Back when I was a progressive, I always used to enjoy watching movies and TV shows like “The West Wing,” and “24” and other stuff. Now that I have become a full-blown anarcho-capitalist, I feel like whenever I turn on the tube, everything avalible for entertainment is anti-libertarian liberal/conservative/pro-Marxist schlock. Does anyone else have any feelings about this? In a non-libertarian world, how does one go about trying to get something so basic as entertainment without having to see Jack Bauer torture some guy with the audience being made to cheer him on?
Have you seen Spice & Wolf?
That’s an anime, right?
Either watch these shows and find the characters interesting as flawed characters, or find shows that reflect libertarian themes. I tend towards the latter, but I make some exceptions, like with L&O and its spinoffs.
L and O?
And I haven’t found that many shows with libertarian themes. Only shows I watch right now are Breaking Bad, Seinfeld, Rescue Me, and Futurama. Only one of those has obvious libertarian themes (Breaking Bad).
Seinfeld is a fascinating study of customs, many of which relate to customary (essentially anarchic) law.
Outside activities, drinking, cooking, reading books, playing music, etc. I don’t have a television in my room, and only time I watch it at my girlfriends is either to watch King of the Hill or a movie (I am awaiting the new Game of Thrones season). I never cared for what’s new as far as a series or sitcom. Televised entertainment doesn’t interest me much.
I told a co-worker tonight, showing your average person Louie is like showing someone who thought Hangover: Part II was actually good a Coen Brothers movie. They won’t get it, it’s above them, and when you talk about it they don’t understand. Thing is most television is not like Louie, it’s the opposite. There’s too much fail to find any win. Then again I do like Trailer Park Boys, but I cannot stand those lame comedies ABC pumps out.
Perhaps, but I am in a state of serious dubiety over whether or not the program was written with that in mind. Larry David identifies as a liberal, after all.
L&O = Law and Order.
Burn Notice could be considered libertarian to a degree. It’s certainly anti-state and chock full of conspiracies (!), but the main characters sometimes destroy property and steal cars and whatnot, so yeah. But many of the episodes are about restitution, so it’s fairly libertarian. It’s not perfect, but whatever. I like the Walking Dead as well. It’s not exactly libertarian, but you’ll find that aggression in that show is portrayed in a particularly bad light, even when it’s the protagonists. If you are willing to watch cheesy acting, then I highly recommend Buffy and Angel. Seriously. Joss Whedon is as socialist as they come, but for some reason his shows could be considered libertarian propaganda. The state is almost always evil, and the premise is essentially having civilians solve problems. Though I will say that Anthony Stewart Head is the shit.
There is also Firefly. I don’t think it’s nearly as libertarian as Buffy or Angel, but it is meant to be a libertarian show (also by Whedon). It’s fun and short.
I watched Burn Notice for a long, long, LONG time.
Eventually I got sick of the episodic formula they used. Beginning segment = conspiracy mystery overview. Middle segment = random case in the scummy city where my grandparents happen to live. End segment = conspiracy mystery yet again.
I like watching YT vids of Carlin, Hicks, Stanhope and Chris Rock to blow off steam. While they aren’t 100% libertarian, they’re pretty much in that general vicinity. Pure genius delivery, too.
Also, don’t forget the Must See Movies thread.
Clayton -
How can anything that’s not about the state or politics itself be statist? Even the Soup Nazi episode, which might make a libertarian cringe as a businessman running his business voluntarily as he sees fit is painted as a “Nazi,” the solution was not to call the cops but simply to stop patronizing his shop and encourage others to do the same.
Yeah, I took a break from Burn Notice because of that. I’m trying to continue and get caught up though. I started enjoying it again. Some of the episodes are just so funny.
@ Clayton
Hicks comes off to me as a Marxist. Carlin I think is awesome, but he seems to be much more of a nihilistic libertarian socialist than anything else (and let’s not forget that in Napalm and Silly Putty he referred to libertarianism as bullshit). Chris Rock…well, the only thing I’ve ever seen him get close to in terms of politics is class relations, and even then he sounds socialistic.
Doug Stanhope is the only real libertarian comedian I’ve seen. Bill Maher has identified as a libertarian in the past, but that’s obviously BS. Yeah right Bill, you’re the only “libertarian” I’ve seen who advocates gun control and higher taxes. Stick to religion, please.
@ AJ
I’m not saying that. What I was simply referring to was the fact that I really don’t think that the writers had anarchism in mind when writing Seinfeld.
@ gotlucky
I actually made a machinima parody of the opening sequence of Burn Notice, although due to my crappy editing software with machinimas, I never completed it. Maybe one of these days I can attack it again.
I agree, but my point is there shouldn’t be any reason a libertarian can’t enjoy a piece of entertainment by anyone of any political position as long as it doesn’t touch on politics or the state.
Ah, I see your point. But let us not forget that some of these left-wing philosophies are more of a “worldview” and not necessarily directed at sole politics.
Well, I’ll just say watch his HBO specials and judge for yourself. He’s no statist. As a black comedian who derives a large portion of his income from his black audience, I suppose it’s only the diplomatic thing to do to support Obama. Not saying I agree, just that that might explain the discrepancy in his supporting Obama and the things he says in his stand-up routines which are frequently as anti-State as Rothbard himself.
Clayton -
One thing I hate is when people use the racist argument against libertarianism. I’m afraid that every time that I tell somebody to Google Murray Rothbard, one of the things they will see is “murray rothbard racist.”