazul2018]

something that i liked about demolition man is the fact is that it showcased the undercity as an unhinged but terrible place to live, despite their inhabitants being able to endure and comprehend the flaws humanity and its creation ; they were begginning to become pretty apathic about their situation, i wish the movie had touched more on that.

[@cypherian2]

You always pick such great locations for your videos! I cannot even count how many times I have seen this movie! I think it works well as a Double Feature with the Stallone version of Judge Dredd!

[@feralhistorian]

I'm planning to watch Judge Dredd again this weekend.

[@cypherian2]

Cool! A lot of people hate on that movie due its divergence from the source material... But then, how many Americans read British Comics?!? @@feralhistorian

[@stevemcallister4965]

@@feralhistorian Would love to hear your thoughts on the Carl Urban version in a video.

[@feralhistorian]

It's coming.

[@pestulio07]

Such a great movie. I didn't recognize a couple of those scenes though. Guess I'll have to hunt down the deleted scenes!

[@jasonkerest2517]

Great commentary as always! Not to mention the President Schwarzenegger reference, which in hindsight may explain a lot about their society.

[@coffeetop1131]

"...ultimately collapse under the weight of their own hubris." I'd say this statement is prophetic, but it's not: it's observable, and we are about there now.

[@professorwalter1284]

Watched this many times back on VHS. Quality content.

[@adamlove3295]

Great Denis Leary "Asshole" reference at the end!

[@feralhistorian]

It's a classic.

[@adamlove3295]

@@feralhistorian I'm still annoyed I can't find after-market baby seal eye hubcaps for my car.

[@Emanon...]

Stolen from Louis CK.

[@jdlessl]

I've said before that BNW is unique among dystopias in that it recruits its top leaders from among its most strident opponents via the simple expedient of... rationally arguing for continuing the status quo. Even citing the many failed experimental stabs at alternative social models. As totalitarian regimes go, that's about as benign as you can get.

[@feralhistorian]

BNW also gets around that "over-production of elites" problem by centrally planning demographics. From outside it's a totalitarian eugenics nightmare, but viewed from within . . . yeah, everyone just fits right into the role they were made for just as if it were the other way around.

[@patrickseaman]

After all these years, I still can't get that pronunciation of "Taco Bellll" out of my head. I've always felt this film had so much to unpack, so many levels that were prescient and warm and cuddly terrifying. Great job on this analysis.

[@hatetheplayerhatethegame1932]

Greetings and salutations. I like that you're sartorially rock 'n the Dr. Cocteau robe. Very chic, relative to the contemporary coarse alt-right plebs 😁 Be Well.

[@KatanamasterV]

You sir have swiftly become one of my favorite thinkers on KZbin. I have the distinct feeling you have some published material purchasable in actual book form. Where can I find that?

[@feralhistorian]

My few publications are both obscure and long out of print. But I'm working on something . . .

[@KatanamasterV]

@@feralhistorian looking forward to it, nice reference to Dennis Leary's musical catalog by the way

[@ziggyinc]

At the end... I see what you did there! Good job.

[@or_gluzman561Peace_IL_PS]

hey Feral Historian do you know about the youtuber Noah Caldwell-Gervais he is somewhat similar to you he used video games (and also travel logs) to talk about philosophy

[@feralhistorian]

I have watched some of Noah's stuff. More listened to actually, he has some interesting deep-dives.

[@feralhistorian]

@@kingmclaughlin5988 I suspect we'd get along alright.

[@Hugebull]

“Of all tyrannies, a tyranny sincerely exercised for the good of its victims may be the most oppressive. It would be better to live under robber barons than under omnipotent moral busybodies. The robber baron's cruelty may sometimes sleep, his cupidity may at some point be satiated; but those who torment us for our own good will torment us without end for they do so with the approval of their own conscience. They may be more likely to go to Heaven yet at the same time likelier to make a Hell of earth. This very kindness stings with intolerable insult. To be "cured" against one's will and cured of states which we may not regard as disease is to be put on a level of those who have not yet reached the age of reason or those who never will; to be classed with infants, imbeciles, and domestic animals.” - God in the Dock, by C.S. Lewis.

[@cynbartek9324]

I liked the scene of Sandra Bullock and Benjamin Bratt singing the Armour Hot Dogs jingle.

[@modelermark172]

1:52 is probably the most iconic line from the movie! (That and the reference to Jeff Dahmer later on . . . .) 683rd Like.

[@Ves93]

Very interesting! This kind of reminds me of the movie "Prayer of the Rollerboys". Can I please ask that you make a video about "Prayer of the Rollerboys". I feel like the movie has been largely forgotten, not to mention that it's criminally underrated. I am very curious to hear your take on it.

[@feralhistorian]

I've never seen it, but I'll give it a look.

[@Ves93]

@@feralhistorian Wow! I'm surprised! I think it's very hard to find it anywhere legally to watch, but it's such an old movie that no one seems to care that it's uploaded on KZbin in it's entirety.

[@andrewpytko4773]

I would love if you talked about Blake's 7.

[@feralhistorian]

I want to talk about Blakes 7, but it's been so long I really need to watch the entire series first.

[@stvdagger8074]

15:30 "that stuff's not even prosecuted as a crime in West Coast cities." Graffiti IS prosecuted in West Coast cities - IF you attack a monument to St. George Floyd or a rainbow crosswalk!

[@iamdunn1]

I am glad KZbin recommended this to me

[@pauljensen5699]

Excellent!!!

[@sk8rjockid]

Since its adolescent myelination and reading /1984/ in 1984 (which seemed appropriate), my frontal cortex has always really enjoyed contemplating these sort of things from the same constellation of various manifestations of media pieces--thanks!

[@richarddeese1991]

Thanks. I love this movie. It's a rare example of an action flick that has deeper layers & more thought behind it than at first appears. It's more than the sum of its parts. tavi.

[@Varner410]

Love this movie Simon Phenix was one of the best 90s villains.

[@stevemcallister4965]

We love a Denis Leary callback

[@andrewpatton6194]

I'm a first time viewer, this is pretty solid video dude! I like the outdoor vibe of the video!

[@cynbartek9324]

Came back to add this: The freedom vs safety thing ... in this film anyway is like good vs evil. In my lifetime the USA has had (until very recently) *both* in good measure. Probably that's rare, humanly speaking, but the film portrays the "vs" too extremely.

[@sladewilson9741]

New Sub. You're gonna explode. Binging great content.

[@TigerAskari_]

And avoid another riot ..i mean protest they did

[@indianajim]

Wait can we go back to where Sandra Bullock and Benjamin Bratt presage Miss Congeniality? Are they in the same narrative arc?

[@mahatmarandy5977]

I’d be interested in you doing a review of Atlas Shrugged

[@seand.g423]

I've honestly come to despise dystopian fiction (the genre, not the Aviators song. _never_ the Aviators song) for a distinctly different reason: Peasants _might_ take it as a warning (for all the worth _that's_ shown), but the Suits _invariably_ take it as instructions, even while they pound the Peasants over the heads with it either as warning or as threats _wrapped_ in warnings.

[@feralhistorian]

It does seem that the plutocrats have been going through those stories with a highlighter. "Oh, that's good. Gotta make sure we do that . . ."

[@briantran3791]

Very interesting analysis.

[@robfut9954]

And Taco Bell rolled with the idea during promos lol

[@shaunwatson6354]

Did you leave out the inciting incident for the creation of San Angeles--the big earthquake of 2010--as a contributing factor for Cocteau's rise to power intentionally?

[@feralhistorian]

Yes. Since I was talking more about what Cocteau's regime was in comparison to other dystopias rather than doing a lore dive into it specifically. Though it would be interesting to comb through the film and see what can be teased out regarding what happened between 1996 and 2010.

[@BoraHorzaGobuchul]

That's the deepest brainless action flic I've ever seen. A masterwork.

[@elbarto6668]

Nice

[@mahatmarandy5977]

Reading pretty much any other Aldis Huxley books will convince you that brave New World is a scathing criticism, not a proposal. Hell just read his collection of essays, “brave new world revisited.“

[@TheHighSpaceWizard]

You mentioned a B-52 in you last video. Are you near Minot? I was born there.

[@feralhistorian]

I'm close to Ellsworth AFB, so B-52s and B-1s both on a regular basis. Looking like B-21s in the next few years too, so that'll be interesting to see.

[@kevinbourke1847]

Only the Taco Bell one in Ireland 🇮🇪

[@jeancaron9325]

Evil always Hate family.

[@brainstemriff]

Jhonny somali

[@urbangradisek5695]

did yyou serve in military ? coz u have alot of army knowledge lol

[@3dartxsi]

While i find Demolition Man yo be an entertaining film and an interesting cultural artifact from the early 90's, but as a dystopia, it us thoroughly uncompelling. It feels like it was written by some kind of divorced dad who was mad about no-smoking rules and how HR at his job gave him a talking to about making racist jokes in the office rather than a playsible cautionary tale. The closest it comes to some kind of valid cultural/political critiques is the undercity with the unwashed masses living in poverty underground. It is arguably the most dystopian element of this world. The thing is that we already do the same thing in our world, both today and back when the film was made.

[@NihilistSolitude]

Sargon of Akkad did a great video on this movie

[@Emanon...]

He properly advocated for less coloured people in San Andreas. He's a hateful, sad person.

[@kris1123259]

Demolition Man is the dumbest smartest movie I've seen. Quite the chimera.

[@captainexcabier]

A feminist novel that's anti-human? You don't say...

[@danielstartek1497]

In the future, men will have hair!