My Book Club Meeting with Andre

[zeemike]

I had not seen Andre for several years when he suddenly called me one day and said he was back in town. So I invited him to our book club meating that was held at a fine restraint promptly at 8pm every Thursday.

On the way to the meeting I told Andre about the book club and explained it was a eclectic group of people and that just enjoyed reading and that at the end of every meeting they had the tradition of each taking turns recommending books to the group that they thought were interesting and timely and that they posted their list of recommended reading on the internet for all to see…And in the last meeting they had decided to make the group more democratic and vote on the recommendations.

So the diner went well and we discussed the latest books that were out and enjoyed a nice wine and everyone seemed to be having a good time…I could tell the Andre was enjoying himself and liked talking to people.

So on the last glass of wine, after toasting to our own intelligence as we often did, we started taking turns recommending books.

The first was Joe the Plummer and he said that we should all read Ann Coulters “How to Talk To A Liberal” and he reasoned that it would help us understand the cause of conservatism.. Everyone else piped in and unrecompensed the book, (Well everyone except Old White Guy who remained silent) and everyone felt good about that because Joe The Plummer did not belong in this group anyway. And he was asked not to attend any more meetings. And after Joe had left in a huff we all agreed that democracy was working to keep the negative influences out of our group.
Well every one except Andre who remained silent.

Next up was Radical Hippie who suggested we read Tolstoy’s How Much Land Does A Man Need and reasoned that it made important points that needed to be considered…Old White Guy said that Tolstoy was a communist and should not be considered and Soccer Mom and Nascar Dad agreed and then said that the Radical Hippy was stupid because How Much Land Does A Man Need was not a book but a short story and so did not qualify as a book recommendation. Only Andre agreed with Radical Hippie because he said he had read it and agreed that it has points worthy of consideration. And so it was un recommended.

Suddenly Radical Hippie stood up and said “Fuck you bunch of hypocritical ass holes I am out of here” and stormed out of the restraints, presumably never to be seen again.

Soccer Mom and Nascar Dad both said that it was no loss to the group because Radical Hippie did not contribute anything worthwhile anyway and most everyone else just said nothing.

The rest of the recommendations were just as you would expect and all of them past the majority vote but the tension was there and not much discussing was going on, but at the end The Leader said that we now had a list of recommended books that we could be proud of to post on the net.

On the way home Andre did not say much and after a while I said that I was worried about the conflict that this had generated and wondered if it would not tear our little group apart.
Andre just smiled and said that I should not worry about it because the group would survive and probably thrive, that sure the Radical Hippie had left but others that had like minds would join the group to take his place that were all of like mind and things would again be congenial.
But would they ever be the same I asked…..He did not answer but just smiled, seeming to know something that I did not.

I could not sleep that night and tossed and turned for hours until finally getting up for a glass of milk and turning on the radio….Neil Young was singing….

Don’t let it bring you down
It is only castles burning
Just find someone who’s turning
And you will come around…

Footnote;
For those that do not know I borrowed from a movie called “My Dinner With Andre” Which I would recommend…but it is not for everyone, and the majority will probably not like it.

[valerief]

1. I often play with My Dinner With Andre action figures, as featured in the film Waiting for Guffman.

I lost my wine steward, though.
:-(

[zeemike]

2. As long as you still have the waiter

He was the best part of the diner.

[enigmatic]

3. My Dinner With Andre is my all-time favorite film

I watch it every year, and I've gone back and forth from Wally to Andre's view many times over the years.

I'm glad to see another fan of this film:thumbsup:

[zeemike]

4. Now that blows me away

I thought I was the only one in the world that liked that movie.

[enigmatic]

5. I've turned many, many people onto this film over the years

Some, against their will:D

[zeemike]

6. It does make some people nervous.

I guess it just shatters their illusions or something.

[enigmatic]

34. Have you seen "Mindwalk'?

Same general idea, but a but more forced, IMO. It's still well worth watching; I put a link to the video on my blog awhile ago:

http://recluseshow.blogspot.com/2008/03/mindwalk-1990.html

[zeemike]

38. i am going to add that to my must see list.

Thanks for the recomendation....that no one can take away.

[tblue37]

29. I love it, and every friend I have forced to watch it with me has

also loved it. What's not to love?

[omega minimo]

24. How cool. Do you watch it at a certain season or........?

:hi:

[enigmatic]

31. I try to watch it around Christmas

End of the year reflection, mostly. It took me awhile, but I finally came around to Wally's view that if you knew "what was going on in the cigar shop it would blow your mind!", though it took me until I reached my 30's for it to truly sink in.

I have so many favorite scenes/stories (from Andre, natch), but the "We're All Bored" scene is my favorite:

http://recluseshow.blogspot.com/2007/02/were-all-bored-my-dinner-with-andre.html

[omega minimo]

33. Also time for Fanny and Alexander.

:toast:

[zeemike]

39. As for myself I lean toward Andre's point of view.

But because it is hard to chose it makes you think about things...and I guess that is the whole point.

[zeemike]

7. Damn all that work and still not one Un recommendation n/t

[scubadude]

8. When the Nazis came for the communists, I remained silent; I was not a communist.

Then they locked up the social democrats,
I remained silent;
I was not a social democrat.

Then they came for the trade unionists,
I did not protest;
I was not a trade unionist.

Then they came for the Jews,
I did not speak out;
I was not a Jew.

When they came for me,
there was no one left to speak out for me.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/First_they_came...

Scuba

[zeemike]

9. Yep it kind of creeps up on ya.

As long as the TV works there is noting to worry about.

[KatyMan]

10. Now let's get real here

Do you know where you are? Do you know who the audience here is? Do you know how pretentious and whiny the OP is? And truly, how dare someone compare the DU and the unrec feature to Nazis coming for the Jews.
And it's pretty rich to make the standard 'as long as the TV is on' type argument when you're complaining loudly about not being able to make it on DU Idol.

[scubadude]

12. Sorry, I disagree, and I've been here a long time.

Sometimes the best way to test an argument is at it's logical limit. This illuminates where it is headed if things go awry. Don't worry, the OP will never get much attention. I believe I took the argument to it's the logical end. It can get no worse than this.

I had originally started out with spotted cows being thrown out of the herd. Grey cows are what we're want after all.

Scuba

[omega minimo]

26. Do you know where you are?

:evilfrown:

[scubadude]

35. Yes, I'm in a country that has had it's political spectrum

skewed to the right by a concerted 40+ year long effort by the Repubs and their minions. The one that made "liberal" into a dirty word. The one that turned moderate republicans into conservative Dems who call themselves Blue Dogs. The one that demonizes the far left as crazies and loonies, tin foil hatters or at worst, communists. Many on this board who consider themselves strong Centrist Democrats would have been considered left leaning Republicans 30 years ago.

We need to retake the ground lost over the last 40 years. We need to redefine the political spectrum back to its norm. We cant do this by being middle of the road. We must be liberal, more liberal than many here in my opinion. Therefore any move to moderate to tone towards the "center" just freezes in the status quo, the status quo brought about by 40+ years of Republican/Big Business media control.

If you understand that then climb on board. Help us move the political spectrum back to the left. As far left as possible. It's going to be hard unless big business feels that the move is in their interest. That is the challenge we face, dragging them to the left. Legislation is key. Like revamping the Fairness Doctrine. Like requiring that news channels speak the truth and are not allowed to lie as they do today.

So that is why unrec is no good, it freezes the status quo into place.

Now if you or anyone else thinks this logic is that of a freep I would be amazed.
I'm seeing a lot of the folks against unrec called freeps. Think about what I have said.

Scuba

[omega minimo]

36. I was asking "Ignored." Not sure why you're lecturing me.

[scubadude]

42. Sorry, I thought the post was to me.

My appologies for the mistake,

Scuba

[zeemike]

37. Exactly.

That is what it is all about, locking in the status quo, and it has worked for the establishment for years. And people are just pawns in there game.

[omega minimo]

44. +3 as of now

[zeemike]

47. Well I was shooting for less than zero

But sense there is no reference to Un rec I guess it did not get widely noticed.
P;us it is too long for some to read.

[omega minimo]

49. Too suddle.

:evilgrin:

[zeemike]

51. you are probably right.

:shrug:

[omega minimo]

43. It's a great post (lecture).

:hi: :spray:

I hear what you're saying. I think it's too late to appeal to those who are mesmerized and placated by the "Republican/Big Business media control," just as people have been throughout the decades you describe. I wouldn't count on moving "the political spectrum back to the left...." with cooperation from "big business (who) feels that the move is in their interest." Although it's interesting to think about what that might mean.

Which means there will be other conditions and creative solutions to open people's eyes. Hopefully it won't be devastating.

I'm very glad I haven't seen any "of the folks against unrec called freeps" Maybe that's b/c I Ignored the worst when the thing erupted.

Some folks want their status quo frozen in place. One comment yesterday from one of the presumed "majority" was that it's fine for certain topics/posters to be marginalized b/c "we all agree on those things anyway." :crazy:

Good luck. Thanks for expressing some of the concerns. These are the times we live in.

[omega minimo]

25. Well now there's one......

:bounce:

[Guy Whitey Corngood]

11. My brother recommended it to me years ago. I watched it and fell asleep. I watched it years later

and finally "got it" and now I think it's great. I was a lot younger and ignorant the first time and it kinda went over my head. Now just like the other guy above I collect the action figures..... "....because you're bastard people!" :+

[zeemike]

13. Boy ain't that the truth

About bing younger and ignorant...I have had the same experiences.

and I had to watch it more than once to get it too...now I think it is a brilliant flick that is really more of a play.

[Guy Whitey Corngood]

41. Yup, it definitely ain't multiplex material. nt

[Bluenorthwest]

14. Gee it is a Wally and Andre revival of late!

The other day I gave a lengthy recommend of the film to someone who has not seen it, turned around to find other friends talking about Wally's plays on line, and now, this! What is it with this sudden resurgence? Great mystery, but a good one.
My Dinner With Andre is one of my all time favorite movies, hands down.

[zeemike]

15. I really had no idea.

I have seen it several times once shortly after it came out. And that because in my crowd at the time there was a buzz about it.

[RagAss]

16. I actually saw this film in a theater when it came out...An Art Cinema in Connecticut.

[zeemike]

17. I never imagined that so many here had even heard of it.

i thought it was just a forgotten flick from a bygone era.

[RagAss]

18. Siskel and Ebert ... way back when it came out gave it a thumbs up...

I was a college student at the time, found it at a small Indy theater in Norwalk Ct. and took my girlfriend. We loved it. I remind her of it from time to time, since we've been married for the last 25 years.

[zeemike]

20. That same film today would never make it out of the can.

No action, no car chase scene, no one getting killed or blown up. Just an interesting conversation.

[RagAss]

22. So true...sad but true.

[omega minimo]

19. ".......held at a fine restraint promptly at 8pm every Thursday."

:spray: :applause: Well done. Bravo. Recced.

[zeemike]

21. Thanks n/t

[omega minimo]

23. "Thanks n/t"!!???!!!!1 --- Hey, I want my Rec back!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1111 1111!!!!!!!11

:spray:

[zeemike]

27. Well I guess I did cheat you some.

But You can always get someone to take it back for you.

[omega minimo]

28. oh what a tangled web..........

:pals:

[zeemike]

30. Te he...this one slipped under the radar of the UN police

And fouled the GP...someone should send out a distress signal...

[omega minimo]

32. Someone did.

UNazis brought it from +8 to +4.

This pettiness really fucking sucks.

[zeemike]

40. I really expected to be less than zero

I guess this post was not good enough for that rating.
It probably should have been 140 words or less.

[JDPriestly]

45. Love the OP. Tried to recommend but was too late. Agreed. Excellent point.

[omega minimo]

46. Too bad. Someone slipped in to UnRec it to +2 b/w my 12:06 pm kick

and the 12:08 pm end of 24 hours... looks like you tried to Rec before 12:12,


Isn't this FUN?????!!!!! :thumbsdown:

[zeemike]

50. BTW did you see this post?

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x6072433

Called DU the movie...and I suggested a sound track for it...Elvis Costelo's Less Than Zero...

[zeemike]

48. your appreciation is enough for me

Glad you liked it.