All the President's Men as Hollywood Marxism / fetishist film
example · film: All the President's Men ·
retold in 6 talks
Blockbusters like All the President's Men depict deep systemic corruption but end with the reassuring message that two ordinary journalists can bring down the mightiest man, the system works. This is fetishism: acknowledging the bad while holding onto a consoling remainder.
≤2000talks it is told in, per year2026
As told 5
“the lesson is but nonetheless don't we live in a wonderful country where two ordinary guys journalists can bring down the mightiest man in the world”
“my god, what a great society we live in where look, two ordinary guy journalists can overthrow the mightiest man in the world”
“Why do these films make you feel so good? Because the final message is nonetheless what a great country do we live in.”
What it carries
one story, many jobs: the ideas this anecdote is deployed to argue, one tally mark per use (an idea page shows the same relation from the other end, as its shelf of stories)
Its cast and sources
populated by
Jack Bauer2Paul Taylor1Alain de Botton1Ray Brassier1Alison Tyler1Marion Cotillard1Jo Esterhaz1Liam Neeson1
alongside works
Every retelling 5
Blockbusters like All the President's Men depict deep systemic corruption but end with the reassuring message that two ordinary journalists can bring down the mightiest man, the system works. This is fetishism: acknowledging the bad while holding onto a consoling remainder., illustrating democracy as fetish,je sais bien mais quand même,ideology in cinema
The Watergate film appears to expose corruption but its real ideological message is: look how great our society is, two ordinary journalists can bring down the president, which diverts attention from systemic questions., illustrating Isolierung,liberal media ideology,ideology
19:28 "THE DARK KNIGHT RISES is a Conservative Liberal Film" - Slavoj Žižek (2012) | TIFF REWIND2012 · 1:09:18
Liberal films that seem radical but make you feel good because they affirm that ordinary guys can overthrow the mighty, reinforcing the system., illustrating Hollywood left
These ostensibly critical Hollywood films showing total state corruption actually make viewers feel reassured: 'two ordinary journalists could overthrow the most powerful man in the world, isn't this a great democracy?' thereby functioning as ideological comfort., illustrating democracy as fetish,ideology in cinema
1:28 WikiLeaks' Julian Assange & Philosopher Slavoj Zizek In Conversation With Amy Goodman 3 of 9pub. 2011-07-05 · 14:14
Contrasts liberal thrillers like All the President's Men (which leave the audience feeling good about the country) with the TV show 24 (where Jack Bauer admits the system is broken and steps down), arguing the latter is more honest about the deadlock., illustrating liberal pseudo-Hollywood Marxism,honest conservatives