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The Way We Live Now - The Destruction of Art

June 21, 2023

postertheway.jpeg

A film based on a Victorian novel 
about the depredations
of a Jewish banker is a reminder
that art used to be relevant
and true.  Art today has been 
kneecapped by political correctness
which is Communist (Satanist) indoctrination. 
The Commies call this "agitprop."

The role of art is to uplift society 
by educating and inspiring. 


We are deliberately starved of genuine intellectual and spiritual nourishment. 





from Aug 9, 2012
by Henry Makow Ph.D.


Starved for entertainment that describes "the way we live now?"

You may have to return to 1875 when Anthony Trollope's published a novel with that title. 

A four-part BBC miniseries (2001) based on it depicts the depredations on British society of a Jewish banker, "Augustus Melmotte." It shows his effect on people eager to protect their values, yet vulnerable to temptation (i.e. greed.)


 Melmotte is a shady figure, recently arrived from Frankfurt via Vienna trailing rumors of bank collapses and swindles. He quickly establishes himself in London as the go-to man for investment and profit.


felix.jpegHis emotionally-needy daughter Marie attracts spendthrift aristocrats. 

 
Sir Felix Carbury, a laughable wastrel is first in line for Marie's affections (left.)

Paul Montague, an earnest young English engineer seeks Melmotte's backing for a railroad running from Salt Lake City to Vera Cruz in Mexico.

 Melmotte floats the company on the London Stock Exchange without any intention of actually building the railway.

There is a marvellous scene where Melmotte lectures his (gentile) Board of Directors on the profit motive, which "moves mountains and changes the world." He advises them to put their last shilling in railway shares for it will quadruple!

"Just trust me!" he says. The effect on them is intoxicating.

Melmotte runs for office and his hustings speech is both intoxicating and prescient:

 "We have had the Austrian Empire and the Ottoman Empire. These will all be replaced by the Empire of Trade. The result will be untold wealth for all of you!"

Melmotte is elected to Parliament where he champions free trade to the detriment of local industries.


Screenwriter Andrew Davies marvelled at the novel's timeliness: "It's so dark and so modern in its tone, and centered around a city scam that reminds one of the dot-com collapse or the recent Enron scandal. And in the middle is this huge monster, Melmotte, sitting like a fat spider, drawing all the other characters into his great scheme."


suchet.jpegPaul Montague returns from Mexico disgusted that no work has been done. Melmotte assures him that maintaining "public confidence is the main thing."  
 
We see the recurring Cabalist theme that "saying is believing," not seeing.

Rob Byrdon plays "Mr. Alf" a crusading newspaperman who confronts Melmotte: 
 
"You don't move mountains. All you move is money, from other pockets into your own!"

There are many romantic subplots that involve marrying for love vs. money, a Victorian preoccupation. In one, the daughter of a struggling English aristocrat is about to marry another Jewish banker when he drops her.

"I've been jilted by a Jew!" she exclaims in disbelief.

Generally speaking, the miniseries is not anti-Semitic although it pokes fun at the Jews' lack of grace and manners. However, it is just as scathing in its criticism of the decadent English aristocracy.  

In the end, Melmotte's love-starved daughter, Marie, is quite sympathetic. And Melmotte's Jewish associates Breghert and Croll are portrayed as honorable men.

Ultimately, the novel/miniseries is an inspired preview of the overthrow of traditional values by the satanic reductionism of profit championed by Jewish finance.  It is hard to believe that this novel was written before the Panama Scandal of 1892 and the Marconi Scandal of 1912.

David Suchet (of Hercules Poirot fame) is convincing as Melmotte and Mathew Macfadyen is a hoot as the wastrel Felix Carbury.

I highly recommend this miniseries as a heartening reminder of art when it upheld truth and enduring wisdom. The BBC today is nothing but the propaganda wing of the Melmotte party. 

---

Note:

The Way We Live Now was available on Netflix

Related : Makow -  "Anti Semitic" Movie Flew Under the Radar 


Scruples - the game of moral dillemas

Comments for "The Way We Live Now - The Destruction of Art"

JG said (January 5, 2021):

When I think of modern American art I think of Norman Rockwell. He was the artist for rural America that reflected the family culture that once existed in the heartland for many years. His paintings brought family, industry, and country together. And, this is why you hear very little of him anymore.

If he were alive today what could he paint that would reflect American culture in a positive mode? Would it be the thousands of discarded junkie's needles lying on the streets of San Francisco or would it be the Antifa looters and rioters burning the American flag and beheading the nation's national monuments?

Sadly, we are a nation that once was a morally structured society but no longer is. An over abundance of material prosperity brought moral corruption, apathy, and now ruin. Maybe it's better that American artists today don't paint what is really out there.


G said (January 5, 2021):

re: "The role of art is to uplift society by educating and inspiring."

Have to add that art should also disturb, rattle the status-quo.

Thanks for showcasing this horrible void in our society. I saw art go in the toilet right around the time of the first Star Trek movies. It all became about inhuman activities, about monsters and ugliness, distopic reality, and doom. Frank Capra, where are you?!!

Once the people gain back our freedom, we'll rescue art back from the subverters. Will give it free reign to take us to the stars. I see another renaissance on the horizon. The new Dark Ages are going down. Now, if only every artist might paint a picture of passionate progress for the people we might just end our starvation for good art, true art, art that speaks to the soul and points the way.


Brendon O'Connell said (June 13, 2018):

Oooo nice. A good movie list. :-)

May I recommend "The Assassination Of President Nixon" starring the most underrated actor Sean Penn as American Jew Sam Bicke with his Orthodox Jew brother. I cringe watching it - I see me. Based on the true story of the man who wanted to fly an aircraft into the White House in the early 70's. Penn is brilliant. Shows the disintegration of the American middle class. How honesty and faith in the system is abused. Nixon is described as a "great salesman" by Bickes boss. This applies to Netanyahu.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Assassination_of_Richard_Nixon


"The Secret Life Of Walter Mitty". Remake. Ben Stiller, Sean Penn. Funny, well scripted. Explores the destruction of middle corporate America through a remake. A man finding himself, striking out, taking risks. Chock full of product placement but thats ok. I loved it. Watched it 700 times.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Secret_Life_of_Walter_Mitty_(2013_film)

The Cohen brothers film "No Country For Old Men". Did not do that well considering it won Acadamy Awards and critic adoration - it did not have a Hollywood ending. But it explores the death of middle America, common sense, amorality, helpless inevitability and the organized Communist madness of open borders, the drug trade, and the death of The Marlborough Man. This has no happy ending which is why it did not do that well. I loved it. Top cast. Tommy Lee Jones. Josh Brolin.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/No_Country_for_Old_Men_(film)

"Ground Zero". Before there was Enemy of the State there was Australian movie Ground Zero. Based on true events. Starring Colin Friels. A journalist finds information on British nuclear testing and finds himself in the proverbial. I know a Native Australian family intimately involved with exposing Maralinga. When we met two AFP (Oz FBI) turned up at the bar. We know they were AFP because one was Native Australian and the cousin of the guy I was meeting. His Auntie was also the adopted Native Australian daughter of the head of BHP Billiton Australia based in Perth, W.A.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ground_Zero_(1987_film)


Rollin said (August 10, 2012):

I agree with Mike that we get trapped by their own greed because we want something for nothing. The most widespread example of this is interest or usury. We don't have to own bonds or be creditors; even if we're debtors, we still want that interest on our checking account and feel we're entitled to it.
Rollin


Mike said (August 10, 2012):

Great piece…provokes a lot of thought. What struck me was not much has changed since the time of Mr. Melmotte: the Jewish banker knows which buttons to push on the goyim being wealth without effort. This is one of the weaker legs of Investment Capitalism in my humble opinion, the idea that you can receive something without working for it based on the words of another ("Just trust me!"). So based on a greed motive, the goyim get what they deserve and the banker is revealed for what he is and yet no one is really the wiser. I think I’ll give it a watch this weekend.


Henry Makow received his Ph.D. in English Literature from the University of Toronto in 1982. He welcomes your comments at