Christopher Columbus' Legacy Slaughtered by Vikings, ESPN Fires Reporter Trying to Get Pregnant, Alec Baldwin and the TikTok Murder (The Five for 10/22/21)
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Let’s dive in.
[one]
You might think this section belongs in a Tuesday issue of The Five (reminder: Tuesday—hard news, Friday—culture & commentary), but there’s as much culture going on here as politics.
Politico has a great writeup on why young, college educated Democrats who are hyper active in politics may be sinking the Democratic party:
At its most basic, Shor’s theory goes something like this: Although young people as a whole turn out to vote at a lower rate than the general population, the aforementioned type of young person is actually overrepresented within the core of the Democratic Party’s infrastructure. According to Shor, the problem with this permanent class of young staffers is that they tend to hold views that are both more liberal and more ideologically motivated than the views of the coveted median voter, and yet they yield a significant amount of influence over the party’s messaging and policy decisions. As a result, Democrats end up spending a lot of time talking about issues that matter to college-educated liberals but not to the multiracial bloc of moderate voters that the party needs to win over to secure governing majorities in Washington.
“It is descriptively true that people who work in campaigns are extremely young and much more liberal than the overall population, and also much more educated,” said Shor who at the advanced age of 30 says he feels practically geriatric in professional Democratic politics. “I think that this is pushing them to use overly ideological language, to not show enough messaging or policy restraint and, from a symbolic perspective, to use words that regular voters literally don’t understand — and I think that that’s a real problem.”
Observations:
A. One thing that I’ve found odd/hilarious/puzzling is what I hear young, urban liberals posting about vs. the social content coming from people I know who would have traditionally been strong Democratic voters—particularly labor union households.
B. Democrats seem to be focused, first and foremost, on rich, young urban socialists, the LGBTQ+ community, which are groups who tend to live in states Dems already dominate. Swing states decide the White House, and you’re not going to win Ohio and Iowa with more hipsters cheering AOC donning a “Tax the Rich” dress at a $30,000 dinner if labor unions and working class households take a hard right towards deep red voting.
C. I’ve written a good bit about the “Democratic Civil War” happening right now, between the party’s moderates and the far left wing that more or less align with “The Squad.” At first, moderate Dem politicians and voters alike seemed to be willing to “go along to get along” but the cracks are showing. If I had to put a pin in it, this started when Joe Biden yelled at a Michigan auto worker during the campaign.
D. This is “culture” because movies and sports work the same way. We get “best picture” nominees even the most ardent NPR listeners find to be too pretenious and annoying. Sports chalk full of social scolding. TV shows that force the plot into the backseat as brow beating messaging takes over. In my opinion, much of this is happening because the powers that be seem to be willing to rearrange all of society to please a largely white, spoiled, over-educated, under experienced group of twenty and thirtysomethings who make up the loudest, angriest segment of Twitter. It’s not working. We’re all miserable. Even the kids who find themselves in charge, as they have an “outgroup preference” and struggle with hating…their fellow educated, ideological peers.
Nobody wins this game.
So maybe we should just stop playing all together.
[two]
There’s no way this painting is accurate, but it’s super cool.
Well, this finishes off the legacy of Christopher Columbus.
This week, a study proved the Vikings were in America exactly 1,000 years ago, in 1021 A.D.
It's long been known that the Vikings were the first Europeans to make the long journey to the Americas, arriving in what is now Canada sometime around the end of the first millennium.
But a new article in the journal Nature is the first to pinpoint a precise date: 1021, exactly 1,000 years ago — beating the arrival of Christopher Columbus by nearly 500 years.
The research comes from the only confirmed Norse archeological site in the Americas outside of Greenland, a settlement on the northernmost tip of Newfoundland called L'Anse aux Meadows.
A team of scientists, led by Margot Kuitems and Michael Dee of the University of Groningen in the Netherlands, examined four pieces of wood recovered at L'Anse aux Meadows. The samples were no more than discarded sticks and tree trunks, but each had an important marker of at least one clean edge, indicating it had been cut by a metal tool.
Researchers know those items and the cuts belonged to the Norse, as the Indigenous inhabitants in that area at the time didn't have metal tools.
Observations:
A. As a fan of history (and…kind of a historian, I guess? I do hold an earned master’s degree in history), I’ve long believed the strong circumstantial evidence that the Vikings got here a long time ago.
B. Proving this…however, has never been done…until this week. Pinpointing the Vikings in North America 1,000 years ago is one of the most significant discoveries of our lifetime.
C. Even as a kid, I just didn’t care that much about Christopher Columbus. The evidence continues to grow that people realized the world was round long before Columbus landed in the Bahamas.
D. Viking Day. Indigenous People’s Day. Whatever…Chris was late to the party.
E. These people crossed the Atlantic Ocean…in open boats. One thousand years ago.
F. Yeah, Viking Day…they earned it.
G. Please, please let this birth an entire new sub-genre of movies and video games.
[three]
Helen Hastings, who was shot and killed in January.
Sadly, Alec Baldwin is dominating headlines this week after he inadvertently killed a cinematographer when a “prop gun” malfunctioned.
The story hits the same week that Rolling Stone broke the story of a social media influencer who killed 18 year old college freshman Helen Hastings. Mary-Anne Oliver-Snow
Snow, 23, was the leader of a tight-knit social circle including Hastings that was extremely popular on the Houston cosplay circuit. “They were like celebrities,” says Gem Piinker, a friend of Helen’s in the local community. “I hate to admit it, but the drama that follows Snow is what brought [that group] together. There was always something to talk about.” Snow was also notorious for stoking controversy among cosplayers in Houston, where they lived. “They were the Regina George of the community,” says Dolly Lace, a Houston cosplayer who knew Snow.
But nothing could have prepared those in Helen and Snow’s circle for the events of Jan. 17, 2021, when Snow accidentally shot Helen while they were watching the TV show Gotham at their home. (When reached for comment, L. Brent Mayr, Snow’s attorney, said his client was “incredibly remorseful about what took place” and would not be available to speak to Rolling Stone, saying they were still traumatized by the shock of losing their friend.) The circumstances surrounding Hastings’ tragic killing, as well as the aftermath, are still somewhat unclear. But they were summarily turned into tabloid fodder when the story broke in September, nearly nine months after Hastings was killed. And Snow’s trajectory in particular serves as a cautionary tale about the lengths influencers go to craft and maintain elaborate social media personae, and the complexities that may arise when the roles they play on social media become virtually inextricable with the events of real life.
There are a lot of sad stories in the world, but this one is noteworthy for two reasons:
A. Young people on social media who gain large followings can tend towards increasingly risky behavior.
and
B. There have always been individuals who rise to cult-leader-like status in small circles, and often wind up controllng and corrupting the lives of others. In this case, Snow seemed to have that hold on a much larger number of people via TikTok stardom.
A group of teens and twentysomethings were watching the show Gotham, drinking heavily and passing around a pistol, when Helen Hastings allegedly said “shoot me” to Snow, who allegedly believed the gun was unloaded and pulled the trigger. Details are sketchy, but it’s possible Snow was attemping to create a “viral” moment for social media.
There are currently 120 guns in the U.S. for every 100 residents…that genie aint going back in the bottle.
Growing up in a gun heavy area where underage drinking is…more or less as common as anywhere else…I can’t imagine this happening. Rural kids grow up, for the most part, in a local culture where guns (and tractors, and diesel fuel for burning off fields) are treated with respect and a healthy dose of fear. (I personally have more family members who have been killed by tractors than guns). Suburban and city raised young people mainly get their “education” on firearms from pop culture…sometimes to disasterous results.
I’m not advocating that every person owns a gun, but I do believe it’s beneficial for most adults to go shooting at least once. If nothing else, getting the basics of handling a firearm down prepares an adults to safely unload and store a gun if they ever encounter one.
There are a lot of guns in the U.S This isn’t a topic we’re all going to agree on, but further educaton on what guns are…and how to safely handle and disarm a found gun…could prevent accidental shooting deaths.
I’m not arguing that we should teach every kid to shoot…but at some point in adolescent development, a society with this many guns may do well to teach kids how guns work, that real people die in accidental discharges and that those deaths can be prevented.
[four]
After being fired by ESPN for not getting vaccinated for COVID-19, sports reporter Allison Williams has joined the conservative website The Daily Wire.
“Throughout our family planning with our doctor, as well as a fertility specialist, I have decided not to receive the COVID-19 vaccine at this time while my husband and I try for our second child,” Williams said. “This was a deeply difficult decision to make and it’s not something I take lightly. I understand vaccines have been essential in the effort to end this pandemic; however, taking the vaccine at this time is not in my best interest.”
“I have been denied my request for accommodation by ESPN and the Walt Disney Company, and effective next week, I will be separated from the company,” Williams added in a video statement.
I fully understand and support Williams’ decision to hold off on the COVID jab (and I’m glad she has a job) at this time, but I’m a little bummed that sports are now just a little more politicized.
By becoming a “politically liberal” outlet, ESPN all but guarenteed “politically conservative” sports outlets would become a reality.
With a political message of some kind in the vast majority of movies, TV and sports…there are fewer and fewer topics for everyday folks to discuss and bond over…which creates more echo chambers, more anger, and more divsision.
We would be a better, kinder nation if sports could be de-politicized, but that ship seems to have sailed some time ago.
Planning to have a second child isn’t a reason any woman should lose a job, and I’m a little suprised at the lack of outrage here.
[five]
As always, let’s head into the weekend with a pop culture roundup.
The popular Keanu Reeves led John Wick franchise is getting a prequel TV show that surprisingly stars…Mel Gibson?! The veteran actor will take the reins of The Continental, a show about a hotel for Assassins, set in New York City in 1975. This will be Gibon’s first time in a TV show since…well, the actual 1970’s, when he was on the Australian period drama The Sullivans, where he looked more or less like a young Southern Baptist preacher.
Although I (mostly) refuse to cover awards shows in The Five, Entertainment Weekly’s list of Oscar contenders reveals…a pretty strong set of movies. And also a Wes Anderson movie that’s surely going to be pretentious garbage.
The sci-fi epic Dune hits theaters and HBO Max this weekend, but be warned that a sequel isn’t guaranteed…so if you’re a fan who wants the story to completed…mabye go buy a ticket rather than streaming. So far, reviews are strong. Timothee Chalmet (Lady Bird, Little Women), Jason Momoa (Aquaman, Game of Thrones), Oscar Isaac (Ex Machina, Star Wars VII-IX), Rebecca Ferguson (The Greatest Showman, Mission Impossible: Rogue Nation) and Zendaya (The Greatest Showman, Spiderman: Far From Home) star.
The uber popular video game franchise Uncharted will debut on the big screen starring Tom Holland (Spiderman: Homecoming, Avengers: Endgame) and Mark Whalberg (The Fighter, The Departed). It’s more or less an Indiana Jones ripoff, but feels a little too National Treasure-ish based on the first trailer. But I really like archeology, spy stuff and all things video game related, so I’ll probably watch it.
MOVIE PICK: Amanda and I saw our first in-theater movie this week, and I’ve got to say The Last Duel suprised me. Director Ridely Scott (Gladiator/The Maritan) puts together a heck of a unique way to tell the story of two 12th century French knights who battle to the death over an alleged rape, and it’s great to see Matt Damon and Ben Affleck in a movie together for the first time in over 20 years (the pair’s last combined outing, Good Will Hunting, snagged an Oscar). Adam Driver is excellent as well, although he gets a little too Kylo-Ren-y in his performance, pulling some Star Wars baddie bits into a historical piece. Newcomer Jodie Comer, who’s mainly starred in British projects until now, is incredible. Highly recommended.
MUSIC PICK: This gem was a purely accidental find after my friend Matt texted me that Dan Campbell of the pop punk outfit The Wonder Years released two solo songs this week. This led me down a Spotify wormhole that uncovered Clear Eyes Fanzine Vol. 1, an EP based on the first six episodes of the acclaimed TV show Friday Night Lights. If you love sad songs, teen TV and/or football dramas, you can’t do better than this one.
Until the next one,
-sth