this post was submitted on 24 Apr 2025
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[–] HalfSalesman@lemm.ee 17 points 15 hours ago (1 children)

I'm still sore about Jack Black being a coward and throwing Kyle Gass under the bus so IDK how much that would help with my enjoyment.

[–] sugar_in_your_tea@sh.itjust.works -4 points 15 hours ago (1 children)

This one. I'm actually w/ Jack Black on this, because condoning violence is never okay, even for someone as distasteful as Trump.

That said, I think it was an overreaction. Maybe there's more to it and this was the last straw. Idk.

That said, I'm sure Kyle is doing fine.

[–] HalfSalesman@lemm.ee 16 points 15 hours ago (1 children)

Not condoning violence against a fascist is rolling over and letting them get away with fascist shit. I take it you think Brian Thompson deserves sympathy as well?

Regardless of whether Kyle Gass is doing fine, it still reveals either a weak character on Jack Black's part or significant ideological disagreement with my own beliefs. To an extent that I find him much less appealing as an actor or performer.

If violence against a corporate ghoul, fascist, or nazi saves more lives in the long run, it is 100% justified. If Crooks had not missed we'd be living in a much better world right now and far fewer people would be in serious danger.

[–] sugar_in_your_tea@sh.itjust.works 4 points 14 hours ago (1 children)

I take it you think Brian Thompson deserves sympathy as well?

Yes. I think he was a pile of trash (esp. since my company uses his insurance company), but I will only consider violence as an absolute last resort. These types of problems can and should be solved without violence. Unfortunately, those types of solutions take a lot more time and effort, so I totally understand the desire for a quick fix, esp. for those who are suffering.

So while I think Brian Thompson deserves sympathy, I think Luigi Mangione and everyone who supports him does as well. Likewise for both Trump and those who support the attempted assassinations.

significant ideological disagreement with my own beliefs

I don't see what this has to do with watching a film with him in it. I have deep ideological disagreements with a lot of popular content, but I watch it because that content has nothing to do with that ideological disagreement.

I'll certainly boycott things that are directly related to my ideological disagreements (e.g. I avoid Nestle products due to their unethical sales tactics in Africa), but I'm not going to boycott something just because someone I disagree with is involved (e.g. I'm happy to use Brave despite completely disagreeing w/ Brendan Eich about same-sex marriage).

Watching a Jack Black film doesn't impact Jack Black's public views about Trump's assassination attempts, the two are completely unrelated. Refusing to go to a Tenacious D concert if Jack Black decides to go on tour w/o Kyle Gass could have an impact though.

If violence against a corporate ghoul, fascist, or nazi saves more lives in the long run, it is 100% justified

I absolutely disagree. The ends do not justify the means.

If we condone violence as an effective means to achieve political results, we're literally supporting terrorism, because that's what that is:

terrorism - The use of violence or the threat of violence, especially against civilians, in the pursuit of political goals.

[–] HalfSalesman@lemm.ee 7 points 14 hours ago

If we condone violence as an effective means to achieve political results, we’re literally supporting terrorism, because that’s what that is:

I never said "political ends". I was reasonably specific "fewer people dying in the long run".

Do you take issue with terrorism because of the results (immediate deaths + chilling effects) or because it is unvirtuous? Because I don't care about virtue at all.

I also don't put powerful people on the same level as a regular "civilian". When you take on a powerful position and then proceed to abuse the position so thoroughly that you cause mass deaths you might as well be a military general. In Trump's case, he's now literally the commander in chief of the US military.

I also want to point out that I don't even believe in free will and my ethical frame work here isn't that I simply want to "take out the trash" or seek vengeance. On a purely rational level I want the harm to stop, not to make Trump or Brian Thompson suffer or die. If there is a reasonable means to achieving that without killing them I would be in favor. But failing to find a pacifistic alternative I actually would say it is an ethical failure not to.