Some thoughts regarding melodrama ...

[TahitiNut]

"Melodrama is not merely a type of film or literary genre, but a pervasive cultural mode that structures the presentation of political discourse and national identity in contemporary America." (Elisabeth Anker, "From Politics to Evil - Melodrama and State Power")

"The American media's historical obsession with simplified narratives of good and evil and our popular culture's ubiquitous melodramatic heroes, villains and victims are driving ambiguity and complexity from the public sphere. We're beginning to look and act like the characters in these deterministic fantasies. In America, democracy is becoming melodramocracy." (Glenn W. Smith, "Snidely, Saddam and Melodramocracy")

I submit that an election is NOT a melodrama, the electors are neither rescuers nor victims and the candidates are neither victims nor rescuers. The adoption or assignation of melodramatic roles is a disservice to democracy ... and mental health.

Once upon a time, it's my understanding, feminist studies explored the melodramatic narrative in order to better understand how it served to subordinate women. In "my day," the adoption of such staging was eschewed by me and the people I respected. Times change. Sometimes for the worse.



I am neither a sociologist nor psychologist. If I were, I suppose I could better express the manipulative adoption of such a paradigm for unhealthy purposes. I'd merely suggest that it's probably to the benefit of others to explore this for themselves.

I was seen to be breaking DU rules in my attempt to explore this in a thread. It was NOT my intention to violate the rules. I apologize for any misunderstanding.

[sudopod]

1. THIS

"The American media's historical obsession with simplified narratives of good and evil and our popular culture's ubiquitous melodramatic heroes, villains and victims are driving ambiguity and complexity from the public sphere."

People can't seem to hold any thoughts more complex than "four legs good, two legs bad" in their tiny little minds.

[TahitiNut]

2. We are ALL seduced to some degree by such simplistic templates.

That's why it works.

[TahitiNut]

3. I think it's emblematic of this theme that so many seem inclined to favor the "lesser evil"

... which could be merely a cast member playing Villain in the melodramatic view of politics. I have long eschewed this paradigm, refusing to use my vote to support an evil - in the real sense. I can but use my vote to vote FOR someone, not AGAINST someone. It must be earned - and it's not entertainment.

Anyone who's been to some tavern, serving brews with melodrama on the stage, can see the disturbing similarity between the audience reaction there and the audience reaction to stump speeches and other campaign events. Even a brief perusal of this forum will uncover the melodrmatic rhetoric, employed to cast one candidate in the role of Victim/Rescuer and the other in the role of Villan. When some sneeringly characterize one candidate as "savior" is it so difficult to see the paradigm of melodrama being acknowledged?

[mrreowwr_kittty]

4. And as Gore Vidal famously noted, most political commentary is just theater criticism. nt

[TahitiNut]

6. It's increasingly difficult to find anything of substance in the TONS of material produced.

It's so process-focused ... like a dumbed-down (yes, it's demonstrably possible) American Idol. I read posts expressing 'arguments' where the premises are sheer conjecture-stated-as-fact. "He would" and "she would" and "you would" are a few of the most oft-stated phrases on DU. What idiocy.

[cornermouse]

8. Okay. But.

Have you ever looked at newspapers from the turn of the century or earlier? When it comes to politics it seems that little has changed. If you have the time, please go to your local library or genealogical society and pick out a microfilm from the 1900s or the 1880s and start reading the front page, national news and editorials. It's probably a little milder today than it was back then but there are a lot of similarities if you disregard names.

[KoKo]

10. A good point...but as US has evolved...those charming "past times" of

war and revolution and working for labor, voting rights for women and African-Americans, and many wars...have said we should have "moved forward" from the "campaigns of the past" and McCarthyism, Herst Newspapers and the rest.... Our "Democracy/Republic" always needs to be refreshed. And, yeah...Politics has always been dirty and filled with "Ops" and leaflets and fliers. Politics is DIRTY and CAMPAIGNS ARE MEAN...but does it have to be that way? Why should we condone what's gone on in the PAST...as if it will and should always be that way?

Isn't it time to move beyond that in this new techno age?

[cornermouse]

12. Maybe.

Although it seems like everything surrounding us is constantly changing, the basic material, the human factor in the equation hasn't ever changed as quickly or as easily. As Pogo said, we have met the enemy and he is us.

[KoKo]

13. "Human Nature.".....it's been so analyzed, psychoanalyzed, polled and quantified....

maybe there's not much that remains that's real or "core honest" anymore. Pogo.....yes.."the enemy is us." Maybe we can BREAK FREE of all the Psyco Babble and Manipulation and Census and Polls and Marketing?

Wouldn't that be great? To DEFY THEM ALL!

[cornermouse]

15. It depends on what you're defying.

Sometimes we get so caught up in an idea that we don't make the choice that would have been best.

[TahitiNut]

16. Of course it's been going on for a long time. It works.

I've found that the first thing I have to do when I find my "strings being pulled" is locate the strings. The use of melodrama to pull strings is clear. At the same time, I find that it's also a useful metaphor to employ in taking a closer look at all kinds of dysfunctional (and pathological) human behavior (even my own). After all, what does the Jerry Springer Show capitalize on???

The melodrama 'game' isn't benign. We can even see it in Munchausen's Syndrome.

There seem to be some fairly deep-seated mental/emotional habits from the "kiss it and make it well" days of our upbringing. "Growing up" may never be over ... for ANY of us.

[catnhatnh]

5. Friend-and I consider you as such....

I've seen your posts and recognize your anger.I suspect you are flirting with a tombstone and beg you to desist and reconsider tommorrow, if only because this site needs you...
Love and respect
Cat

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

7. It's gone beyond melodrama to a poorly written farce. K&R

One in which the dialog between the people and the candidates has been reduced to that of script-reading actors (who fluff their lines) and an audience not sensible enough to throw rotten tomatoes and eggs at the perpetrators.

[KoKo]

9. When we speak "in codes"

somethings that need to be said must be in some form of ....suppression? :shrug:

[rucky]

11. I would still totally vote for Luke Skywalker for President.

and not that DA in Detroit - the REAL Luke Skywalker.

[KoKo]

14. Let's write him in! Oops...forgot...most ballots don't "allow" Wite-In's these days....

or a vote for "none of the above."

[Swamp Rat]

17. I think we are becoming an Idiocracy.

[TahitiNut]

18. Well, anyone that treats people as more than idiots is called an "elitist."

One of the things I find strange about that is that, in the ancestral home of "Elitists," the media (including the broadcast and print news) adopts a far more erudite and intellectual tone for the "hoi polloi." Sure, they're also the land of tabloidism ... it just hasn't infested everything.

[KoKo]

19. Another one that nails it.....and yeah...lately I feel like we are in an Idiocracy that we can't

get out of. I figured we'd be free of it in '04...but here we are..in this bizarre primary....brawling and fighting with each other...what? We need those criminals impeached, thrown in jail...hobbled...nailed. Yet...because "it's off Nancy's Table" we are left out here fighting with each other because we can't get resolution for what we KNOW SHOULD HAVE BEEN DONE!

It's all F**ing SICK...that we are doing this to each other...because there's not much else we can do...since our Congress won't DO ANYTHING....so we have to look for another "Leader" to pin all our hopes on. We know how that works out...by now, don't we.. :-(