Here’s an opinion piece from the New York Times we’d missed a couple of days ago but it’s worth a look. Writer Jennifer Weiner writes about the experience of seeing “Jaws” at a drive-in movie theater during the COVID-19 pandemic and decides that the real horror isn’t the shark, but “the leader who initially values capitalism over saving lives” — like President Trump and all of those Republican governors who are reopening beaches, encouraging adults to go back to work, and demanding that children go back to school.
"Instead of a boat on the water, we’ve got heads in the sand." @JenniferWeiner on rewatching "Jaws" during the coronavirus pandemic. https://t.co/CaAeTPicmp
— New York Times Opinion (@nytopinion) July 8, 2020
“I found myself bracing for a Trumpian response — for the police chief to say that he didn’t take responsibility, or to point out that almost all young people who do get attacked make complete recoveries.”
On seeing “Jaws” at a drive-in, mid-pandemic. https://t.co/WlTiCPwCmi— Jennifer Weiner (@jenniferweiner) July 8, 2020
We understand that one of the symptoms of TDS is the inability to enjoy entertainment as escapism but only as an allegory for life under the Trump administration. Weiner writes:
“All I’m saying is that Amity is a summer town — we need summer dollars,” Mayor Larry Vaughn argues after the first attack, when the chief of police wants to close the beaches. It was a phrase that could have been ripped off for a speech by one of the Republican officials who initially refused to shut down his state’s beaches or insisted on reopening the bars.
…
Masks have been politicized to the point that donning one is akin to sporting a “Biden for President” bumper sticker on your face. And instead of a leader who steps up to do the right thing, we’ve got a president who delights in divisiveness and wallows in woe-is-me, while too many of his fellow Republicans, loath to cross him, seem to care more about those summer dollars than dead citizens or grieving families. Instead of a boat on the water, we’ve got heads in the sand.
…
… From the Ozarks to Fire Island to the Jersey Shore, we’ve all seen pictures of Americans who won’t deny themselves their summer pleasures, insisting they happen just as they always have.
But how can we be surprised? Our leader is standing knee-deep in the shallows, smiling and beckoning and telling us that the water’s fine.
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We can only imagine the Washington Post’s Jennifer Rubin reading the piece and gritting her teeth that she didn’t think of it first, only managing to tweet “now he wants to kill your kids” upon hearing Trump urging schools to open in the fall, citing the American Pediatric Association.
So, is the real horror of “Jaws” Donald Trump, Republicans, or capitalism?
No, it's actually the shark pic.twitter.com/BYIOIApKiH
— Zach Parkinson (@AZachParkinson) July 9, 2020
I'm pretty sure they fact checked this and it was cleared.
— Tom Lindmark (@TomLindmark) July 9, 2020
No one came sprinting out of the water fearing being attacked by a capitalist. Good grief.
— MonopolyMan (@jscottvan59) July 9, 2020
What happened? Like can we pinpoint what happened that caused this hatred of capitalism and this push for socialism and Marxism? How did we get here?
— Amber Collins (@AmberMCollins) July 9, 2020
It was literally a capitalist who quoted a price and took the boat out and made the killing of the shark possible. The government forces all failed.
— james (@james43325285) July 9, 2020
Exactly! “For $10,000 dollars you get the head, tail, the whole damn thing.” pic.twitter.com/YpcgXB2imn
— E. ????? (@RedStrat09) July 9, 2020
It’s true. Capitalism is the reason why I won’t go in the water. ?♂️??
— TraderPatTX ?? (@TraderPatTX1) July 9, 2020
Clearly a “let’s stay locked down” advocate. The problem is that capitalism or death is a false dichotomy in real life, and not the core struggle in Jaws.
— Lee Archer (@LeeArch54147798) July 9, 2020
The dumbest part about using the Jaws example all of the time is it's a fake movie that caused a nationwide hysteria over something that has an essentially 0% chance of killing you.
— polybius (@polybiu06824002) July 9, 2020
Is this when the NYT jumped the shark?
— Mild Bill Hickok (@MildBillHickok) July 9, 2020
Some people have too much time on their hands
— 55SullivanPl (@55sullivanpl) July 9, 2020
Now do Ghost Busters, NYT.
— Max Zorin (@MaxZorinCEO) July 9, 2020
The Real Horror was not the Ghosts in Ghosbusters, but the four men that did everything in their power to restrict their rights and try to imprison them, including firing frightening military grade weapons at them.
— David Harrod (@Magic_Tucson) July 9, 2020
The Real Horror of 'Aliens' Isn't the "Aliens."
It's the racist crew not being more welcoming to the undocumented passengers.
— Bill Mc7 (@BillMc7) July 9, 2020
The horror of The New York Times isn't the paper it's printed on but the idiots who decide what stories to print.
— Doctor_Evil (@omyomy96) July 9, 2020
I thought it was all the cis white males on board the boat
— ??Law & Order Lives Matter?? (@az_swole) July 9, 2020
Can you imagine actually writing this headline?
— Chris McKeever (@TheRealMcKeever) July 9, 2020
My eyes just rolled all the way to the back of my head, down my spine, bounced off my ass, and rolled out the door like those meatballs.
— Sparkling Jules (@Coolish_Breeze) July 9, 2020
Is this real
— Kory Bobrow (@KoryBobrow) July 9, 2020
— Tobias (@Stridsvagnen91) July 9, 2020
Shark is asshoe
— Jen (@jenmelton1976) July 9, 2020
The real horror of TDS is that there’s no known treatment or cure.
Related:
Hot take: We have to have a much-needed conversation about superheroes, who are basically cops in capes https://t.co/BjnXxcfgh8
— Twitchy Team (@TwitchyTeam) July 1, 2020
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