Print

[paw broon]

This review appeared in today's issue of The Scotsman newspaper (11th May 2013):-
http://www.scotsman.com/the-scotsman/books/book-review-superman-and-philosophy-what-would-the-man-of-steel-do-1-2925998

[narfstar]

Interesting piece but I did not appreciate their slam on Fox News

[paw broon]

See, that's what you get when governments allow free speech.   I think you would have to have a closer insight to Scotland, it's left of centre politics and traditions of social care.  I find, talking to fellow Scots, that there is a general dislike of Fox news and for the most part, we don't trust it.  If you are interested, the article was in The Scotsman, a national daily, and a read at some of the comment and editorial pieces in thesame issue might be of interest.  I do it the other way and occasionally read the L.A. Times.  It's relatively easy to get other nations views onthe state of the world and discover bits of their cultures by using the free newspaper sites.  Helps, of course, if youcan read another language but a read at an Irish or N. Ireland paper can be revealing.  A listen to RTL programmes or Canadian or Australian, for that matter is a good insight to those  cultures, all of which are different than Scottish or American.
It's really interesting.  If you fancy other links to papers or Scottish government material, let me know.
(The other paper I go to now and then is a Cincinnati one for coverage of the Bengals.  How sad is that?)

[narfstar]

Thanks Paw. Since most of the world primarily sees the "lamestream" media they would naturally dislike Fox News which is the only one showing so many things the others will not use against their President. There is so much I would love to read from around the world but time goes on. I need to be out mowing the yard now.

[mr_goldenage]

Free speech is a double edge sword, and unfortunately when it cuts in the direction that doesn't favor one view or the other it tends to have and adverse effect as it has in our country. Personally I think 24 hour "paid" news coverage CNN, Fox, MSNBC and the like all have an axe to grind. I don't give an open ear to any one of them too seriously anymore. PBS News hour while true it is supported by taxpayer dollars is also supported by actual people like myself and a whole host of foundations, corporations and the like, which I think leaves them as independent as you are going to find.

We here in the US have been split into Red and Blue states which is sad and stupid at the same time. We are a nation of immigrants, brought up on guns, strongly independent and distrust any authority that intrudes on our personal liberty. We should be a nation of purple states that work together like we use to instead of being an extremist country politically and as a people too silent to stand up when elections come around to voice what they really want in government rather than sit at home and not bother to vote. Not to mention the growing fact that the "white majority" is no longer the majority in this country and soon it will be a minority group itself, a fact that scares the white populous to no end. Far right extreme parties or even left ones refusing to compromise sets no trust, sets no values, sets no way towards the future for the US as long as these "elected officials" fail to compromise (a word lost upon all parties these days including the white house), then nothing will change and everyone will stay silent and angry and the shouting will continue and the hate will go on....(Ask yourself why do the Republicans hate Obama so much? Answer below).

I am 57. I have no children. I have no family other than my wife and I have no one to leave anything to other than her. I have no real stake in the future of this country. But I love my country and I am saddened by the road we are on and I see the failure of the people of this country and their elected officials with the special interest groups (NRA currently,but there is the Oil Companies, Energy, pick your favorite lobby group) at their heels, and the men at the top, piddling around with empty wars, wasting lives and treasure and screwing up other countries when there are true human tragedies happening around the world that one could really make a "peaceful" difference. O and yeah, I am and always will be a registered Republican even if I don't vote that way all the time, after all I do have a mind of my own and like everyone we should always use it. Think for yourself and if you don't vote you can't complain. And finally the answer to the question above is one of color. Just saying that's all......

RB Obviously bored at home.

[narfstar]

Actually the only thing that I did like about Obama was his color. I was for Herman Cain and at one time for Alan Keyes. Liberals just scare me to death. I believe in free speech. Hate speech may not be right but it is protected by our Constitution. We are losing that and that scares me. Churches  and their members have the right to teach what they believe without censorship. It is already censored in some countries and is coming here if the liberals have their way. That scares me. I will fight for your right to disagree with me if you fight for my right to disagree with you.

[mr_goldenage]

Agreed......But...the liberals want to take away free speech and are for censorship? really? Wow that is weird. Sound like what the Tea Party here in the US. lol...... <evil grin>

RB (working on Italy stuff)

[paw broon]

My article seems to have started something and I'm sorry to cause discord..  I sometimes forget  just how foreign U.S.A. is, even though Itry not to be taken in by the right wing press in this country. Linda was out with a friend last week and their conversation turned to how difficult it was to know who or what news organs to trust.  How do you know?  How do you make up your mind on important stuff? And remember, Murdoch controls a lot of the news in the U. K.   For instance, Scotland's forthcoming independence referendum and the piles of propoganda being thrown at us from both sides and the fear tactics being used by the better together lot. This is important to my wee nation and we need proper, clear-headed, respectful debate and thought , not this onslaught of insults and offtimes mistruths.
Oh well, that's my tuppence worth. 
The above courtesy of a large pizza and a few glasses of red.   Back to comics. Now that makes sense.

[narfstar]

I love discussing politics. It absolutely does not bother me to discuss with someone who disagrees. I think it a shame people take differences personal. How can anyone ever work things out if they do not talk about them. But I seem to be in the minority.

A couple of glasses of red would put me straight to bed. I drink one every night and it always makes me really sleepy. When I drank mixed drinks they never put me to sleep as quickly as a glass of red wine. For me it is like taking a sleeping pill. I have to stay active and/or get a coffee to keep awake until it wears off. If I take my glass right before going to bed I will end up waking up wide awake at 2AM.

[mr_goldenage]

I agree with Narfstar, debate is good and I am all for a good debate. Narf, if you ever make it out to Blue California I'll buy you a glass of milk or two with you and have a proper chat hows that? First amendment allows us just that right, and no matter what we believe or don't believe we have the right to voice that opinion no matter what and I will stand up for someone's right to speak their opinion, then, when they are done, I can then tell them to shut up, and go away! Just kidding on that last bit! hehehee.....

RB off to eat dinner.....

[misappear]

Narf,

I don't understand.  You didn't appreciate the reference to FOX news and their reporting of the Superman thing, which they did do; yet you refer to the media which I rely on for what I consider accurate and balanced reporting as "lamestream."  I certainly don't appreciate that slam. 

There's enough vitriol in the world already.  Perhaps we could keep it out of our forum, which I rely on for the dissemination of information concerning an artform. 

Thanks for your consideration on this.

--Dave

[jimmm kelly]

Gosh, I don't think the article deserved this whole debate about something that is not really in focus in the article.

All they did was mention that story in Action 900 and how Fox overreacted to it. Which is a statement of fact. The article then moves on quickly to other things and doesn't express any deep opinions about Fox.

This is a reality that all us comic book readers know too well. The popular media ignore comic books most days of the year and then they get wind of some story, make it a news item and blow it out of all proportion. Then go back to ignoring comics again.

On topic of the article, while I appreciate the review, I don't think I will bother with the book. I like books about philosophy--even books that are light reading--but these books that try to marry philosophy with pop culture seem to miss the mark on both fronts.

It is a nice point at the end of the article, about how the Ancient Greeks used mythological stories to  illustrate a point. But I don't think it works with Superman. From what it says in the article, the book seems to collapse all of Superman's varied history into one story, without attention to nuance.

The correlation between Superman and Christ breaks down if you do a close comparison. There are some broad similarities. But when Superman comes back from the dead (not really) he comes back for another decade or more, before his next reboot. Christ came back for some weeks (forty days) and then ascended to heaven. Superman doesn't follow the pattern of the Joseph Campbell hero, because Superman has to support an ongoing comic book that can't have resolution.

2001: A SPACE ODYSSEY better describes the archetypal hero's journey. Bowman, on his quest, enters the Monolith, is transformed, and returns to Earth as the star-child bringing new knowledge back to the tribe.

2001 is a closed system story (as long you ignore any sequels) and it's easy to draw philosophical lessons out of it. But Superman is an open system. There are thousands of writers and artists contributing to it, from all different angles, constantly violating continuity. It's scatter-shot. You can't reduce all that to clear concepts that hold true for the entire 75 years.

The only way I could see a book like this working would be if each chapter concentrated on one cycle of Superman stories by one writer, and drew out a specific philosophical concept from that cycle.

[paw broon]

Well said, jimmm.  I just thought, given all the Superman stuff happening , posting a review of a book about a superhero, which appeared in a Scottish paper (important because we are not the most comics friendly country, despite Quitely, Morrison, Millar and the previous Bat folk) might be of interest.
And, Dave, you are correct, this is a forum, "for the dissemination of information concerning an artform."
But I am guilty of now and then mentioning my liking for a glass or two of decent Italian red and we do have sections for topics other than comics.  Perhaps we should take any chat about politics etc. to those sections.   
I was  actually bursting to have a rant about politicians after an interview I heard this morning on Radio Scotland, which sort of tied in with some of the above points.  But I'll let it go and nurse my wrath to keep it warm.
As for Superman, I wont be buying the book, I wont be going to the film, I wont be buying any of the Superman comics.  But then, I read hardly any new mainstream comics nowadays.

[narfstar]

Sorry for any offence Dave. But as I mentioned I guess I am in the minority in just passing over such things. Or if commenting not getting upset with disagreements. I freely admit that Fox is biased right and most know that the mainstream media is very high percentage liberal Democrat. That is not even debated. What is debated is their ability to be fair and unbiased. I will not debate it here and leave the politics behind.