Thereupon many statesmen and philosophers came to Alexander with their congratulations, and he expected that Diogenes of Sinope also, who was tarrying in Corinth, would do likewise. But since that philosopher took not the slightest notice of Alexander, and continued to enjoy his leisure in the suburb Craneion, Alexander went in person to see him, and he found him lying in the sun. Diogenes raised himself up a little when he saw so many people coming towards him, and fixed his eyes upon Alexander. And when that monarch addressed him with greetings, and asked if he wanted anything, "Yes," said Diogenes, "stand a little out of my sun." - Plutarch
I enjoyed Glass Onion. Rian Johnson makes everything look great, the cast is fantastic, and its messaging is… direct. This is a film unburdened by subtext.
I know writers who use subtext and they're all cowards.” – Garth Marenghi
SPOILERS: It is a film about the toxic nature of untrammelled wealth and power featuring a toxic billionaire with untrammelled wealth and power who ruins everything - and the enablers who are complicit in his actions.
It can join the list of hit shows about terrible rich people - Succession (or Family F***ing Feud as might be more accurately called), The White Lotus, etc. There have always been stories about the rich and their dysfunctions (from Dallas back to the Illiad). But these shows focus on the terrible moral cost that extreme wealth has on its pursuers. These are not people to look up to nor envy. They are all well-written and well-acted. And frankly I am over them.
Whom God destroys, she first makes rich
The “Sad Tycoon” genre will doubtless continue for a while longer but without me. These people have got all money and now they seem to want all our attention. Stuff ‘em. I want the intense, quotidian-fantastic car crash that is Everything, Everywhere All At Once (possibly the most film ever made). I want the in-depth exploration of other worlds like Coda or, going back a bit, the Zola-scale exploration of society offered by The Wire. We need to relegate these rich dicks to their proper place in the narrative.
May All Your Wishes Come True - An Ancient Curse
On a completely unrelated subject, 2022 was the year of autocratic overreach.
Mark Zuckerberg failing to persuade anyone that the Metaverse was a good idea.
Elon Musk failing to not buy Twitter.
Donald Trump failing to win the mid-terms for the Republicans.
Iran failing to suppress protestors.
China failing to impose COVID-zero on its populace.
And most spectacularly of all, Putin failing to win a war with a much smaller neighbour.
Hubris Atë Nemesis
The problem with power is not just that it corrupts, it also cocoons. You have long removed anyone who might contradict you. You are, after all, right. They just don’t get it. And everyone around you is telling you how smart you are and how well everything is going. What could possibly go wrong.
As I have written elsewhere, everyone needs a Charlie Watts to punch us in the face. And if we don’t have that, then reality will do it for us, eventually. If only Putin had watched Succession.
Ambition must be made to counteract ambition. - Federalist Paper 51
So we end 2022 in an uncertain state (as we end every year). The vanity of the powerful has lead to much unnecessary suffering. But that vanity has its limits. And we may just finding out what those are. So lets find solace and hope in each other - the unsad non-tycoons.