>I’d ask that you reread the story and, this time, don’t think of Mr. Beast as a “wacky internet fun guy who makes squid game realz!!!!” and instead think of him as “an insanely rich person who, through his absurd merchandizing of trash product, has proven himself to be a grotesque uber capitalist who is fine with…

Well, if they’re employees of a company selling his product their job is, in a sense, help this guy (and many other corporations) make money. So, if they’re at work, then no, they very much don’t have anything better to do other than help him (and millions of other people) make money. 

Helping people stock shelves, i.e. finding it and putting it out for them, is not “forcing” anyone to do anything. It is the exact opposite, i.e. doing their work for them so they aren’t compelled to do so because of their job.

I still remember Hey Ash, Whatcha Playin’? fondly.

>see Bazzd’s comment below

Freehold isn’t fascist either. In fact the dictatorial government that arises in the post-nuclear apocalypse that starts of the story is distinctly portrayed as being evil. The rejection of centralized dictatorship as evil is the antithesis of fascism.

There is a difference between saying something is open to interpretation and suggesting it has no meaning at all. American Psycho is a specifically bad comparison because it specifically is about a guy having a complete mental breakdown and entirely disassociating from reality. Batemen can’t tell delusion from reality…

What would you rate them on a 1-10 scale?

Just slap some Cholula Chipotle on there and enjoy the deliciousness. 

Just because they would disagree doesn’t make them right.

> It’s got the hallmarks of fascism because it is. While one can make the argument that it is subverting that idea, it’s an uphill battle (and Heinlein isn’t a particularly subtle writer).

>No citizenship without service is actually more classic liberalism ala Thomas Jefferson

There are two different motivations. At one point we are told the two houses have always been enemies, which is why Harkkonen wants to destroy Atreides. Over an hour later we are told that the Emperor got involved because Atreides was too popular. Both remarks are made almost in passing.

Which means saying, “Eh, its more Metropolis” is largely meaningless. It is practically the same look. 

Well, the look for C-3PO was inspired by Metropolis. You can see it in color.

Watched Dune last night and really enjoyed it. As always, Villeneuve’s visuals were stunning. The storytelling was good, with my only complaint being that I wish they had been explicit about why House Atreides was being destroyed. But even that is a minor complaint because the information is there if you pay attention.

>The thread didn’t start with your comment, you were replying to others.

They’re the nomadic people of the desert who have been colonized by the Empire that is raping the planet of its most important natural resource as quickly as possible. This is all made very obvious in the first movie.

Beetlejuice: Beetlejuice