Hilton Als writes this in a recent New Yorker magazine:
Among the many terrible realities to which David Mamet exposes us in his exceptional, calculated work, one theme stands out: suckers will never get a break in this wretched world. In the sixty-year-old playwright’s fictional universe, the humane are too soft and dim-witted to survive; their tormentors chew them up with dry relish. Mamet treats the stage as a kind of bloody forum; the gladiators one finds there are skinny con artists, callow film producers, real-estate agents in cheap suits, and ghastly lovers who spar, using the author’s hyper-stylized language as both spear and shield. Even to refer to some of Mamet’s characters as “lovers” feels wrong—like calling a thief a victim. Mamet’s protagonists do not love; they size each other up and assess what they can extract from each other—and the answer is usually money. If they show any physical tenderness at all, it’s brief; they kiss, then withdraw, constantly reminding themselves of the primary rule of survival: Get or be gotten.
Does this not capture the psychopathic world?
Glengarry Glen Ross, for example is a brilliant, excruciating example which has been made into a movie. Business people speak of making ‘a killing’ – Mamet shows the truth behind this choice of words.
No Wini I did not want to talk abut the CEO’s, I just agree that there needs to be a bailout plan I did not agree that we should bailout the CEO’s pay however.
And Wini I am very sorry that you had to experience what you did. I am guessing that when things like this come up it is a sensitive issue for you and provokes a strong reaction and feelings in you still. I understand how awful some of these people can be. I had one go after me and I had to file a complaint against that person with State and Federal agencies to make what they were doing stop (they fired the person and I let them dimiss the case with predjudice). I have done labor contracts, mediations, arbitrations etc and yes I am very well aware of the horrendous greed that some of these CEO’s display as well as many other labor issues that many people never even consider.
BloggerT: I mentioned my personal situation because it was done EXACTLY the same way these CEOs are begging for money … WAIT until everything is as chaotic as possible, hurry, hurry, you don’t have time to do due diligence … then hit for the money NOW so they can get the money and run … hey, their are so many other crisis going on … no one will pay attention to us!
Give me a break with this nonsense. They are trying to tell everyone, that this crisis just hit the fan? Less than 2 months before the Pesident elect takes office and the current President leaves office? I don’t buy anything they are saying, NOT FOR ONE MINUTE and I’m living proof what they will do to anyone!
They had to know a long time ago, this was coming down. What? Last few weeks they woke up to this problem? That is how arrogant these CEOs are. Going for that last hurrah … before they retire. Hey, they only care what goes into their retirement packages. Period. They could care less about the employees, the employees families … because if they did … they would have asked for help years ago … but, none of them did.
I saw the same thing happen over and over and over again in our state. If the company is going down, none of those managers are laid off … just the underlings … and the CEOs retire with an even better retirement package than they originally planned for.
Where was their backup plans … for upcoming years? There is NONE.
Where are their designs for economic vehicles? There is NONE.
Am I the only one that remembers what Iaccoca said years ago when he took over … The HEAD doesn’t know when the TAIL wags.
Hey, lay off one manager, and you save 5 employees on the assembly line. I didn’t see them do this either.
SICK, SICK, SICK … DO YOU REALLY THINK THAT THAT YOU CAN WAVE A MAGIC WAND OVER THEM … POOF YOU ARE NOW CHANGED TO A HEALTHY, FEELING HUMAN BEING!
NO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Yes Wini you keep focusing on the CEO’s and I keep trying to let you know I am not talking about them. As U.S. Rep. Emanuel Cleaver, D-Mo said in a recent article “Doing nothing will bring about a cataclysm.” And he is right. I am not in the least happy that we have to bail out these companies. But with millions of jobs related to the auto industry the sad fact is that if they go down they pull us with them. Here is a decent article I found on this that talks about this http://www.dispatchpolitics.com/live/content/national_world/stories/2008/12/05/culturedivide.ART_ART_12-05-08_B8_L3C4REI.html?adsec=politics&sid=101
And yes I am also tired of getting stepped on too.
And Wini I think that story makes a great point. It is not just the CEO’s that are the problem. There are many people out there that over spent and went beyond their means and are now being bailed out. Every day common people.
I am hoping this is just going to be a painful, and much needed, correction to the absurd way that some have become in our culture with living beyond their means, instant gratification, and materialism. My fear is that this could end up being a full blown Depression and if that is the case the pain has just started for all of us. What I do know is that many changes need to take place and none of them can be done quickly or fast. So I am hoping the bailout will keep us all afloat long enough for changes to happen.
BloggerT: I’m not concentrating on the CEOs. Only the CEOs are concentrating on the CEOs.
All of what they are asking is ridiculous in the first place.
One, we are suppose to be conserving energy. Right? Or am I watching TV on another planet?
So, why are we concerned with making more vehicles to pollute the earth and use gasoline that we supposedly DON’T HAVE. Then we are suppose to be creative and car pool, van pool, take the bus, bike to work, walk to work … do this, do that. To me, mass transportation … we all do what New Yorkers have done for generations …any time they need to drive a car … they rent it for the week, for vacation … etc. Look at all the money they save each year?
They hiked up the gas prices to the highest prices in record this year … or did anyone NOT pay attention that their paychecks stayed the same while prices all across the board went up! Every shelf in every store almost doubled their prices … yet, the American Public made the same paycheck.
We’re in a crisis … right? People are loosing their jobs all over this country. I’m sure the last thing they are going to think of is buying a vehicle, any vehicle. Why should they buy a vehicle, they don’t have a job to drive to.
I don’t know if this is legit crisis or this is the disgruntals loosing the presidential race? It’s sounds too political to me … like stick it to President elect and make it as difficult as possible for him to take office … you wanted this office … here!
Peace. The older I get, the more insane people act.
Wini I would like a new Fourdoor Jeep Rubicon in the deep Pearl Blue with all leather interior ! Monster Lift on monster tires and full Chrome package the works !
For my Christmass present! Thanks LOVE JJ
Wini to be fair, I think I should mention that I think the best course, and the most painful, would be for the Big 3 to file bankruptcy much like United Airlines did in 2002. They are in such bad shape that this truly may be the only thing that would save them. I think if they did that they would lose some jobs and lower wages. If they shut down completely it would be a disaster though.
Did anyone watch the video “Emotion Tabled” that I mentioned? It is at http://www.myspace.com/ryanolawrence.
To clarify, I do NOT know the choreographer’s intentions but I think the dance captures the pain of interacting with a Nor Malignant N or P very well, and perhaps some of their pain as well. It starts slow so hang in there, and the ending I think is so powerful. A direct link to just the video is at http://vids.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=vids.showvids&friendID=290766517&n=290766517&MyToken=43d44038-2d53-49bc-9d36-4cfe27a2bdd0 but it is easy to find on the easier link above. Just scroll a few inches. The only description from the dancer/choreographer is: Anger manifests in many ways, none productive. 1st prize winning piece, Stuttgart Solo-Tanz-Theater Festval, 2007. Choreographed and Danced by: Ryan Lawrence .
You can see why it won first prise in an international competition! Very powerful! And sort of healing for me….
justabouthealed – I watched the clip – and yes it is powerful – his movement’s showed the pain he was in and trying to escape from it..Thanks for sharing that – I guess the impact of spaths is everywhere – we here it in song’s – see it on film – and dance. I guess nobody escape’s the pain of loving one of these abnormal human’s..