This is where the Conservatives Lose me

[trinityvixen]

Since Superman Returns has been the subject of much interest this week at our place, some posts about it over at Pandagon stood out when I surfing per my usual.

There's the first one. There's the second one. Oh, those are also not very spoiler safe.

Wha-ha? Okay, okay, wait, maybe I can figure this out.

So, Superman is technically a conservative icon because he's fighting for the whole "truth, justice, and other stuff" etc. on behalf of the government. And conservatives are all like "The government knows best," yeah? But they can't decide if Superman Returns supports that or not. Because it seems like it does, since Superman gets to be Jesus and he says the world needs him, and apparently it does, so, yes, Superman Returns confirms the fact that Superman is the conservative hero, or something.

But then again, there's all the elements of nonconservative behaviors going on in the movie... And suddenly Superman's not so good. Lois is a slut, Superman is teh gay (because his costume is darker red, thus more in vogue, and vogue = teh Gay), and because he's in touch with his feelings, he's a gay, too (because real men don't have feelings).

I'm confused. I couldn't figure it out.

Comments

[edgehopper.livejournal.com]

You're very devious. You comment on these articles about Superman's politics, but note that they're spoiler filled. You know I want to respond somehow, but I can't read the articles because of the spoilers. And so in this confusion, my head will explode in frustration!

Well played, indeed :)

[trinityvixen.livejournal.com]

Oh shoot. I guess I'm one of those geeks, I forgot that there are normal people out there who won't go see it within opening weekend.

Well, long story short, yeah, sorry.

[edgehopper.livejournal.com]

Now I can talk about it :) Though frankly, I thought the movie was so bad that neither side should want to claim it (see my review on my LJ). The only message I'm getting is that you can get paid big bucks for writing crappy scripts that make no logical sense and directing without paying attention to obvious detail. Also, if you can fill out Superman's suit, no one will care that your face couldn't show an emotion if rearranged mechanically. Oh, and that villains are way cooler and smarter than the good guys, and in a logical world would win. And I don't think any of these is really a good message for the children.

[trinityvixen.livejournal.com]

Oh dear. Not a fan, then? I'll have to see the review now.

[bigscary.livejournal.com]

This is because conservatives are whiny babies who can't enjoy something unless it matches their politics, and will happily twist stuff so that it seems to.

This is EXACTLY like the "50 Conservative Rock Songs". Superman starts out tossing union-busters out of windows. He, and the other classic superheros, were what were called "Premature anti-facists".

[trinityvixen.livejournal.com]

I don't get why Superman has any politics to speak of, character or movie, I guess. Technically, he's a civic-minded citizen, and he obeys the law (though he falls down on the details, which was hilarious in Superman Returns), but he doesn't try to enforce policy. Unless, I guess, if you argue that enforcing the law is enforcing policy, but no more so than anyone else who does so (police, judges et al). Are they all anti-fascists, too?

[kent-allard-jr.livejournal.com]

Historically, BSD is right about Superman: He was originally a left-wing figure who certainly did set policy (and break the law on behalf of the little guy, when he felt like it). After WWII he showed a lot more discretion and his politics were harder to discern. Branford Wright, however, argued in Comic Book Nation that DC Comics always had a slight left-wing slant, while other companies (such as Gold Key) were more conservative.