May 19, 2009

Culture

The Decline of Western Civilization Continues Apace

Justin Katz

Do we really need to transform Sherlock Holmes into a prior generation's James Bond, as this trailer indicates a forthcoming movie will do?

It's as if we've gone from the anti-heroes of late-twentieth-century affection to obligatorily super heroes. It ought to be enough that Mr. Holmes is uncommonly insightful; he needn't be a ninja, as well. One senses, beneath both the anti-hero and super-hero trends a deep cultural insecurity, whereby ordinary humans are inadequate to the task of battling evil.

(via Instapundit)

9:58 PM | TrackBack (0)
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Right. Prior generations never created super heroes. Just all those real life humans like Gilgamesh, Hercules, Perseus, Beowulf, King Arthur, and Paul Bunyan. Maybe the decline of western civilization has continued apace for 3,000 years?

Posted by: Pragmatist at May 19, 2009 11:36 PM

Ugh. Just watched the trailer. Your keen observation, my dear Katz, is spot on.

Posted by: Lucie at May 19, 2009 11:42 PM

Don't mess with Sherlock Holmes. He was great (... er, other than the drug addiction) just as he was.

Posted by: Monique at May 19, 2009 11:45 PM

Pragmatist,

It's not that the culture creates super heroes, because of course they always have. It's the inclination to require that every hero be super, so much so that they exist outside of society's cultural etiquette, as well.

None of which denies that there are always multiple threads running throughout a culture.

Posted by: Justin Katz at May 20, 2009 5:18 AM
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