Sunday 7 January 2018

Nerd Church - 5 Things I Learned From Fire and Fury by Michael Wolff (Without Reading a Word)

'Oh scream, America, scream. Believe what you see. From Heroes and Cons.'






American flag graffiti







We are in the middle of the 21st Century Breakdown.


Unfortunately, I don't think Green Day meant their apocalyptic concept-album to be an instruction manual. *laughs slightly hysterically*







This week, I mentally put into perspective just how f**ked up the 21st Century is.


And it was thanks to Fire and Fury by Michael Wolff. And, like most people, I haven't even read it.















(This post is going to be quite bitter and cynical, but bear with me! I'll try to lighten things with gifs, and I promise there'll be positivity and optimism at the end!!! 😊)






'You can thank me later' Sara Lance bada** gif
...hopefully you'll want to.
(Via Giphy)











Here are 5 things Fire and Fury by Michael Wolff has taught me (without reading a word):








1. I can no longer trust my sense of reality


I legitimately couldn't tell a lot of the spoof excerpts and images of Fire and Fury from the real ones.

At this point, Trump demanding a gorilla channel seems completely plausible to me.

(Can you honestly tell me whether that's parody or truth? CAN YOU?!?!)

That it what the 21st Century - and 2016 and 2017 in particular - have done to me! And I'm sure I'm not the only one.





Daria's glasses reflecting fire gif
Via Giphy







Related Reading: Nerd Church - The Age of Media









2. If you've got the privilege, you can get away with anything


We're not surprised by any of this stuff any more. Yet he's STILL IN THE WHITEHOUSE.

He's white, male, allocishet, and filthy stinking rich.

He also has the money and the power to literally make any problem go away. And if that doesn't scare you, it f**king should.






Scrooge McDuck swimming in gold coins gif
Honestly? Scrooge McDuck would actually make a better US president... he's probably more qualified too.
(via Giphy)











3. It's only censorship if you lose the shouting match


It's strange how often the label of censorship is thrown at people when they criticise something that's racist, sexist, or otherwise bigoted - but if the right-wing seeks to ban, silence, and/or intimidate it's way into victory... somehow that's not?

The only thing I can figure is this - the right-wing shout loudest and longest. (With varying results.)

This is to hide the fact that their claims and/or taunts have no substance, but the effect remains the same: they're the ones who get themselves heard most easily.







Patrick Star 'Who Are You People?!' meme gif
I don't know Patrick, just be glad they've crawled back under their rock
(Via Giphy)












4. Words have power


I think this book has proved that, hasn't it?

Look at what it's done - the debate it's caused all over the world, the millions of words that it's spawned in turn!

Words are the original viral meme. Books still count. Both still have the power to change the world.










5. People will find a way to speak out


Trump's attempted ban of Fire and Fury didn't work. It found its way out into the world. And the truth always will.

People will always speak out when things aren't right - when they're unjust, bigoted, and otherwise just plain wrong. I'm doing it right now - in my own, small, way.













'Everybody Wants To Change The World' Mikey Way/My Chemical Romance gif
Via Giphy














So, my dearest nerdlets, keep speaking out. Don't put yourselves in danger, but don't shirk from doing your bit.




And let me let you in on a secret: if you're able to live your life in a positive and honest way, then we're winning.



If you're queer, a person of colour, disabled - or any other marginalisation - every single moment of happiness and progress you snatch is one that is NOT THEIRS.

Even if you're the most privileged person on the planet, every moment you work on bringing justice and happiness to others is NOT THEIRS.

It's a win. Every single little itty-bitty moment... and isn't that just fantastic?! 😍








We can do this, ok? Don't let the b*****ds tell you otherwise.






If you liked this post, please share! :)












You can follow me on Twitter @CeeArrBookNerd, on Dora Reads @ BlogLovin, and on Google+. For more ways to support me, check out the Support Me page







Related Reading:
















Accidental Hipster Mum






16 comments:

  1. Is this the book that has been causing a lot of uprage recently? Wow, I can’t say I would ever read it, but it looks like you hit the nail pretty much on the head.

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    Replies
    1. *Uprage* - I think I like that! Lol. This is the book Trump's been b***hing about - and no, as the title suggests, I haven't read it either!

      Delete
    2. Lol, now re reading my comment I totally meant “outrage.” Not sure why I invented a whole new word but I’ll take the compliment haha!

      Delete
  2. Great post. Sadly, I believe this stuff is all too true.... I haven't heard of this book yet (but I'm also not American.) Sometimes I wonder where our world is heading right now, what with the media being able to fabricate absolutely anything, considering what they have available in terms of technology. Wonder where we'll be in, say, 20 years?

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    Replies
    1. I'm not American either, but it's been all over the UK news too (because for some reason American stuff always is!)

      In 20 years? *laughs hysterically* Let's not think about that! Lol.

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  3. Seriously, just Trump becoming president made me realize anything is possible. Because I was so 100% he wasn't going to win. So now I know better. And also, with him anything could be true. I agree, I heard about the gorilla channel thing, and I was like, yeah, I wouldn't even be surprised if that were true. But I love that you also pointed out some positive things!

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    Replies
    1. Thanks! And yeah with the gorilla channel thing, I was like 'it's 50/50 at this point!' *sigh* Lol.

      Delete
  4. That gorilla thing really made me laugh, I'm not surprised!

    #RVHT

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    Replies
    1. It's concerning that it was so believable. Honestly.

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  5. Oh words definitely do have power. I like to joke that writers, politicians and bullies knew this before anyone else but it's just a joke. But really, words can do a lot.

    It's very easy to question what is and isn't real lately. I think it's really important to keep questioning our sources and really thinking about what motives people could have for telling the truth or not. While trying not to drive ourselves stir crazy with paranoia...

    Privilege really leads to people getting away with too much >.>

    But yes, people always will try and speak out!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. So, so, so true! We need to be aware of the slant that someone might be giving things, as well as the fact that it may be point-blank untrue!

      Delete
  6. totally agree I haven't read it either because I don't trust my own ability to know real from made up anymore since Trump won the elections and especially when it comes to Trump. I wouldn't know when they are lying about him because I could believe ANYTHING about him!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. THE GORILLA THING WAS BELIEVABLE - WE ARE THROUGH THE LOOKING-GLASS!!!! *ahem* I'm fine. ;)

      Delete
  7. It's hard not to get cynical about the world with Trump in office (and interesting to me that it's not just us Americans who feel that way). But I agree that we can't let it stop us from speaking up!

    Nicole @ Feed Your Fiction Addiction

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. The rest of the world is just as concerned about Trump - the USA is a big player in world affairs. And so everyone else has to deal with the buttface too. *sighs*

      Plus, when he's re-tweeting British Nazi groups, we kind of have to get involved, y'know? (It's bad enough that that trash is here.)

      And I apologise on behalf of the UK for Nigel Farage's involvement with the Trump campaign. Toadface (Farage) wasn't happy with wrecking one country/continent by pushing Brexit through - he had to go & f**k with your country too. *sighs*

      Still, where there's life, there's hope dammit!!!! XD Keep speaking. Words are powerful.

      Delete

Comments? I love comments! Talk to me nerdlets!