Violence

Brad Pitt as Aldo Raine

I had avoided watching Tarantino's "Inglorious Basterds" until last evening, when it came up on my cable menu. I knew it was a hit. I had heard rollicking reviews of the film by seemingly intelligent reviewers when it came out two years ago. I preface my remarks about this film by saying that I am not a naive watcher of movies. Years ago, when my life's circumstances were quite different, I saw many first-run films and wrote comments/reviews on the more egalitarian IMDB of the time.

There is a not-so-fine line in media between realistic enactments of violence as it exists in the world and schizophrenic indulgence in graphic and eroticized horror. The most disturbing aspect of this particular Tarantino blood-fest is its use of the events of the Second World War as a canvas. The sadistic antisemitism of the Nazis is exploited as an excuse for the barbaric and sadistic retribution of those fighting them. The whole bloody mess is an exploitation of actual sadism, obviously geared to attract the conflicted sexuality of adolescent boys to theater seats for profit.

I personally hold the opinion that no true art promotes violence. I would not even debate the artistic merits of this film or media like it, such as violent video games. They have no artistic merits. They are emotionally exploitative tools to make money for indiscriminate entrepreneurs. And, I must say, I cannot accept that humanist ethics are consistent with indulging in or promoting these entertainments.

There is no immunity when dabbling in violence. The mind determines behavior. The mind inoculated with or inured to sadistic violence is more prone to indulge in or accept violence. American society is one of the most violent in the industrialized world. Our media reflect this. As a humanist, I accept my own responsibility to avoid violence. In the case of this film, I was pleased to find that my disgust outweighed my curiosity while watching it. The fact that this film was very popular in the U.S. troubles me.