Not since John Steinbeck fictional character: Tom Joad that a new T.V character created by Vince Gilligans T.V show: Breaking bad has been so popular. People in progressive circles are invoking the name: Walter White. Read on...
Walter White Needed Obamacare
(Or did he?)
By S.J. Morris
U.S. Americans’ most popular fantasy, besides having sex with a movie star, is getting rich overnight. With wealth, all problems vanish! Or, do they…?
Another notable feature of American popular culture is its folk heroes. In the 1920’s, bank robbers and bandits refused to be denied their share of the wealth—from Jesse James to the gang bangers of the 90’s. Glorified by Woody Guthrie to N.W.A., thugs that would rob, kill, and wear bling-bling and display beautiful women on their arms, have been lauded by folk singers and gangsta rappers.
Alas, this is the stuff of Hollywood, which sells tickets from the box office to basic cable subscribers. One outstanding serial crime drama was Vince Gilligan’s, “Breaking Bad.” Bryan Cranston played the drama’s protagonist, Walter White. Previously of popular sitcom, “Malcolm in the Middle,” Cranston has done more to market “Fruit of the Loom” underpants than any glossy ad placement in a magazine. His character was that of a high school chemistry teacher and part-time cashier at a car wash, struggling to keep his family afloat. When his doctor diagnoses him with terminal lung cancer, he knows instinctively that his family will soon become bankrupt from the inevitable medical costs.
(Sarcasm switch on here:) Did he whine and expect the “nanny state” to shower him with welfare assistance? Hell, no! He took matters into his own hands: he started his own business. That is the Conservative’s “magic bullet” to combating poverty, right? He married his degreed chemist’s knowledge to blind desperation and soon built a multi-million dollar fortune! Shit, he was making more money than the auto-industry! Ok, his prize article of trade was illegal and deadly, but you’ve got to admit that Methamphetamine has tremendous supply and demand.
The damn socialist government has to regulate all products! Come on, now…certain men enjoy seeing videos of adults having sex with kids. After all, it’s free enterprise! It’s in the Constitution; just like Christianity is the official religion of the USA. How many times is Jesus mentioned in the constitution? So, Walter White was the real macho American. The only way to get your way is through extortion and violence. God Bless Walter White! (Sarcasm switch off)
Though Walter White is a fictional character, he is as real as any sunrise. Yes, not only did he have enough money to pay his medical bills, but he could have bought the whole damn hospital! His “blue meth” was the black market’s top-of-the-line product. However, he was producing a product that was killing the working class and the poor.
Some philosophical quarters believe that life has no meaning, so all so-called evil is justified. After all, Walter was dying of cancer and wanted to ensure that his family would be very well cared for after his demise. This nihilistic outlook seems to justify social Darwinism. I don’t know what Vince Gilligan’s political views are. Was this writer doing an Ayn Rand or Upton Sinclair treatment of his story? “Breaking Bad” is open to interpretation. In any case, I say Walter White is good argument for socialized medicine.
Oh, one more thing: “Baby Blue”-- that crummy song by Bad Finger? Both you and I know that it makes a lousy opè-ra comique for a grand-finale. How about, “It’s All Over Now, Baby Blue” by Bob Dylan? David Lynch, Quentin Taratino, and Sergio Leone called and they want their ideas back. What are you gonna do? Poetic license, you know.
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