Clint Eastwood: America run by a bunch of teenage twits

[nixium]

Does anyone get GQ? If not, there's this rather interesting interview of Clint Eastwood. Among other things, you learn that he's into jazz piano - he plays - and meditates twice a day. What I found worthy of discussion were these comments:

About racial relationships and such. It just seems like we're making a lot of mistakes on this whole calling everybody racist. Everybody's calling everybody morons and nuts. We're becoming more juvenile as a nation. The guys who won World War II and that whole generation have disappeared, and now we have a bunch of teenage twits. People 50 years old acting like that. In Gran Torino, I play a guy who's racially offensive. But he learned. It shows that you're never too old to learn and embrace people that you don't understand to begin with. It seems like nobody else got that message, I guess.

There are more comments later on:

What we're doing on both sides of the political spectrum, right and left, is just yelling at each other. I look at the TV, and if you disagree with somebody, they are a fucking fruitcake, moron, screwball, stuff like that. We can be much more tolerant of people if we want to, but the extremists on both sides are the ones who ruin it for the rest of us.... There's so much transmission and very little reception. You watch MSNBC or Fox. They're not listening. They're just all talking over. Very few people, when you watch, really let a person finish their thought. They just want to stomp them down right away. Like a bug. Step on it before it bites you. I won't go on those shows for that one reason

I'm liberal, but I have to agree with his views - at least partially. I'm not sure the "guys who won world war II" had better ideas than the modern political system, but I do agree discourse has descended into petty personal attacks for most part. Sadly, it only shows signs of worsening.

Is there a way to stop it, or slow it down? Will personal attacks and mudslinging become "normal" at some point, and politicians would have to stoop to new lows?

I'm not saying there was no mudslinging in the past, but the profusion of media and the internet have made it vastly easier.

 

[JS80]

Does anyone get GQ? If not, there's this rather interesting interview of Clint Eastwood. Among other things, you learn that he's into jazz piano - he plays - and meditates twice a day. What I found worthy of discussion were these comments:



There are more comments later on:



I'm liberal, but I have to agree with his views - at least partially. I'm not sure the "guys who won world war II" had better ideas than the modern political system, but I do agree discourse has descended into petty personal attacks for most part. Sadly, it only shows signs of worsening.

Is there a way to stop it, or slow it down? Will personal attacks and mudslinging become "normal" at some point, and politicians would have to stoop to new lows?

I'm not saying there was no mudslinging in the past, but the profusion of media and the internet have made it vastly easier.

It was way worse back then - they weren't inhibited by political correctness like we are today.

 

[alchemize]

Bah, he's just a repuglican whining idiot.

 

[Tab]

Bah, he's just a repuglican whining idiot.

I don't he's an republican/democrat or whatever. I think he doesn't want to take sides or even form some kind of opinion beyond - Arg! All politicians are corrupt! Nothing ever gets done they're all a bunch of babies. Blah Blah Blah...

Okay, yea whatever it happens but it really doesn't take a whole lot of effort or brainpower to think this. I tend to distance myself from these cynical types.

 

[fskimospy]

I like how people on here are already proving 'ol Clint right.

 

[Tab]

I like how people on here are already proving 'ol Clint right.

I think he's obviously a very bright and successful guy but what makes him any more knowledge about politics than anyone else really?

If you don't care about politics that's fine however don't cry and say everyone's mean, sucks, rude, cheats whatever - it's been going on since the beginning of time. We don't need your cynicism - especially right now.

 

[RbSX]

Bah, he's just a repuglican whining idiot.

Why does that make his points invalid? I'm not a republican or a democrat, I hate your guys partisan politics, why does someone's political affiliation have anything to do with someone's intelligence?

Anyways, I really agreed with a lot of his statements he tried to make in Gran Torino, America is largely ran by theives and pussies.

 

[alchemize]

Tap your irony meter, next to the sarcasm meter

 

[Tab]

Anyways, I really agreed with a lot of his statements he tried to make in Gran Torino, America is largely ran by theives and pussies.

You got that out of the movie?

 

[gingermeggs]

I don't he's an republican/democrat or whatever. I think he doesn't want to take sides or even form some kind of opinion beyond - Arg! All politicians are corrupt! Nothing ever gets done they're all a bunch of babies. Blah Blah Blah...

Okay, yea whatever it happens but it really doesn't take a whole lot of effort or brainpower to think this. I tend to distance myself from these cynical types.

I think he's tryin to say is- they're a bunch of crooked, greedy, self centered, egotistical assholes........go ahead make my day!
Besides that he's a talented ol'wise and beautiful woman, but he's far from ever being an Anthony Hopkins, as actors go, far better then ronald mcdonald raygun FWIIW.
Most people don't understand he has some really musical talent, much of it african/american inspired.
Probably more a liberal then anything else, until a dog is pissin on his fence.
He pulls good fluff for his age- he dumped Sandra Locke as soon as she wasn't shiny skinned and tite' pussied!
So more like an Italianate liberal!

 

[gingermeggs]

Tap your irony meter, next to the sarcasm meter

Tap the nerd key u monkey's nut!
AHhhh lol!

 

[gingermeggs]

Charles Bronson, would grind him into anchovy paste!

 

[gingermeggs]

Why does that make his points invalid? I'm not a republican or a democrat, I hate your guys partisan politics, why does someone's political affiliation have anything to do with someone's intelligence?

Anyways, I really agreed with a lot of his statements he tried to make in Gran Torino, America is largely ran by theives and pussies.

I before E except after C ....numbnuts,lol
merrry xmas dude!

 

[gingermeggs]

I like how people on here are already proving 'ol Clint right.

This one's for free!

 

[gingermeggs]

Looking back now on so many of those movies produced in amerika!
The dirty harry shit, his italian produced cowboy and war movies where greater then most out of Hollywood for its day , compared to other countries movies of the same era, they seem all sales pitched to get the box office returns- a cold war fad- mostly un-timeless... all just usa is the greatest place on earth con....whereas you see the others stuff carries more weight thru time.
You wanna look at real bolloxed up hero, look no further then our tazzy lad Errol Flynn, he in aussieland! shitcvnts!

 

[gingermeggs]

William Holden was the real man of those days!

 

[Zebo]

This reminds me of Chomsky thread - basically saying the same thing.

 

[gingermeggs]

Robert Mitchum for the win!
My all time favorite yank actor!

 

[Miramonti]

I agree with him. "Racist" accusations are used to be more devisive than constructive.

 

[seemingly random]

As much as I admire eastwood, his life works and his town in cali, my respect for him has moderated somewhat since he claims to have voted for palin in the last election.

 

[Siddhartha]

Why would anyone, besides maybe his family and employees, care what Mr Eastwood says or thinks? Do his opinions have more value than Joe the Plumber's or Ms Palin's?

 

[StageLeft]

Why would anyone, besides maybe his family and employees, care what Mr Eastwood says or thinks? Do his opinions have more value than Joe the Plumber's or Ms Palin's?

Nihilism FTL.

Clinton is right, but many of us have been saying this for a long time. Politics is slightly smarter people's version of national sports. They pick a team and scream down the other one.

 

[waggy]

Nihilism FTL.

Clinton is right, but many of us have been saying this for a long time. Politics is slightly smarter people's version of national sports. They pick a team and scream down the other one.

thats one of the things that piss me off about politics. some are so into there "team" that they will do,say anything that hurts the other side even if it hurts the tax payer more.

 

[MrEgo]

Nihilism FTL.

Clinton is right, but many of us have been saying this for a long time. Politics is slightly smarter people's version of national sports. They pick a team and scream down the other one.

Slightly smarter? Seriously?

With the exception of Nascar fans, I would say there are just as many, if not more idiots that are political fanatics than there are dumb sports fans.

 

[Siddhartha]

Nihilism FTL.

Clinton is right, but many of us have been saying this for a long time. Politics is slightly smarter people's version of national sports. They pick a team and scream down the other one.

My point is why give what Mr Eastman has to say any more weight\importance than anyone else?

Well, he was mayor of Carmel CA, which is a small, extremely rich town in California, and he made a number of successful movies.

Are you sure you are using nihilism properly here?