Comments on: A Christmas Conspiracy http://www.10zenmonkeys.com/2006/12/11/the-evolution-of-the-christmas-special/ Your source for technology culture, internet phenomena, politics, interviews and entertainment Tue, 2 Dec 2008 14:28:28 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5.1 By: Me http://www.10zenmonkeys.com/2006/12/11/the-evolution-of-the-christmas-special/#comment-31771 Me Thu, 27 Dec 2007 08:35:25 +0000 http://www.10zenmonkeys.com/?p=74#comment-31771 Dude, I stopped reading when you said "gay as hell". That is pretty lame. Hell isn't gay. Well, I mean, if Heaven is straight, then the party must be in hell, but I always say my hometown is Hell because it's full of homophobes who don't care about anyone but themselves. And when I read the name "Gigi" I thought of a transgender woman I know who used to consider herself a gay man. Damn. Gay as hell? I'm gay as hell and gay as love and gay as everything, thanks! Dude, I stopped reading when you said “gay as hell”. That is pretty lame. Hell isn’t gay. Well, I mean, if Heaven is straight, then the party must be in hell, but I always say my hometown is Hell because it’s full of homophobes who don’t care about anyone but themselves. And when I read the name “Gigi” I thought of a transgender woman I know who used to consider herself a gay man. Damn. Gay as hell? I’m gay as hell and gay as love and gay as everything, thanks!

]]> By: noen http://www.10zenmonkeys.com/2006/12/11/the-evolution-of-the-christmas-special/#comment-1131 noen Sat, 16 Dec 2006 21:22:57 +0000 http://www.10zenmonkeys.com/?p=74#comment-1131 Gigi: "Oh god, I hate Charlie Brown worst of all. He's a total pussy, and Lucy is a little bitch who needs to get slapped." Go back and re-read your post "Is It Fascism Yet?" Especially what Scott Thompson had to say: "Fascism is the progressively all-inclusive and martial re-organization of society according to a violent re-assertion of masculine stereotypes through symbols of nationalism and ethnicity. Fascists call for a re-awakened virility to rejuvenate the nation." Gigi's reaction can be understood as an expression of the drive, a deliberate corporate campaign conducted through our media, to militarize our society. At the time when Charlie Brown was published and most popular, mostly in the sixties and early seventies, he was thought to be what a true Christian looked like. Fundamentalism was not even on the radar back then, much less the dominating force they are today. Gigi's intolerance and bigotry is a sad commentary on where we are today. Gigi:
“Oh god, I hate Charlie Brown worst of all. He’s a total pussy, and Lucy is a little bitch who needs to get slapped.”

Go back and re-read your post “Is It Fascism Yet?” Especially what Scott Thompson had to say:

“Fascism is the progressively all-inclusive and martial re-organization of society according to a violent re-assertion of masculine stereotypes through symbols of nationalism and ethnicity. Fascists call for a re-awakened virility to rejuvenate the nation.”

Gigi’s reaction can be understood as an expression of the drive, a deliberate corporate campaign conducted through our media, to militarize our society.

At the time when Charlie Brown was published and most popular, mostly in the sixties and early seventies, he was thought to be what a true Christian looked like. Fundamentalism was not even on the radar back then, much less the dominating force they are today. Gigi’s intolerance and bigotry is a sad commentary on where we are today.

]]> By: Baby Jebus http://www.10zenmonkeys.com/2006/12/11/the-evolution-of-the-christmas-special/#comment-1108 Baby Jebus Sat, 16 Dec 2006 05:00:55 +0000 http://www.10zenmonkeys.com/?p=74#comment-1108 I don't know what she is talking about, Charlie Brown is the man! I don’t know what she is talking about, Charlie Brown is the man!

]]> By: Alan http://www.10zenmonkeys.com/2006/12/11/the-evolution-of-the-christmas-special/#comment-995 Alan Tue, 12 Dec 2006 18:41:22 +0000 http://www.10zenmonkeys.com/?p=74#comment-995 Heard about this via Waxy... excellent article. When my first kid was 2, I was all excited about Christmas and the prospect of showing all the fondly remembered TV specials.... One minute into "Rudolph" and she's screaming like I pulled her leg off. Turns out you don't have a daddy throwing a baby out of a house, separating her from mommy -- it is forbidden. Showing that to children is child abuse. God knows how we survived it. I can only imagine that, since all kids TV was shit until about 1970, we were just used to having our psyches raped. Sending you more readers at: http://www.poormojo.org/hate/2006/12/i_fucking_hate_those_goddamned.html Heard about this via Waxy… excellent article. When my first kid was 2, I was all excited about Christmas and the prospect of showing all the fondly remembered TV specials…. One minute into “Rudolph” and she’s screaming like I pulled her leg off. Turns out you don’t have a daddy throwing a baby out of a house, separating her from mommy — it is forbidden. Showing that to children is child abuse. God knows how we survived it. I can only imagine that, since all kids TV was shit until about 1970, we were just used to having our psyches raped.

Sending you more readers at: http://www.poormojo.org/hate/2006/12/i_fucking_hate_those_goddamned.html

]]> By: Chinpokomon http://www.10zenmonkeys.com/2006/12/11/the-evolution-of-the-christmas-special/#comment-977 Chinpokomon Tue, 12 Dec 2006 03:09:17 +0000 http://www.10zenmonkeys.com/?p=74#comment-977 I noticed this same thing last night watching a copy of Rudolph that I recorded. Santa basically looks at Rudolph and calls him a freak and unfit to pull his sleigh. And then there's Herbie who wants to become a dentist, but is forced to work on the toy line because that's what elves do (I guess also implying that this is all they're good for too). Now I'm a Christian, but I recognize that most of our holidays and traditions have Pagan roots. Even the very nature of heaven and hell have their roots firmly planted in antiquity. It does go to say though, that if you are getting caught up in Christmas being a specific date, and that the purpose of Christmas is to give gifts to your friends and loved ones, you are missing the point of Christmas altogether. I disagree with Gigi about Charlie Brown. Of all the Christmas specials, I believe that this one goes the furthest to promote the true meaning of Christmas. Charlie doesn't go out and buy a fancy aluminum tree, he buys a twig. It is symbolic. It is also Pagan. So what. Linus, when he describes the Nativity, tells us that these other things are meaningless. Whether or not you believe in the Christmas Story as it is told today doesn't mean that you have the right to tell others they are wrong in that belief... any more than I should have the right in telling someone they are wrong for not believing. Belief and faith are what they are. They are personal choices, and by extension, they should be personal freedoms. Christmas should be a time of celebration and a renewing of one's faith (much like the Pagan rebirth and renewal), if only so every 365 days or so it makes someone reflect. If someone chooses to make it about the Christmas specials they grew up with, I think they're falling into the commercialization trap that Charlie Brown was talking about, but that is their personal choice. I noticed this same thing last night watching a copy of Rudolph that I recorded. Santa basically looks at Rudolph and calls him a freak and unfit to pull his sleigh. And then there’s Herbie who wants to become a dentist, but is forced to work on the toy line because that’s what elves do (I guess also implying that this is all they’re good for too).
Now I’m a Christian, but I recognize that most of our holidays and traditions have Pagan roots. Even the very nature of heaven and hell have their roots firmly planted in antiquity. It does go to say though, that if you are getting caught up in Christmas being a specific date, and that the purpose of Christmas is to give gifts to your friends and loved ones, you are missing the point of Christmas altogether.
I disagree with Gigi about Charlie Brown. Of all the Christmas specials, I believe that this one goes the furthest to promote the true meaning of Christmas. Charlie doesn’t go out and buy a fancy aluminum tree, he buys a twig. It is symbolic. It is also Pagan. So what.
Linus, when he describes the Nativity, tells us that these other things are meaningless. Whether or not you believe in the Christmas Story as it is told today doesn’t mean that you have the right to tell others they are wrong in that belief… any more than I should have the right in telling someone they are wrong for not believing.
Belief and faith are what they are. They are personal choices, and by extension, they should be personal freedoms. Christmas should be a time of celebration and a renewing of one’s faith (much like the Pagan rebirth and renewal), if only so every 365 days or so it makes someone reflect. If someone chooses to make it about the Christmas specials they grew up with, I think they’re falling into the commercialization trap that Charlie Brown was talking about, but that is their personal choice.

]]> By: Im A. Heathen http://www.10zenmonkeys.com/2006/12/11/the-evolution-of-the-christmas-special/#comment-975 Im A. Heathen Tue, 12 Dec 2006 02:04:20 +0000 http://www.10zenmonkeys.com/?p=74#comment-975 It's no wonder that there are more suicides at this time of year. Most Christians don't even know that they got their traditions from the Pagans. Even though it was the darkest time of the year, Yuletide (i.e.Winter Solstice) was celebrated in ancient times as a time of rebirth. Rebirth of the sun(longer days). Anticipation of the new life to come. Organized religion & commercialization fucked all this up. What kind of message do you send kids with TV shows that say "If you're a misfit, or don't fit in; gifts or the 'loving spirit' of Christmas will make it all better?" Conspiracy indeed. It’s no wonder that there are more suicides at this time of year. Most Christians don’t even know that they got their traditions from the Pagans. Even though it was the darkest time of the year, Yuletide (i.e.Winter Solstice) was celebrated in ancient times as a time of rebirth. Rebirth of the sun(longer days). Anticipation of the new life to come. Organized religion & commercialization fucked all this up. What kind of message do you send kids with TV shows that say “If you’re a misfit, or don’t fit in; gifts or the ‘loving spirit’ of Christmas will make it all better?” Conspiracy indeed.

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