Madness? This is SPARTA!

SD on 19/3/2007 at 02:36

Quote Posted by Shug

How would you even know what this guy's views are on that situation?

I contend that this film has been specifically timed for release and designed to consciously or subconsciously appeal to people to draw obvious parallels between Persians (Middle Easterners) vs. Spartans (Americans) during a time in our history when there is a very real conflict between the two cultures, and the very real threat of an invasion of Iran by the US.

Maybe I'm being harsh on the guy, but I'd really like to hear what he has to say about the current situation in Iran. However, I find the fact that he'll take the considerable time to write an essay on the perceived injustices of a throwaway movie, and not the actual injustices of a vile regime, vexing. You tell me what is more damaging to the public perception of Persians in the long run?

In his situation my attitude would be "If people draw parallels between this movie and current times - great!"; I almost certainly wouldn't be writing about how the Iranians are good guys wronged by Hollywood.

His conspiracy theory that 300 is an attempt by Jew film studios to soften up public opinion for a war on Iran doesn't really impress me either.

Quote:

It seems that, unlike you, he knows how to discuss one subject at a time without violently chasing completely unrelated social debate

Laffo. Well, you're right that it's unrelated, but it's a social debate he brought up, not me, which makes it fair game so far as I'm concerned.

jimjack on 19/3/2007 at 03:58

Propoganda? This is Sparta! This is why Frank Miller decided to write the book. He saw this coming.

The lesson of the movie is if you threaten a people with slavery and death, you get a sword in the belly, your head chopped off or pushed off a cliff. NIN did not play when Leonidas booted the messenger into the well so I'll give it a 4.5/5. and good thing Queen Gorgo countered the male arse factor. :sweat:

Pelephone
phelop
phelupon..dammitt

Big Greek Civil War.

Renzatic on 19/3/2007 at 04:42

I can understand some people not being particularly fond of the flick. It is pretty sparse on character development and plot, doesn't have any merit as a historical piece, and isn't good for anything else other than a straightfoward rousing war epic. 300 is all about style and entertainment. If you're expecting more, you're gonna be disappointed.

That said, I find the people that rag on the movie simply because they think they're too good for it quite obnoxious.

KingAl on 19/3/2007 at 07:42

Quote Posted by Ajare

Greek democracy is one of the cornerstones of western civilisation. I want to see politics, people. You simply can't beat a good Arcadian filibuster.

The extent of Spartan democracy consisted a 10th of the population voting yea or nay to a proposition handed down to them by a small circle of geriatrics, who could then discard their opinion on a whim. That's not to say there wasn't politics, though.

I haven't seen the film, but am mildly amused that the only good line in the trailer is one ripped straight from the pages of Herodotus (i.e. "the Persian arrows will blot out the sky!" "Then we shall fight in the shade.").

Ajare on 19/3/2007 at 08:24

Quote Posted by Vigil

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One of those paragraphs was not entirely serious.

Convict on 19/3/2007 at 11:51

Quote Posted by Aerothorn

Just to add more fuel to the fire, the guy who runs Tweakguides.com has written a little editorial explaining why people of Persian descent are so pissed off about 300.

(http://forums.tweakguides.com/showthread.php?p=65050#post65050)

That seemed fairly balanced and reasonable (read the first half).

Avego on 19/3/2007 at 16:16

You don't own me!;)

Although he does have some very good points. But its the same with any superpower, when it dominates it threads the ideals that it is a noble and good nation to its own people, often disregarding other people, Hell the US Government and media are guilty of it (no offence) as was I'm sure the British Empire, and as this and wikipedia show (if I can base my life on them...) , the Greeks aswell. We zombies love to advertise our own victories whilst hide the defeats.

I like cookies.

Myoldnamebroke on 19/3/2007 at 22:18

Quote Posted by Avego

We <del>White Europeans</del> human beings love to glamouous our own victories whilst hide the defeats.

fixed

SD on 19/3/2007 at 22:25

It ain't that fixed... wtf glamouous ffs?

Aerothorn on 19/3/2007 at 23:54

Quote Posted by Strontium Dog

However, I find the fact that he'll take the considerable time to write an essay on the perceived injustices of a throwaway movie, and not the actual injustices of a vile regime, vexing. You tell me what is more damaging to the public perception of Persians in the long run?

That kind of argument just doesn't work, though. Sometimes you have to judge something on its own merits. If you invalidate something by saying "that's not as helpful to the world at large as something else" then you've just dismissed everything. Game developers aren't helping the world as much as environmental workers - so we should have no games. Painters aren't helping the world as much as the peace corps - so we should have no painters. TTLG isn't helping the world as much as The Hunger Site - so we should have no TTLG.

Basically, using the argument that one should not waste time with more trivial matters - you need to get the fuck off TTLG. Because you taking the time to post here is inherently less helpful/productive than going out and doing shit.