Freedom Enough 038_Monty Python - Hilarious Prophets of this Orwellian Nightmare

Monty Python - Hilarious Prophets of this Orwellian Nightmare

Did we come here for an argument?

Did we sign up for abuse?

Would you pay someone to get hit over the head?

Do you think old Monty Python sketches are just meant to be funny?

Or, does the comedy of Monty Python teach us something very important about the ultimate source of the problem of government?

Can we laugh, and at the same time answer the question: Where did it all go wrong?

Hello world - I'm Alexander C. Baker, JD,

It's October 1, 2023 -Today on Freedom Enough number 38 - Monty Python - Hilarious Prophets of this Orwellian Nightmare

When a thing is funny, search it carefully for a hidden truth. - George Bernard Shaw
• Socialist - broken clock
• Listen to a couple of sketches from Monty Python
• MP need no introduction
• Scene from "Life of Brian" maybe called "Loretta" or the "Judean People's Front"
• Skit from Flying Circus called "Argument Clinic"

• First, the Loretta scene from Life of B
• We're in Roman Empire times, they are opporessed, and have formed a resistence group, later they will argue whether they are "Judgean People's Front" or the "People's front of Judea" or "Judean Popular People's Front"

[PLAY CLIP]

• Pythons BRAVE to satirize the Jews, who are defined by their victim status

• Following the withdrawal of funding by EMI Films just days before production was scheduled to begin, George Harrison, the former member of the Beatles and a long-time Python fan, arranged financing for Life of Brian through the formation of his HandMade Films company.

---

LORETTA

JUDITH: I do feel, Reg, that any Anti-Imperialist group like ours must reflect such a divergence of interests within its power-base.

REG: Agreed. Francis?

FRANCIS: Yeah. I think Judith's point of view is very valid, Reg, provided the Movement never forgets that it is the inalienable right of every man--

STAN: Or woman.

FRANCIS: Or woman... to rid himself--

STAN: Or herself.

FRANCIS: Or herself.

REG: Agreed.

FRANCIS: Thank you, brother.

STAN: Or sister.

FRANCIS: Or sister. Where was I?

REG: I think you'd finished.

• He obviously never gets to the point
• Teaches that "Political Correctness" or "Wokeism" exists to distract, not enlighten.
• Shows you the conflict between procedure and substance.

FRANCIS: Oh. Right.

REG: Furthermore, it is the birthright of every man--

STAN: Or woman.

REG: Why don't you shut up about women, Stan. You're putting us off.

STAN: Women have a perfect right to play a part in our movement, Reg.

FRANCIS: Why are you always on about women, Stan?

STAN: I want to be one.

REG: What?

STAN: I want to be a woman. From now on, I want you all to call me 'Loretta'.

REG: What?!

LORETTA: It's my right as a man.

• Not stopping to understand what "rights" even means.
• "Rights" comes from what is right v. wrong.
• Now, and for a long time "Right" simply means something you want.
• Is everything you might want now your "right" ?
• Confusing Rights with entitlements, which is the key difference betweent the Declaration of Indepen and the COnstitution

JUDITH: Well, why do you want to be Loretta, Stan?

LORETTA: I want to have babies.

REG: You want to have babies?!

LORETTA: It's every man's right to have babies if he wants them.

REG: But... you can't have babies.

LORETTA: Don't you oppress me.

REG: I'm not oppressing you, Stan. You haven't got a womb! Where's the foetus going to gestate?! You going to keep it in a box?!

• At the time, in 1979, this was funny because absurd
• Today, of course....
• But where did it all go wrong? Was everything OK back in 1979?

LORETTA: crying

JUDITH: Here! I-- I've got an idea. Suppose you agree that he can't actually have babies, not having a womb, which is nobody's fault, not even the Romans', but that he can have the right to have babies.

FRANCIS: Good idea, Judith. We shall fight the oppressors for your right to have babies, brother. Sister. Sorry.

REG: What's the point?

FRANCIS: What?

REG: What's the point of fighting for his right to have babies when he can't have babies?!

FRANCIS: It is symbolic of our struggle against oppression.

REG: Symbolic of his struggle against reality.

• Notice that Judith is trying to play peacemaker, but invites this postmodernist nonsense. "Equal Rights" now means the pretense of equal respect for andy and all ideas, regardless of how dangerous, or destructive, or silly or absurd.

• It's struggle against reality, obsioulsy, because man can't have babies.
• No less detached from reality than saying you have a "right" to education, or housing, or medical care
• good must be produced
• The minute you create an entitlement for one person, you enslave another person.
• Entitlement to food? You have to plunder the farmer. Entitlement to medical care? You either have to plunder the doctor, or plunder the taxpayer to pay the doctor. It's the same thing.
• Entitlement for a man to have a baby? You would have to plunder a young fertile woman, or else plunder the taxpayer to purchase the baby.

• But where did it all go wrong?

• Here is Argument Clinic from 1972

[PLAY CLIP]

• 51 years later, this is still as funny, it's even funnier to me than ever
• Why is it so funny? Where is the hidden truth?

ARUGMENT CLINIC

A man walks into an office.
Man: (Michael Palin) Ah. I'd like to have an argument, please.
Receptionist: Certainly sir. Have you been here before?
Man: No, this is my first time.
Receptionist: I see. Well, do you want to have the full argument, or were you thinking of taking a course?
Man: Well, what would be the cost?
Receptionist: Well, It's one pound for a five minute argument, but only eight pounds for a course of ten.
Man: Well, I think it's probably best if I start with the one and then see how it goes from there, okay?
Receptionist: Fine. I'll see who's free at the moment.
(Pause)
Receptionist: Mr. DeBakey's free, but he's a little bit conciliatory. Ahh yes, Try Mr. Barnard; room 12.
Man: Thank you.

• Why, we wonder, would somebody wish to pay money just for the sake of arguing?
• Arguing about what?
• Man played by Michael Palin represents the hapless citizen, and he's in government bearacarcy hell, and he has resigned himself to the idea that, to operate in this world, he simply has no choice but to deal with the argument clinic.
• Haven't you had this feeling DMV, Building Inspector, or Family Court?

(Walks down the hall. Opens door.)

Angry man (Graham Chapman): WHADDAYOU WANT?
Man: Well, Well, I was told outside that...
Angry man: DON'T GIVE ME THAT, YOU SNOTTY-FACED HEAP OF PARROT DROPPINGS!
Man: What?
A: SHUT YOUR FESTERING GOB, YOU TIT! YOUR TYPE MAKES ME PUKE! YOU VACUOUS TOFFEE-NOSED MALODOROUS PERVERT!!!
M: Yes, but I came here for an argument!!
A: OH! Oh! I'm sorry! This is abuse!
M: Oh! Oh I see!
A: Aha! No, you want room 12A, next door.
M: Oh...Sorry...
A: Not at all!
A: (under his breath) stupid git.

• Graham Chapman character represens the government
• This is funny because it is verbal abuse just for the sake of verbal abuse
• When we interact with government, in our mind, going in, we're after something else
• "Stupid Git" - Git is british slang for a stupid person, or a contemptible person.
• Government gaslights you. It's not his fault he doesn't know what department he's supposed be in. Whenever you start to figure out that government is a scam, it will always be your fault. Whatever it is that you're on about.
• Gatekeeper
• And it IS abuse just for the sake of abuse.

(The man goes into room 12A. Another man is sitting behind a desk.)

Man: Is this the right room for an argument?
Other Man:(John Cleese) I've told you once.
Man: No you haven't!
Other Man: Yes I have.
M: When?
O: Just now.
M: No you didn't!
O: Yes I did!
M: You didn't!
O: I did!
M: You didn't!
O: I'm telling you, I did!
M: You did not!
O: Oh I'm sorry, is this a five minute argument, or the full half hour?
M: Ah! (taking out his wallet and paying) Just the five minutes.
O: Just the five minutes. Thank you.

• The John Clese represents the government
• Right of the bat, government is just lying to your face, you know it, but you feel you have no choice but to, not only argue with a liar, but to pay him for the experience?
• Is that true? Do we really have no choice?

O: Anyway, I did.
M: You most certainly did not!
O: Now let's get one thing quite clear: I most definitely told you!
M: Oh no you didn't!
O: Oh yes I did!
M: Oh no you didn't!
O: Oh yes I did!
M: Oh no you didn't!
O: Oh yes I did!
M: Oh no you didn't!
O: Oh yes I did!
M: Oh no you didn't!
O: Oh yes I did!
M: Oh no you didn't!
O: Oh yes I did!
M: No you DIDN'T!
O: Oh yes I did!
M: No you DIDN'T!
O: Oh yes I did!
M: No you DIDN'T!
O: Oh yes I did!
M: Oh look, this isn't an argument!
(pause)
O: Yes it is!
M: No it isn't!
(pause)
M: It's just contradiction!
O: No it isn't!
M: It IS!
O: It is NOT!
M: You just contradicted me!
O: No I didn't!
M: You DID!
O: No no no!
M: You did just then!
O: Nonsense!
M: (exasperated) Oh, this is futile!!
(pause)
O: No it isn't!
M: Yes it is!
(pause)
M: I came here for a good argument!
O: AH, no you didn't, you came here for an argument!

• Parsing the distinction between a "good" argument, and just an arugment.
• We'll use fancy language, and parse words
• convince you that what YOU want actually want doesn't matter
• We're the government, and we will tell you what you want

M: An argument isn't just contradiction.
O: Well! it CAN be!
M: No it can't!
M: An argument is a connected series of statements intended to establish a proposition.
O: No it isn't!
M: Yes it is! 'tisn't just contradiction.
O: Look, if I *argue* with you, I must take up a contrary position!
M: Yes but it isn't just saying 'no it isn't'.
O: Yes it is!
M: No it isn't!
O: Yes it is!
M: No it isn't!
O: Yes it is!
M: No it ISN'T! Argument is an intellectual process. Contradiction is just the automatic gainsaying of anything the other person says.
O: It is NOT!
M: It is!
O: Not at all!
M: It is!
(The Arguer hits a bell on his desk and stops.)
O: Thank you, that's it.
M: (stunned) What?

• I don't how many court hearings I've done that were exactly like this
• We spend time arguing, not about the substance, but about procedure
• Arguing about what it means TO ARGUE
• Just when you THINK you're about to get to the point, the judge rings the bell and terminates the hearing
• "That's not before the Court," "I have to move on to other cases"

O: That's it. Good morning.
M: But I was just getting interested!
O: I'm sorry, the five minutes is up.
M: That was never five minutes just now!!
O: I'm afraid it was.
M: (leading on) No it wasn't.....
O: I'm sorry, I'm not allowed to argue any more.
M: WHAT??
O: If you want me to go on arguing, you'll have to pay for another five minutes.
M: But that was never five minutes just now!
Oh Come on!
Oh this is...
This is ridiculous!
O: I told you... I told you, I'm not allowed to argue unless you PAY!
M: Oh all right. (takes out his wallet and pays again.) There you are.
O: Thank you.

• I had a hearing just like this just a couple days ago.
• Schwartz forged
• Judge pretended not to understand
• OK? The person, calling themselves some sort of "official" lies to your face
• if you want to keep going, to try to get what you want, you want that license, or that permit, or you want your day in court, and it's their job to supposedly to do that, well... you have to pay more money, again. Even though you already paid.

M: (clears throat) Well...
O: Well WHAT?
M: That was never five minutes just now.
O: I told you, I'm not allowed to argue unless you've paid!
M: Well I just paid!
O: No you didn't!
M: I DID!!!
O: YOU didn't!
M: I DID!!!
O: YOU didn't!
M: I DID!!!
O: YOU didn't!
M: I DID!!!
O: YOU didn't!
M: I don't want to argue about it!
O: Well I'm very sorry but you didn't pay!
M: Ah hah! Well if I didn't pay, why are you arguing??? Ah HAAAAAAHHH! Gotcha!
O: No you haven't!
M: Yes I have! If you're arguing, I must have paid.
O: Not necessarily. I *could* be arguing in my spare time.
M: I've had enough of this!
O: No you haven't.
M: Oh shut up!
(Man leaves the office)

• Arguing in my spare time
• No matter what the facts are, the people calling themselves "The court" and "the government" always have "discretion" to make up an excuse for why they just screwed you over.
• Where did it go wrong?
• Are you starting to see the answer?
• Why do we accept the premise that we have to go and argue with the gatekeeper?
• Why do we believe in a ruling class has the authority to control us?

Hitting on the Head Lessons

(Man from the Argument sketch enters an office)
Man: (Michael Palin) I want to complain.
Complainer: (Eric Idle) You want to complain! Look at these shoes. I've only had them three weeks and the heels are worn right through.
Man: No, I want to complain about...
Complainer: If you complain nothing happens, you might as well not bother.
Man: Oh!
Complainer: Oh my back hurts, it's not a very fine day and I'm sick and tired of this office.

• The Eric Idle character represents a combination of two archetypes - he's the government bureaucrat PLUS an entitled, oppressed victim.
• You want to Complain?!? Look at these shoes.
• From one office to the next, to the next, never getting anywhere
• How long have be been to repair the government and make it work?
• How long before you question the idea of a ruling class?

(Slams door. walks down corridor, opens next door. Gets hit on head as he steps through.)
Man: Hello, I want to... Ooooh!
Spreaders: (Terry Jones) No, no, no. Hold your head like this, then go Waaah. Try it again. (hits him on the head again)
Man: uuuwwhh!!
Spreaders: Better, Better, but Waah, Waah! Hold your hands here.
Man: No.
Spreaders: Now..
Man: Waaaaah!!!
Spreaders: Good, Good! That's it.
Man: Stop hitting me!!
Spreaders: What?
Man: Stop hitting me!!
Spreaders: Stop hitting you?
Man: Yes!
Spreaders: What did you come in here for?
Man: I came here to complain.
Spreaders: Oh no, that's next door. It's being-hit-on-the-head lessons in here.
Man: What a stupid concept.

• Yes! Brilliant. Getting hit on the head lessons is a stupid concept.
• What is government besides physical abuse, verbal abuse, and pointless arguing?
• This is funny because its true.
• If you wonder why Michael Palin is subjecting himself to all this abuse, and paying for it out of his own pocket, ask yourself the same question.
• If you think that being obedient to the rulers, and paying so-called taxes is a virtue, then you are no different than the happless Michael Palin man
• And what do the people calling themselves the government officials have to say about all this?

Inspector Flying Fox of the Yard
Inspector Fox: Right. Hold it there.
Man and Spreaders: What?
Inspector Fox: Allow me to introduce myself. I'm Inspector Fox of the Light Entertainment Police, Comedy Division, Special Flying Squad.
Man and Spreaders: Flying Fox of the Yard.
Inspector Fox: Shut up! (he hits the man with a truncheon)
Man: Ooooh?
Spreaders: No, no, no - Waagh!
Inspector Fox: And you. (he hits Spreaders)
Spreaders: Waagh!
Inspector Fox: He's good! You could learn a thing or two from him. Right now you two me old beauties, you are nicked.
Man: What for?
Inspector Fox: I'm charging you under Section 21 of the Strange Sketch Act.
Man: The what?
Inspector Fox: You are hereby charged that you did wilfully take part in a strange sketch, that is, a skit, spoof or humorous vignette of an unconventional nature with intent to cause grievous mental confusion to the Great British Public. (to camera) Evening all.
Spreaders: It's a fair cop.
Inspector Fox: And you tosh. (hits the man)
Man: WAAAGH!
Inspector Fox: That's excellent! Right, come on down the Yard.
(Another inspector arrives.)
Inspector Gazelle: Hold it. Hold it. Allow me to introduce myself. I'm Inspector Thompson's Gazelle of the Programme Planning Police, Light Entertainment Division, Special Flying Squad.
Inspector Fox: Flying Thompson's Gazelle of the Yard!
Inspector Gazelle: Shut up! (he hits him)
Inspector Fox: Waaaagh!
Spreaders: He's good.
Inspector Gazelle: Shut up! (hits Spreaders)
Spreaders: WAAGH!
Man: Rotten. (he gets hit) WAAAGH!
Inspector: Good. Now I'm arrestin' this entire show on three counts: one, acts of self-conscious behaviour contrary to the 'Not in front of the children' Act, two, always saying 'It's so and so of the Yard' every time the fuzz arrives and, three, and this is the cruncher, offenses against the 'Getting out of sketches without using a proper punchline' Act, four, namely, simply ending every bleedin' sketch by just having a policeman come in and... wait a minute.
(Another policeman enters.)
Policeman: Hold it. (puts his hand on Inspector Thompson's Gazelle's shoulder)
Inspector: It's a fair cop.
(A large hairy hand appears through the door and claps him on the shoulder.)
CAPTION: 'THE END'
(Cut to BBC world symbol.)

• There you go. It's the law, don't you know?
• Don't concern yourself with right and wrong! Just obey the law.
• You violated the Strange Sketch Act - that is, a skit, spoof or humorous vignette of an unconventional nature with intent to cause grievous mental confusion
• Violated the Not in Front of the Children Act
• A half century ago, we could view the "Not in Front of the Children Act" as a humerous exaggeration.
• Not any more.
• It's 2023, and the people calling themselves the government are quite open about their beliefs - children belong to the State.
• You belong to the state.
• YOu are owned

• Where did it all go wrong?
• It all went wrong the minute anybody accepted the idea that there gets to be a ruling class AT ALL.
• As soon as you accept that somebody rules you, ANYBODY, then you are signing up for getting hit on the head lessons. Owww. No, Agggg.
• You're signing up for abuse. Shut your festing gob, you tit.
• If you try to resolve your disputes in a government court system, you're signing up for, and paying for, an unending, pointless argument with liars. And argument that you can't win, because you're going to aruge about what it means to argue, and you will never get to the point.
• It is the right of every man... or woman...
• To see the cage is to leave the cage.

Monty Python, Argument Clinic, Government, Getting hit on the head lessons