I've been watching the show "Hell on Wheels" on Netflix. It's pretty violent, but mostly enjoyable- although there are several nasty characters I want to see die horribly.
Anyway, an episode I watched recently really got my hackles up. In it a very small group of "government" shows up and kills (hangs) a guy for shooting a card cheat.
This government is outnumbered, no one present (other than them) believes the guy deserves what they are doing to him, but everyone just stands by and lets them get away with it. The "execution" could have been stopped if even one person had the courage or principles to stop it.
Sure, it's fiction, but it illustrates the problem pretty accurately: The Tiny Dot ruling everyone else.
I just think that if every time some bullies moved in and said "We are government- you are now going to obey us" they had been shot (speared, knifed, clubbed, eaten, pushed over a cliff, etc.) for their act of aggression (make no mistake, attempting to establish a government IS an act of aggression), this cancer now eating away at civilization would never have gotten a toehold.
It's now too late to nip it in the bud, and that's going to cause a lot of trouble in the future.
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I just finished watching that fourth season of Hell on Wheels.
ReplyDeleteI won’t ruin it for you, so will only say that the problem you mention DOES get better.
I enjoyed how they honestly portrayed what true thugs government operatives are, and not just military.
The show does have a definite anarchist streak- showing the government guys to be exactly like the freelance bad guys- only made worse because of their political position.
DeleteI've got one more episode to go on season 4. And, again, the hanging of Ruth was another case of everyone knowing it was wrong- except for the government bullies who worship "rule of law" over doing the right thing. I hate "rule of law".
Another great show with an anarchist streak is "Deadwood." Just make sure your daughter isn't in the room when you watch it.
DeleteThe show has an incredible screenplay, including portraying characters that are intelligent and articulate, despite an abundance of profanity.
I may try out Deadwood sometime. But it's not on Netflix streaming, so I will have to wait. And the only time I watch anything on TV is after she goes to bed and I'm winding down for the night. Then I watch one or two shows- whatever I'm watching at the time.
DeleteI might have to watch that (in my free time). I tried Sons of Anarchy and couldn't get past 3 episodes. Since they are Sons and not Anarchy itself - and appeared to me to be setting up their own de facto government. I was hoping for real anarchy with the Sons simply eliminating government agents at any opportunity.
ReplyDeleteI also tried Sons of Anarchy and couldn't get into it.
DeleteSo, sorry about the spoilers if you end up watching Hell on Wheels.