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Except that in They Live ideology is imposed by the aliens. He thinks that ideology is good so for him the glasses are ideology, not the cut-through-ideology t

by narag 5y ago

Except that in They Live ideology is imposed by the aliens. He thinks that ideology is good so for him the glasses are ideology, not the cut-through-ideology tool. But Piper's character didn't have to force himself to put on the glasses. There was no struggle and it didn't hurt. Using the glasses did cause headaches, but in the real world it's just the same. Once you rebel against bullshit your life becomes very uncomfortable real soon.

pmoriarty 5y ago
"He thinks that ideology is good so for him the glasses are ideology, not the cut-through-ideology tool." But he's deluded. Regardless of his beliefs, the aliens have in fact imposed an illusion (or "ideology" in Zizek jargon) on him, and the glasses do in fact let you see through that (as he himself does later). He can think whatever he wants, but that doesn't change these facts. "Once you rebel against bullshit your life becomes very uncomfortable real soon." So, contrary to Zizek's contention, it's not his "enlightenment" that causes problems, but his trying to fight against those with power. A lesser man might have thrown away the glasses after seeing the truth, or perhaps consciously and deliberately started cooperating with the aliens, as various traitor characters did in The Matrix and V, for example.
- developer93 5y ago
  Challenging or questioning your own ingrained ideology can be uncomfortable, regardless of what society thinks. We've all got things we believe very deeply but haven't really questioned, and when we are forced to defend them we tend to get angry. Getting past the anger and actually looking at the idea is usually tough.
- narag 5y ago
  So, contrary to Zizek's contention, it's not his "enlightenment" that causes problems, but his trying to fight against those with power. A lesser man might have thrown away the glasses after seeing the truth, or perhaps consciously and deliberately started cooperating with the aliens, as various traitor characters did in The Matrix and V, for example. He has nothing to lose, for everybody else: http://www.paulgraham.com/say.html http://www.paulgraham.com/say.html
albanread 5y ago
I think the message of They Live; is that our rulers complete lack of empathy for ordinary people means they might as well be aliens. Also I don't think it was a vision of the future; it was about society at the time.
- developer93 5y ago
  It's still a common trope, that the rich are lizards, commonly popularised by David Ike for example
- narag 5y ago
  I think the message of They Live; is that our rulers complete lack of empathy for ordinary people means they might as well be aliens. I'm more interested in what the movie tells me than in the message the author was trying to convey. If you look at it from the rulers perspective, it will depende on whichever the rulers are. I prefer to look from the perspective of the individual and how propaganda and the need to conform affects my ideas, conscience and behaviour.

by narag 5y ago

pmoriarty 5y ago

"He thinks that ideology is good so for him the glasses are ideology, not the cut-through-ideology tool." But he's deluded. Regardless of his beliefs, the aliens have in fact imposed an illusion (or "ideology" in Zizek jargon) on him, and the glasses do in fact let you see through that (as he himself does later). He can think whatever he wants, but that doesn't change these facts. "Once you rebel against bullshit your life becomes very uncomfortable real soon." So, contrary to Zizek's contention, it's not his "enlightenment" that causes problems, but his trying to fight against those with power. A lesser man might have thrown away the glasses after seeing the truth, or perhaps consciously and deliberately started cooperating with the aliens, as various traitor characters did in The Matrix and V, for example.

developer93 5y ago
Challenging or questioning your own ingrained ideology can be uncomfortable, regardless of what society thinks. We've all got things we believe very deeply but haven't really questioned, and when we are forced to defend them we tend to get angry. Getting past the anger and actually looking at the idea is usually tough.
narag 5y ago
So, contrary to Zizek's contention, it's not his "enlightenment" that causes problems, but his trying to fight against those with power. A lesser man might have thrown away the glasses after seeing the truth, or perhaps consciously and deliberately started cooperating with the aliens, as various traitor characters did in The Matrix and V, for example. He has nothing to lose, for everybody else: http://www.paulgraham.com/say.html http://www.paulgraham.com/say.html

albanread 5y ago

I think the message of They Live; is that our rulers complete lack of empathy for ordinary people means they might as well be aliens. Also I don't think it was a vision of the future; it was about society at the time.

developer93 5y ago
It's still a common trope, that the rich are lizards, commonly popularised by David Ike for example
narag 5y ago
I think the message of They Live; is that our rulers complete lack of empathy for ordinary people means they might as well be aliens. I'm more interested in what the movie tells me than in the message the author was trying to convey. If you look at it from the rulers perspective, it will depende on whichever the rulers are. I prefer to look from the perspective of the individual and how propaganda and the need to conform affects my ideas, conscience and behaviour.