[Air-L] the case for critical commons

[Conor Schaefer]

I think Jeremy provided the best defense for this possible. The
self-parodying Hitler video was new to me, thanks for including that one.

Not to toot my own horn, but my knowledge of German is quite good. Although
sometimes I do turn down the volume on these videos while watching, because
of a sinking feeling I get caused by the juxtaposition of the profound
emotion of the film's performance and, say, a Superbowl reference, all in
all I find the videos amusing.

Ever see that Charlie Chaplin Hitler video meme? From, oh, around 1940? From
Wikipedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Great_Dictator#Cast_and_analysis
):

"The film contains several of Chaplin's most famous sequences. The rally
speech by Hynkel, delivered in German-sounding gibberish, is a caricature of
Hitler's oratory style, which Chaplin studied carefully in newsreels."

I'm surprised no one (other than Charles, perhaps, who at best hit it only
obliquely) has mentioned the political and sociological importance of
American English speakers mocking German phonetics without understanding the
language. Cold War anti-Soviet mentality is passe, but it's "cool" to mock
the Germans again.

On Fri, Jan 22, 2010 at 1:26 PM, Richard Forno <rforno at infowarrior.org>wrote:

>
> Speaking of the viral nature of the Hitler meme (some of which I find
> amusing, like the one JH posted this morning) I received THREE of them this
> week:    on Tuesday, one was done about the election in Massachusetts.  Then
> the Creative Commons one hit my inbox today.   And now this one parodying
> itself.   'tis all in good fun, IMHO -- and some of them are rather
> well-written.
>
> My German is rusty (er, "ganz rustiche") as the next person's (Charles
> aside!) but from a pure production perspective let's remember these videos
> all follow the same broad construct:  There's a controversial item for
> discussion and the central character in the video gets furious and takes it
> out on his underlings, with wonderful raw emotion and facial expressions
> shown by all involved.  Lather, rinse, repeat.  Godwin's law aside, IMHO
> it's perfect fodder for satire and parody.
>
> Some are better than others, to be sure.   FWIW saying, my first "Downfall
> meme" was during the 2008 financial crisis when Hitler realized all his
> money was invested in Countrywide and other subprime can't-lose mortgage
> deals.  ;)
>
> My 2 cents this Friday...
>
> -rick
>
>
>
> On Jan 22, 2010, at 12:56 , live wrote:
>
>  Ditto on what others said about the meme.
>>
>> And given what you feel about them, I think of all of the Hitler meme vids
>> created, this is the one for you Charles:
>> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cqqxRPZdfvs
>> Hitler rants about the Hitler Parodies
>>
>> Cheers,
>> -Sharon Greenfield
>>
>> On Jan 22, 2010, at 8:31 AM, Charles Ess wrote:
>>
>>  Very sorry to have to say this ...
>>> How profoundly disappointing, if not on the edge of insulting.
>>> If (a) you know German reasonably well, and especially if (b) you've seen
>>> the terrific film, Der Untergang, that is ripped off here - it doesn't
>>> strike me as funny at all.
>>> The kindest thing that I can say about it from my standpoint is that it
>>> is a
>>> weak attempt at humor that depends first of all upon complete ignorance
>>> of
>>> German, and secondly a strikingly uncritical willingness to accept the
>>> now
>>> very tired trope of Hitler as the archetype of reactionary evil. (Part of
>>> the irony here: I don't think he was all that reactionary, especially
>>> with
>>> regard to new technologies.)
>>> As sympathetic as I am to the argument attempted to be made here - this
>>> seems to me to thereby works directly contrary to its intentions.
>>>
>>> Sorry - no one bats a thousand, not even the redoubtable Jeremy!
>>>
>>> - charles ess
>>> Institut for Informations- og Medievidenskab
>>> Helsingforsgade 14
>>> 8200 Århus N.
>>> Denmark
>>> mail: <imvce at hum.au.dk>
>>> tel: (+45) 8942 9250
>>>
>>> Distinguished Research Professor, Interdisciplinary Studies
>>> Drury University, Springfield, Missouri 65802 USA
>>>
>>> Exemplary persons seek harmony, not sameness. -- Analects 13.23
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>  in case you've not seen this
>>>> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VREJV--VHSw
>>>>
>>>>
>>>
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>>
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