From: John P. Satta (satta@cpatch.com)
Date: Wed Dec 25 1996 - 21:42:27 MST
>Eliezer Yudkowsky wrote:
>>
>> I see the Holocaust as a horrendous tragedy, and if
>> someone smaller than me made a joke about it, I'd punch his lights out.
>> --
Michael Lorrey then replied:
>I concur with Eliezer. While we can joke about ourselves, it is
>exceedingly rude to joke about the dead, especially the trajically dead,
>as they will never experience the joy and possible immortality of 21st
>century technological advances, and as a result we all suffer from their
>loss. I am not related to anyone who was in any way a victim personally
>of the holocaust, yet I was deeply offended that someone had the utter
>gall to make a $100 million dollar profit from a movie on it.
I assume you mean _Schindler's List_ the Spielberg movie based on Thomas
Keneally's book. I read the book, skipped the movie. Neither work makes a
joke of the Holocaust. In fact the book (and I assume the movie - based on
numerous reviews) are moving discourses on a horrible chapter in history.
Holocaust survivors and their descendants as well as anyone outraged by
this tragedy have often expressed the sentiment "Never again!" To that end
there are many efforts at widespread public education. The book & movie do
that in a very eloquent way and reach a vast audience. This is to be
commended on Santayana's premise that those who fail to learn from history
are doomed to repeat it.
Now, what is wrong with making a profit on the endeavor? It could be argued
that they should be entitled to additional profit for the educational
service rendered in addition to the entertainment value.
Every author/artist gets paid for producing a work, often in proportion to
the number of people who access it. This is true for works of fiction and
works of history, diversionary works as well as enlightening works.
Are you saying they are not entitled to remuneration or are you objecting
to excessive remuneration?
Or do you think the profit should have been donated to some worthy cause?
(I have no idea if Spielberg or Keneally have or haven't done so.)
I understand this is a visceral response to a highly emotionally charged
subject. I'm not trying to start an argument but I would like to know why
you are upset at making a profit from this film.
What about Mel Brooks? His films often make jokes about anti-semitism and
nazism (remember "Spingtime for Hitler" the play at the heart of _The
Producers_?) as well as other sacred cows.
_______________________________________
John P. Satta
work email: mailto:jsatta@imtech.com
home email: mailto:satta@cpatch.com
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