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Public Inquiry
Interested in maladministration. Estd. 2005

offsite link RTEs Sarah McInerney ? Fianna Fail?supporter? Anthony

offsite link Joe Duffy is dishonest and untrustworthy Anthony

offsite link Robert Watt complaint: Time for decision by SIPO Anthony

offsite link RTE in breach of its own editorial principles Anthony

offsite link Waiting for SIPO Anthony

Public Inquiry >>

Lockdown Skeptics

The Daily Sceptic

offsite link Ben Affleck and Jennifer Garner?s Daughter Violet Pushes for Mask Mandates at United Nations Wed Sep 24, 2025 11:12 | Will Jones
Violet Affleck,?the daughter of Hollywood stars?Jennifer Garner?and?Ben Affleck, was at the?UN?on Tuesday to push for mask mandates, saying the world was irresponsible for returning to 'business as usual' after Covid.
The post Ben Affleck and Jennifer Garner’s Daughter Violet Pushes for Mask Mandates at United Nations appeared first on The Daily Sceptic.

offsite link The Problem with Rupert Lowe?s Argument Against Halal and Kosher Meat Wed Sep 24, 2025 09:00 | Noah Carl
Rupert Lowe has called for halal and kosher meat to be banned. But there's a problem with his argument: he doesn't mention factory farming?a far greater evil.
The post The Problem with Rupert Lowe?s Argument Against Halal and Kosher Meat appeared first on The Daily Sceptic.

offsite link The Decline of Climate Week NYC Shows the Net Zero Dream is Dying Wed Sep 24, 2025 07:00 | Tilak Doshi
As New York hosts Climate Week NYC ? "the world?s largest climate event" ? the absence of any major global leaders speaks volumes, says Tilak Doshi. Mugged by reality, the Net Zero dream is dying.
The post The Decline of Climate Week NYC Shows the Net Zero Dream is Dying appeared first on The Daily Sceptic.

offsite link News Round-Up Wed Sep 24, 2025 01:05 | Richard Eldred
A summary of the most interesting stories in the past 24 hours that challenge the prevailing orthodoxy about the ?climate emergency?, public health ?crises? and the supposed moral defects of Western civilisation.
The post News Round-Up appeared first on The Daily Sceptic.

offsite link Britain?s Judiciary is Biased to its Core Tue Sep 23, 2025 20:08 | Dr David McGrogan
The Court of Appeal overturned the closure of Epping's migrant hotel because Britain's judiciary is biased to its core, says Dr David McGrogan. The Right must get to grips with this problem ? and fast.
The post Britain’s Judiciary is Biased to its Core appeared first on The Daily Sceptic.

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Voltaire Network
Voltaire, international edition

offsite link Will intergovernmental institutions withstand the end of the "American Empire"?,... Sat Apr 05, 2025 07:15 | en

offsite link Voltaire, International Newsletter N?127 Sat Apr 05, 2025 06:38 | en

offsite link Disintegration of Western democracy begins in France Sat Apr 05, 2025 06:00 | en

offsite link Voltaire, International Newsletter N?126 Fri Mar 28, 2025 11:39 | en

offsite link The International Conference on Combating Anti-Semitism by Amichai Chikli and Na... Fri Mar 28, 2025 11:31 | en

Voltaire Network >>

'Star Wars' despots vs. 'Star Trek' populists

category international | arts and media | other press author Wednesday September 15, 2004 15:55author by redjade Report this post to the editors

Why is George Lucas peddling an elitist, anti-democratic agenda under the guise of escapist fun?

"Star Wars" despots vs. "Star Trek" populists
http://www.salon.com/ent/movies/feature/1999/06/15/brin_main/print.html
By David Brin

By now it's grown clear that George Lucas has an agenda, one that he takes very seriously. After four "Star Wars" films, alarm bells should have gone off, even among those who don't look for morals in movies. When the chief feature distinguishing "good" from "evil" is how pretty the characters are, it's a clue that maybe the whole saga deserves a second look.

Just what bill of goods are we being sold, between the frames?

Elites have an inherent right to arbitrary rule; common citizens needn't be consulted. They may only choose which elite to follow.

- "Good" elites should act on their subjective whims, without evidence, argument or accountability.
- Any amount of sin can be forgiven if you are important enough.
- True leaders are born. It's genetic. The right to rule is inherited.
- Justified human emotions can turn a good person evil.

[....]

Can we learn more about the "Star Wars" worldview by comparing George Lucas' space-adventure epic to its chief competitor -- "Star Trek?"

The differences at first seem superficial. One saga has an air force motif (tiny fighters) while the other appears naval. In "Star Trek," the big ship is heroic and the cooperative effort required to maintain it is depicted as honorable. Indeed, "Star Trek" sees technology as useful and essentially friendly -- if at times also dangerous. Education is a great emancipator of the humble (e.g. Starfleet Academy). Futuristic institutions are basically good-natured (the Federation), though of course one must fight outbreaks of incompetence and corruption. Professionalism is respected, lesser characters make a difference and henchmen often become brave whistle-blowers -- as they do in America today.

In "Star Trek," when authorities are defied, it is in order to overcome their mistakes or expose particular villains, not to portray all institutions as inherently hopeless. Good cops sometimes come when you call for help. Ironically, this image fosters useful criticism of authority, because it suggests that any of us can gain access to our flawed institutions, if we are determined enough -- and perhaps even fix them with fierce tools of citizenship.

By contrast, the oppressed "rebels" in "Star Wars" have no recourse in law or markets or science or democracy. They can only choose sides in a civil war between two wings of the same genetically superior royal family. They may not meddle or criticize. As Homeric spear-carriers, it's not their job.

author by seven of ninepublication date Wed Sep 15, 2004 16:38author address author phone Report this post to the editors

there are no civilians in star trek. *Everyone* has gone through starfleet academy. And if they haven't they've at least bombed an Iraqi nuclear reactor before they get that place on a USS federation space craft.
Not a single "alien" species appears without being completely militarised and "on loan" or "special observer duty".
learning how to load a photo torpedo tube is like learning "an droimean donn dilis" off by rote for those people!
And check out the competitors- there is definitely something well sinister about the national stereotypes buried in the Klingons, Romulans, the Cardasians, never mind the Borg.

author by capitan cork - klingon_undies@rte.iepublication date Thu Sep 16, 2004 06:56author address author phone Report this post to the editors

regardless of what lucas says, some people take star wars VERY seriously...

"German radio starts Klingon service"

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/3658310.stm

 
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