Right Thinking From The Left Coast
"To what purpose are powers limited, and to what purpose is that limitation committed to writing,
if these limits may, at any time, be passed by those intended to be restrained?"
-- Chief Justice John Marshall, Marbury v. Madison, 1803

Tuesday, July 01, 2008

Wall-E World
by West Virginia Rebel

Can a cartoon robot actually become a conservative icon?

In the film, it becomes clear that mass consumerism is not just the product of big business, but of big business wedded with big government. In fact, the two are indistinguishable in WALL-E’s future. The government unilaterally provided it’s citizens with everything they needed, and this lack of variety led to Earth’s downfall.

Another lesson missed is portrayed perfectly in Coffin’s claim that WALL-E points out the “evils of mankind.” The only evils of mankind portrayed are those that come about from losing touch with our own humanity. Staples of small-town conservative life such as the small farm, the “atomic family,” and old-fashioned and wholesome entertainment like “Hello, Dolly” are looked upon by the suddenly awakened humans as beautiful and desirable.

I’ve never been one much for message movies, even cartoon ones, but this approach to basic conservatism is exactly what many social conservatives seem to have forgotten. The best animated movies of the past decade, such as ANTZ and A Bug’s Life, celebrate the spirit of the invididual. And isn’t that what conservatism is supposed to be about?

Posted by West Virginia Rebel on 07/01/08 at 11:25 AM in Life & Culture  • (11) Comments • (0) Trackbacks • Permalink • Discuss this in the forums
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