u/Awkward_Possession42

Yes, the Heck’s were not really “poor”.

They spent frivolously, put things on credit cards they never intended to pay off, ate takeout every dinner and genuinely were financial messes.

When they got money they would spend it on cable over bills, and cars, lip balms, and jeans over desperately needed home improvements.

They entered into a terrible credit card cycle, like many people did pre-2008, which would have been terribly hard to claw themselves out of.

Mike probably earned okay, Frankie a modest second income as someone often out of work and often selling nothing.

There were wage-slaves to their own credit card debt and extending frivolity.

I say all this as I keep seeing posts as if it’s new news that they weren’t literally flat broke.

Can we all just take this as accepted now and move onto some more interesting discussion?

discussion

I have seen many posts saying that people not liking the Odyssey is racist, it’s white-supremacy, and it’s all just butt-hurt people on the right. I have also seen consistent comparisons to so called “white-washing” of Jesus by Europeans and accusations due of hypocrisy due to this.

As a left-wing Christian who has read both the Iliad and the Odyssey, and is disappointed by the casting, I disagree.

The “white-washing” of Jesus, is not white-washing. It is a documented phenomenon of artists portraying Jesus like themselves. If you go to Africa, Jesus is often portrayed as black. If you go to Europe, Jesus is often portrayed as white. Of course, we can make reasonable inferences that those are both inaccurate. However, for one - These are ubiquitous in all directions (black & white), and is done with the specific purpose of make Jesus feel personal and like oneself (the whole point of the incarnation).

Also, Jesus is not tied to his human race - He is the eternal and almighty God. His race was purely incidental. That said, I do find it gross when people assert that Jesus was “x race” for racist purposes. All of that said, I am and always would be very supportive of more accurate portrayals of Jesus - As would most Christians.

The reason for that the Odyssey casting disappoints me is because of what it suggests about the team’s dedication to historical accuracy. Yes, the books are fiction - But the races/ appearances etc. of the characters is very clear and intentional.

When adapting one of the formative texts of the modern world, and one of the greatest pieces of fiction of all time - I would expect higher reverence (the misrepresentations of Jesus are not a case of lack of reverence) for the works. It’s also indicative of their general attitude towards these seminal texts, and thus gives me reason to expect other creative decisions will lack reverence too.

That said, my disappointment is born out of my own wish that it would be accurate to the time, history, and texts, which is not something CN ever promised, so it isn’t really too fair of me to be mad that he’s not doing it like I want him to… which is why I’m not mad, just disappointed that it won’t be what I hoped it would be.

I’m also not in the habit of fictional stories getting me worked up to begin with, I have bigger things to get angry about.

This comes off the back of seeing a post about teachers, and the power they have to change students lives, which was shown through different TV and movie teachers. The top comment, which was liked by the poster, was this:

“Hate to be that person but I just find it disappointing how most films about inspiring teachers are men when teaching is a female dominated field by far.”

The implication is that, through some combination of sexism by screenwriters or producers or whoever, we reached this outcome and I just can’t stand it.

Maybe male teachers, by being a minority, are typically more standout. Maybe, it’s some mix of personality that means male teachers make more of an impact on the types of people who make movies. Maybe it’s pure luck. Maybe it’s because it’s very hard to portray close and genuine male - male relationships without them being sexualised.

Who knows? But why must it be malice?

The other thing is: How do we solve this? Less male teachers? Barring movies about male teachers? Gender swapping the stories made by those who were genuinely inspired by a male teacher? All contrived, unfair, perverse, and morally gross.

Not everything is a conspiracy. Not everything is someone out to get you.

Sometimes things just are.

Hi all, I’m wondering what I should do should this situation arise on my travels. Here is the hypothetical scenario:

You’re on an expedition through the Sahara Desert at night in a group of 21 and somehow you all get split up from one another. As you’re walking alone, you see a deep pit. It’s night time and you make out one man (Mr Perfectly-Honest) standing in there.

He calls out: “Please jump in! I need help, if 10 people jump in then we’ll be able to get out together.”

You ask: “Is there anyone else in there?”

He replies: “Well maybe, I can’t tell you otherwise this wouldn’t work as a thinly veiled point about the Red/ Blue button debate currently going viral online!”

You ask: “That’s fair! But, can’t I go find help?”

Him: “No, you’ll never find me again.”

You reply: “Okay, but why are you even in there? Did you fall?”

Him: “No, I jumped in completely voluntarily just in case somebody else in our group jumped in and needed me to make up the numbers!”

You reply: “But nobody needed to be in there in the first place?”

Him: “Well, maybe but I’m in here now and if you don’t join me then you’re basically killing me!”

You know there are 19 other guys who will all, for some contrived reason, eventually face this same dilemma and have to decide to jump or not jump.

If you leave him, he will starve to death unless 9 of the remaining 19 jump in too. If you join him, you will both starve to death unless 8 of the remaining 19 jump in too.

Do you jump in?