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Lileks Goes Over the Top
@jameslileks stormed out of the trenches in the July 6 issue of National Review on Dead Tree. If it does nothing else, his piece, Twinkling’s Canceled, Little Star, will get him the first slot in the train to the reeducation camp — or to that other camp. He finishes with a couple of uppercuts:
Published in GeneralThe accumulated accomplishments of humanity cast a bright light on their inability to accomplish anything except to accrue debt and tattoos, and they’ll feel better when all these reminders are pulled down.
They can’t do anything about the twinkling stars of old, but they can light enough fires to drown them out.
There are people so crushingly inadequate that they must destroy the world to hide their shame.
From the article:
Pfft! That’s too easy!
It’s problematic because it’s silent on the issues of its own age, let alone today’s, and silence is violence. What good is making music except to teach and inspire the people?
“But Misthios,” I hear you replying, “Twinkle Twinkle Little Star does teach and inspire. It teaches children to be inquisitive about the Universe around them!”
Bah! Wasting time wondering about the nature of stars doesn’t put food in the bellies of the proletariat! Theoretical astronomy has always been a pastime of the bourgeoisie!
This reminds me of one of my favorite quotes:
Life in a modern newsroom has made James a neuron star of sarcastic anti-woke rage, super conducting facetious at faster than light speeds.
I do think he’s on to something:
If we can just get them fired up over statues of Communists and abortionists and terrorists and Friends’ stars, some good might still come of all this. Maybe commission statues of certain BLM and Antifa members just to watch the footage in our twilight years.
Stellar job, @jameslileks!
“you might conclude that their knowledge of history has the characteristics of a slug’s knowledge of celestial mechanics.”
Wonderful.
Your brain is going to get stuck like that if you keep it up.
Here’s another of my favorite lines from James’ article:
He’s like the anti-woke atom bomb. Drop him into any university and he’d have the whole faculty and student body cancelled within a week. No one could out-woke him.
Mozart. Mozart wrote the music. Is there anyone more privileged than a child prodigy who is now a dead white male?
I’m thinking the dead are categorically null privilege regardless of other factors. I have a list of candidates if experimentation is needed.
This proves your white fragility.
Everyone on the Right should keep Paul Graham’s whole quote in their quiver:
Mozart Statue located at Mozartplatz in Salzburg. Statues and real estate. Privilege. Tear it down. Occupy the square.
If they are even afraid of the privilege of the dead, they are double plus ultra inadequate!
A Stevie Ray Vaughn statue was vandalized with paint somewhere. Doubt it had anything more to do than it was a statue.
It would be interesting if in twenty years the “woke” culture fully embraces Rev. King’s message of judging by the content of your character and not the color of your skin and BLM advocates become the ones on the chopping block. Of course the types to embrace Rev. King probably wouldn’t embrace the French Revolution aspect of today’s cancel culture.
Have they gotten around to Forrest Gump yet? Cuz “stupid is as stupid does” seems to be emerging as a possible nuclear missile aimed at the heart of woke. If the dead have privilege, the fictional must be privilege WMDs!
The same MLK whose stellar public life contrasts with a seedy private life that would no doubt lead to his cancellation if he had been white.
Austin.
Thank you all very much. The kind words were appreciated & needed.
Thanks for writing the piece. It was terrific.
“Athwart” is always great reading . . .
Masterful column, James. Oops. I probably shouldn’t use that word. Well done!
James; wonderful column. You made me laugh, and that doesn’t happen much these days.
I have to confess it was bitter laughter.
First thing I read in each issue. Then I read it aloud to the family.
In the culture war, James is the Barrett .50 sniper rifle. You won’t hear it coming, and it hits with devastating force.
I could post a photo I received of the results of a Barrett .50 on a suicide bomber, but I’m sure it couldn’t possibly be CoC compliant.
I still enjoy looking at it, though.