Random: Scrooge/Frankenstein movies, false dichotomies and Moochers, Looters and producers

There have been 2 movie themes that have been done over and over again by Hollywood, ad nauseam.

Scrooge theme: greedy selfish business man who cares not for family or values and is obsessed with money... and learns the error of his ways, and finishes with him realizing money is evil and higher "spiritual values" are superior. Examples: "It's a wonderful life" "The Family Man" and countless others. Same story, different specifics.

Frankenstein theme: Man thinks he's too smart for his own good, and through technology tampers with nature, and to put him in his place, nature bites him in the face. Examples: Jurassic series, China Syndrome, Avatar, and again, countless others.

In both cases, western capitalistic values are inherently attacked.


False dichotomy: In both of these themes, what is so misleading and malevolent, is that is presented as self-evident that it is either/or.... Family vs material success/achievement or Technology and man vs. nature. This is a con job.

Material success/achievement enhances family, self esteem and quality of life. Technology is what took us from a life of daily struggle for survival to a quality of life that allows us to pursue arts, spend time with family and offer opportunities for loved ones, not to mention substantially reducing disease and suffering and providing for medical care, reducing child birth death of children and mothers and extending life. Classic throwing out baby with bath water.

Survival on desert island called Earth:

Those damned in movies above are PRODUCERS of material wealth. Alone on a desert island, I have two alternatives: survival or death. To the extent that I am able and willing to take the correct actions that will lead to my survival, I can survive, and presumably also achieve happiness. If I fail to do so, either by choice or inability, I I die. If I choose to do so, I am a PRODUCER.

If there are two of us on island and we are both PRODUCERS, we can pool our efforts and synergistically enhance our existence. However if one of us is a LOOTER, someone who decides that, rather than PRODUCE, they will use force or fraud to steal the product of the PRODUCER, then odds of survival will be compromised. Either the PRODUCER gives in to LOOTER and attempts to produce for two, or he chooses to defend his rights, if he can, and the LOOTER can either perish or realize that he too, needs to become a PRODUCER if he wants to survive.

Also, if one of us is a MOOCHER, who again, decides that, rather than PRODUCE, they will appeal to the PRODUCER'S pity, and try to convince him that he owes a duty to provide for the MOOCHER. Again the odds of survival will be compromised, and the PRODUCER either gives in and attempts to produce for two, or through "tough love" if you will, let the MOOCHER know that he has to fend for himself. The MOOCHER then can choose to perish or also become a PRODUCER.

Well, the movie themes above are essentially condemning the PRODUCER.... which is essentially biting the hand that feeds us. If you doubt the hypocrisy of these movies, remember that they extensively use technology in order to make millions of dollars, while condemning the characters doing exactly the same. Why does this work? Because, we've been conned for centuries with these false dichotomies.

On this desert island, called EARTH, you are either a PRODUCER (who does the best he can to the limits of his ability while revering those of greater ability who produce on a wider scale and make all our lives better), or you are a MOOCHER or a LOOTER. The choice should be obvious.

Thanks for reading.

P.S. There are a few (a very few) people who legitimately need help without being moochers, and a PRODUCER can and should help in those instances, because it is to his benefit to alleviate general unearned human suffering. Keep in mind though, that even challenged individuals of character will always want an opportunity to PRODUCE if at all possible, rather than accept handouts, as what they want even more than alleviating suffering, is dignity, a sense of independence and self-esteem.

P.S. (2) If someone loses perspective and pursues material goods in order to impress other people, or ignores his health or his family in the process, that person has also made an error of reasoning, but that is a separate issue.