DON’T LOOK UP

 

 

The Netflix movie Don’t Look Up is a must see.   It is a parody of the four years under Trump's administration and his handling of the corona virus.   An allegory of how political manipulation of public opinion, and the gullibility of a large section of our society disregard science.

This is the type of story that Michael Crichton could have written.

The movie begins when an astrophysicist and his research assistant discover a new asteroid on their radio telescope.  After tracking the asteroid, they discover it on a collision course with the earth.

 

Corona virus 

 

The scientists try to warn the government and eventually gets a meeting with the President, who prefers not to accept the findings, as she fears it will distract her base, and she is just months to her campaign for reelection.

 

Trump

 

In desperation, the scientist goes on the equivalence of Fox News and tries to alert the public.    The clown circus (Fox and Friends) show their ineptitude and ignorance by making light of the situation.   Finally, exasperated, the scientist explodes and yells that we are all going to die.

 

The President, now in her reelection mode, uses the scientist tirade from the news show to solidify her gullible base.   She begins to hold rallies, telling her followers that the Libs are spreading the false news of an asteroid collision to discourage them from voting, and that the educated snobs and the people from Hollywood look down on the average man, considering them dumb.  The President tells her followers, just don’t to look up.

 

There is nothing to fear from the Corona virus - so don’t take the vaccine.

 

Don’t look up, becomes the rally cry at all the President’s rallies. 

 

Even as the asteroid becomes visible, her followers go through their daily activities, refusing reality and refusing to look up.

 

The virus death toll rises and people in the ICU, hooked up to ventilators, rail and rant, calling the nurses and doctors liars when they are told they have Corona Virus.

 

I don’t see this as a spoiler.   The movie has a good cast, a good script and the director keeps the action moving.   It is a shake your head movie and you become aghast when you realize the parallel to today’s Republican party.

 

As well as defining one political party in this country, this is a story of politics trumping science. 

 

The good thing about science is that it is true whether or not you believe it. 

Neil deGrasse Tyson

 

But, religion as well as politics has always tend to distort and downplay science for their own advantage.

the Ol’Buzzard