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Save or Kill – Ricochet Edition
This past weekend, I did a pop-culture post based on a game Collider uses on its website called “Save or Kill.” The premise is that you are presented with two icons, both threatened with being wiped from existence forever, and must choose which of the two to save; you cannot save both. The game works best when you really love both icons, so it becomes a real Sophie’s Choice.
That first post didn’t get as many responses as I’d hoped — though my thanks to those who did participate, and there’s still time to jump in! — so I’m tailoring the game in this post with options better-suited to the interests of the Ricochetti.
So, read the list of the choices below and — in the comments — post which of the two icons you’d save for each of the ten choices. There’s no obligation to explain your reasoning, but I think it’ll be more fun with it. The criteria you use for judging is entirely up to you: you can do this based exclusively on personal preference, or on which option you feel is more important to society. Also, if you’re not familiar with both options in a scenario, feel free to abstain from that particular scenario.
Alright, I’m gonna post the list below. Let the game begin!
- Milton Friedman or Thomas Sowell
- John Wayne or Clint Eastwood
- The Lord of the Rings or The Chronicles of Narnia
- “The Star-spangled Banner” or “America the Beautiful”
- John Ford or Alfred Hitchcock
- Hamburgers or Bacon
- Led Zeppelin or Rush
- Star Wars or Firefly
- Mark Steyn or Jonah Goldberg
- Football (American) or Baseball
Published in Culture
I’ll get things stared.
1. Thomas Sowell– I’m doing this based on personal preference. While I think Friedman had a bigger impact on society in defense of free markets (no Friedman, no Thomas Sowell, for example), I think Thomas Sowell addresses a wider range of issues and I just find him a funner to read.
2. John Wayne– I believe Clint Eastwood is the better actor and director (and of course he gets major points for being a political maverick in today’s Hollywood), but I’ve watched little of his work (one major reason being that I rarely watch R-rated movies). But my Dad’s a John Wayne fan, so I grew up watching several of his movies and have particular fondness for Rio Bravo and The Quiet Man.
3. Lord of the Rings– The Chronicles of Narnia are an important work of children’s fantasy and have a great Christian message, but the children in Lewis’s stories can be pretty bland characters, and while I’m not as opposed to allegory as Tolkien was, I do share his preference for just less preachier fiction. And Tolkien had a more direct impact on the type of fantasy I like to read (epic heroic fantasy).
(continued in comment 3)
1. Thomas Sowell – The voice
2. John Wayne – I mean come on really?
3. The Lord of the Rings – It comes in pints!
4. The Star-Spangled Banner – I know people are down on it but when you hear it played by a full symphony orchestra…….it give me the shivers.
5. Alfred Hitchcock – Watch “The Birds”…..a trip to the beach will never be the same.
6. Bacon – Seriously?
7. Led Zeppelin or Rush – Meh
8. Firefly – Lucas ruined the Wars
9. Jonah Goldberg – Couch jokes
10. Baseball – Always Baseball.
4. America the Beautiful– I love Star-spangled Banner, and that its lyrics refer to a specific event in the author’s life (Battle of Baltimore in War of 1812). But I like the melody of America the Beautiful better and it’s a heck of a lot easier for me to sing with my vocal range.
5. Hitchock– both great filmmakers, but I have a slight preference for the Master of Suspense’s twisted work.
6. Bacon– A good hamburger on a homemade bun is wonderful, but I can’t give up bacon.
7. Led Zeppelin– Rush is great, but I initially had a harder time getting into them (mainly cause of Geddy’s voice), and I think overall I prefer Zeppelin’s bluesier sound.
8. Firefly– this is a tough one for me. I’m way excited for Episode 7. But Firefly’s libertarian themes always feel relevant, and though I’m sad it was cancelled and feels incomplete, it does mean that the series never had time to produce any big disappointments (unlike the Star Wars franchise).
9. Mark Steyn- I don’t think there’s a wittier political commentator, and I also love his essays on different classic American songs.
10. Football– I’m not a huge sports fan, but if I’m going to watch a game, I’d prefer one where the players hit each other.
1. Milton Friedman or Thomas Sowell: Sowell, reluctantly. Both are brilliant.
2. John Wayne or Clint Eastwood: Eastwood. A broader body of quality work.
3. The Lord of the Rings or The Chronicles of Narnia: don’t care.
4. The Star-spangled Banner or America the Beautiful: “America the Beautiful” – a prettier tune and anybody can sing it.
5. John Ford or Alfred Hitchcock: Hitchcock. His films are more twisted – and it concerns me that I made this choice.
6. Hamburgers or Bacon: Burgers. Though this one makes a grown man cry a little.
7. Led Zeppelin or Rush: Zeppelin. Not even a serious choice. There would be no Rush without Zeppelin.
8. Star Wars or Firefly: tough call – but “Firefly.”
9. Mark Steyn or Jonah Goldberg: Now you’re just being mean. How about we off everybody at The Weekly Standard and keep both of these guys?
10. Football (American) or Baseball: Football. More fun to watch. The season doesn’t stretch out so long. And when the Titans are losing (which is most of the time) I have my Sunday afternoons free.
Fun survey, btw.
Knotwise the Poet or Knotwise the Poet?
Imitation is the highest form of flattery.
So, I’m not sure whether to feel safe or scared in this situation. Am I guaranteed to live or die? Is this like The Prestige?
Do you think I should underline or put in bold to help people make the right choice?
1. Sowell -When asked (I believe by Peter Robinson) “what advice would you give President Obama?” Sowell’s one word answer was “Resign!”
2. John Wayne – I am a big Clint Eastwood fan but the correct answer is John Wayne.
3. Rings
4. SSB
5. Hitchcock
6. Bacon-Cheeseburger – because I can
7. Zep – I still don’t get why people think that Tom Sawyer song is any good.
8. NERDS!!!!!!!!!
9. Steyn – Funnier and nastier
10. Football – there is something classic about baseball, but the violence gives football the edge.
1. Milton Friedman or Thomas Sowell. Thomas Sowell. Friedman, God bless him, gave us the “tax withholding” scheme–knowing exactly that it would cause a cognitive break on the part of the taxed that would lead us to today’s sorry state of affairs. For all his good, he’s gotta go.
2. John Wayne or Clint Eastwood. John Wayne. Years and years ago, as a young infantry lieutenant, I went to a Special Forces recruiting brief. The NCO threw up a slide with John Wayne wearing the Green Beret and (channel a strong latino accent, here) said, “In the history of the world, there have been two perfect men. This one, and the other one they crucified about 2000 years ago.”
3. The Lord of the Rings or The Chronicles of Narnia. This is a double-tap choice. Books: The Chronicles of Narnia. Movies: LOTR.
4. The Star-spangled Banner or America the Beautiful. Star Spangled Banner, fourth verse, first stanza clinches it: Oh! thus be it ever, when freemen shall stand
Between their loved homes and the war’s desolation.*
5. John Ford or Alfred Hitchcock. John Ford. The Searchers. Done.
6. Hamburgers or Bacon. Knotwise, you heartless bastard. Mnnnglgglgggt. Gllladmmmbbbtttt. Bacon. Dammit!
7. Led Zeppelin or Rush. Zep.
8. Star Wars or Firefly. Firefly. Star Wars is an epic story of unfulfilled story telling potential.
9. Mark Steyn or Jonah Goldberg. Dang it! Steynberg.
10. Football (American) or Baseball. Judo.
The * in my response above is because (I, like, quadruple checked) when I was forced (forced, I tell you), to memorize the Star Spangled Banner as a lad, I could swear it was:
“Oh! thus be it ever, when freemen shall stand, Between their beloved homes and wild war’s desolation!”
I loved that “beloved,” and I loved “wild war’s desolation.” Did I hallucinate that? Is that an egregious “filling in the blanks” mental error? Top five google search results have the lyrics stated as in my response above. Dang it.
That last verse is very powerful, and probably not as well-known as it should be. With these songs it tends to be the first verse that everybody knows, even though the most powerful stuff comes later in the song.
I also love the 2nd and 3rd verses of America the Beautiful, and the 3rd Verse of Battle Hymn of the Republic:
“In the beauty of the lilies Christ was born across the sea,
With a glory in His bosom that transfigures you and me.
As he died to make men holy let us live to make men free,
While God is marching on!”
Knotwise, I don’t cry. But apparently your pulling up the Battle Hymn has my allergies acting up.
Songwriter:
9. Mark Steyn or Jonah Goldberg: Now you’re just being mean. How about we off everybody at The Weekly Standard and keep both of these guys?
LIKE!
Here are my picks.
1. Milton Friedman – No Friedman, no Sowell. ‘Nuff said.
2. Clint Eastwood – Ten times the actor Wayne was, and a decent director, too.
3. The Lord of the Rings – “It needs but one foe to breed a war, not two. And those that have not swords can still die on them.”
4. The Star-spangled Banner
5. John Ford – The guy could make a star out of a ham actor like John Wayne.
6. Hamburgers – The highest calling of a slice of bacon is to go on a bacon cheeseburger. No hamburgers, no purpose for bacon to even exist.
7. Led Zeppelin – Because Stairway to Heaven.
8. Star Wars – Even if Lucas did rip off Kurosawa.
9. Mark Steyn – No contest.
10. Football (American)
If you’re going to quote the Battle Hymn of the Republic, please quote the original version of the lyrics, “As He died to make men holy, let us die to make men free.”
I considered it, but given that I’m not a soldier off to war, I do like the modification which makes the song a little more universal.
The victors:
1) Thomas Sowell (coin flip)
2. John Wayne – It seems offensive to suggest otherwise
3. The Chronicles of Narnia– Major potential for an amazing set of upcoming films, especially with A Horse and His Boy, whereas Peter Jackson has completely lost all credibility with The Hobbit fiasco. (If we’re talking books, I abstain)
4. The Star-spangled Banner– nobody ever cries when they hear America the Beautiful
5. John Ford- I don’t understand how Jimmy Stewart ever became a Hitchcock guy. I never understood the appeal of his films.
6. Hamburgers or Bacon- you’re killing me here. I guess you have more options with bacon, so if I had to forgo burgers forever I could manage it. Bacon!
7. Rush- never has so much talent existed in so few Canadians.
8. Star Wars -what exactly is Firefly?
9. Mark Steyn-I dig Jonah, but I’ve never looked up something he’s said in order to relay his pure brilliant phrasing of an issue for my wife. When Mark is “on,” he’s a human highlight reel. Plus he’s fearless. Jonah is not.
10. Football– It’s bigger than porn for a reason. Name any baseball player, or position who is more important to his team success than an NFL starting quarterback is to his. I grew up playing hockey, which is harder to play in many respects, but NFL players are not normal humans.
1. Milton Friedman, for being more innovative (close call though).
2. Oh, man this one hurts. I think I’ve generally liked Eastwood’s films more, but I simply can’t image the Western genre making sense without Wayne. Also, Wayne was just fantastic.
3. Easy: LOTR is the deeper, more meaningful work.
4. I’ve always found “America the Beautiful” a little saccharine… a little school-childy. The Star-Spangled Banner may not have the best melody, but it’s much superior poetry.
5. I’m leaning Hitchock, though this may simply be a matter of choice.
6. Bacon goes in more things.
7. Abstain.
8. Star Wars. Loved, loved, loved Firefly but Star Wars was a watershed. And the first two are so good.
9. Jonah. Steyn’s great, but the hissy-fit thing annoys me.
10. Baseball. Football is too over-produced.
You mean you didn’t see Serenity? ;)
Put me down for voting Battle Hymn to be the best American patriotic song ever.
1. Friedman. I grew up reading Sowell, but I think Friedman is the more influential overall.
2. Wayne.
3. Tough call; depends on my mood. I really like the careful Christian allegory of Narnia, and it’s a lighter read, even when it’s at its most serious. LOTR is…ponderous. Lord of the Rings took me a very long time to get through (though admittedly, I was writing my dissertation at the time, so…), and it has a darker and heavier feel that I’m not always in the mood for.
4. Star Spangled Banner. It’s deeper, and I like that it’s about an actual event, rather than the run-of-the-mill “our named country is pretty” song that nearly every other country has as its anthem.
5. I love Hitchcock, but I’m going with Ford. There’s just something about Ford’s westerns that thrill me as an American.
6. Hamburger, because it’s a complete meal.
7. No opinion; I don’t listen to either. Well, I’ll go with Zepplin, because I know I’ve heard some of their songs at some point.
8. Star Wars. I am a big fan of Firefly, but Tom’s right—Star Wars was a watershed.
9. Goldberg. Both are good reads, but I like his style better.
10. Not into sports enough to care much. But if it’s professional, I’d save baseball, because I don’t care for any NFL teams (only college sports).
1. I have seen more of Thomas Sowell, but I might change my mind later.
2. John Wayne. His introduction in Stagecoach sent shivers down my spine.
3. The Lord of the Rings.
4. Star Spangled Banner
5. John Ford. Twenty years ago, I would have gone the opposite way. More warmth in a Ford picture. After too many Hitchcock viewings, I find I am looking more at technique than story or character.
6. Bacon
7. Rush. I always found Led Zeppelin overrated.
8. Firefly. Lucas disabused me of the virtues of Star Wars.
9. Goldberg. He wrote “Liberal Fascism.” It’s the most important conservative book in as long as I can remember. It will continue to be so for as long as I can foresee.
10. Baseball
Just a comment based on Narnia, CS Lewis was adamant that Narnia was not an allegory. It’s a thought experiment that if other worlds/dimensions existed, how would Christ be manifest in those worlds?
Save :
Milton Friedman – more upbeat
Clint Eastwood – super cool
The Chronicles of Narnia – Haven’t read Lord and it sits at my bedside taunting me
“The Star-spangled Banner” – It is the anthem
Alfred Hitchcock – never heard of John Ford
Hamburgers – don’t eat bacon
Led Zeppelin – don’t know Rush
Star Wars – don’t know Firefly
Jonah Goldberg – Steyn is miserable… Like me.
Baseball – Football has already been killed and baseball is the perfect sport
Just realized you were talking about a band called Rush.
Any way, Baseball.
Rush or David?
Btw, wouldn’t you love to listen in on those childhood arguments?
Poor parents.
I’m guessing none of you have heard of the Kobyashi Maru.