MovieChat Forums > Liam Neeson Discussion > These are our words, this is our world.....

These are our words, this is our world...

posted 5 years ago by [deleted]
23 replies | jump to latest

1. Liam Neeson: Forty years ago I had some dark and unhealthy thoughts of revenge after a tragedy occurred to a close friend. I didn't carry it out, I realized it was wrong, I sought help. I'm fine today.

2. How it should have ended: I salute Liam Neeson for his forthright honesty. He sought help, he re-examined his attitudes and beliefs. His story is a lesson for the rest of us. We urge others to follow his example, seek the help of others -- priest or counselor, it doesn't matter -- if they must and re-connect with the goodness inside themselves.

3. The Internet today: Man, I f*****g HATE intolerant people! Screw that Liam Neeson, boycott his movies and kill his career!

If you are one of the people in category 3 above, you are just an asshole.

[–] [deleted] 5 years ago

That all said, I suspect most of this is the usual media-generated controversy.

Most of us probably just shrugged and thought: "Yeah, I remember when I was a dumb ass back in my 20s."

[–] Filmtenk2 (3357) 5 years ago

This will blow over. Curious to see if his movie does well at the BO.

[–] maul (1530) 5 years ago

This shit seriously makes me sick. I'm honestly hoping for an asteroid at this point.

[–] [deleted] 5 years ago

Don't let it get you down. The Great Depression, WWII, the civil unrest of the 60s, disco, 9/11... every generation has had to face its dark times. We'll get through it.

[–] TaRaNRoD (1579) 5 years ago

Yup, that's world we live in. It wasn't a smart move on Neeson's part, he should have just stayed silent like he did for 40 years.

[–] [deleted] 5 years ago

I take the opposite view.

I think more people need to start telling their stories and pushing back against the malignant minority whose influence is all out of proportion to their numbers thanks to the power of social media. And we need to start shaming social media and journalists who encourage this behaviour.

I think Neeson did it in just the right way. He told his story, acknowledged his faults, and learned his lesson BACK THEN -- forty goddam years ago. Instead, the studio, some of his friends, etc should have stepped up and gave him their support and shouted down the trolls and haters. (I do note that Hispanic actress Michelle Rodriquez came forward in a solid show of support -- good for her.)

[–] TaRaNRoD (1579) 5 years ago

Yeah, I agree... If we would live in a better time. Right now, people are all offended pussies who nitpick reasons to be pissed off.

His case just proves it more: people don't care about his statement, they just focus on the "racist" aspect of what he said (btw, I DON'T think he is racist). It's ridiculous. I personally know people like that: you tell them a relevant and clever speach, and if you dare saying one little thing that sounds a bit innapropriate, people shit on you ignoring the whole point of what you were trying to say. Just look at all the fucking morons commenting here who call him "racist" and who say that they will "boycot his upcoming movies". It's fucking ridiculous.

At times like these we know that humanity is going downhill.

[–] [deleted] 5 years ago

Unfortunately, we do not live in a forgiving and empathetic climate. Instead liberals, the very people who should be championing compassion, rehabilitation, tolerance, understanding and honest expression, are now starting to define themselves by the exact opposite values: a punitive and sanctimonious puritanism and Big Brother style intolerance, in which we're all forced to hypocritically denounce one another in order to demonstrate our superior wokeness and allegiance to the neoliberal agenda.

We can see that in the way that the left, which once championed rehabilitation and forgiveness for criminals, and was at the forefront of the anti-death penalty movement, has increasingly taken a very intolerant and punitive attitude towards law-breakers, including mass shooters and sex offenders. Of course those people should be punished and imprisoned, but instead of attempting to understand these people if only to prevent such crimes occurring again, and working to rehabilitate and reintegrate them back into society, once they have served their terms, the so-called 'progressive left' (and frankly, there is nothing remotely 'progressive' about their attitudes) has now adopted a 'once a felon, forever a felon' approach.

The hysteria that has accompanied the Liam Neeson story, which, as you say, relates to an incident and mindset that took place forty years ago, is a case in point. Transgressions, even thought crime, will forever be punished. No-one is permitted the chance to grow and become a better person.

[–] McQualude (4231) 5 years ago

Yeah unlike those open-minded fascists that elected Trump.

[–] Wuchak (8079) 5 years ago

You're obviously a LIEberal fascist. Trump's a great president! (Unless, of course, you get your "news" from CNN -- Communist News Network).

[–] McQualude (4231) 5 years ago

Too obvious. You Paki bots need to learn subtlety.

[–] TaRaNRoD (1579) 5 years ago

Sure, fucking up with the agreement to not make any more nuclear weapon was a smart presidential move...

[–] [deleted] 5 years ago

Why are you bringing them into the conversation?

This isn't about them?

Stop being so sensitive. Liberals should be above this. You should understand that my criticism of fellow libs only arises because I hold them to a higher standard.

[–] McQualude (4231) 5 years ago

You are using liberal the same way conservative propagandists use it, as a catchall for behavior you don't like. Liberalism is a set of values that resulted in the creation of democracy, capitalism, and individual rights. The obfuscation and dumbing down of politics is lumping a lot of people in with liberalism that don't know anything about liberalism. Same way that many disgruntled Republicans identify as libertarian without understanding anarchocapitalistism. Just because someone is on TV or generally votes Democrat doesn't make them a liberal. Neeson didn't do anything wrong and doesn't need forgiveness. Bad thoughts don't make you a bad person, bad actions do.

[–] [deleted] 5 years ago

I agree with the last point, but it should be clear that I am speaking as a progressive, albeit one who is dismayed by the sanctimony and self-righteous judgement of several keyboard social justice warriors who take it upon themselves to tear others apart for their transgressions, no matter how small, or historical, or atoned for (and whilst Neeson's admission was, on the face of things, disturbing and distressing, he did not, as you say, do anything wrong other than have a bad thought, moreover one that occurred forty years ago).

[–] McQualude (4231) 5 years ago

My point being is that lumped everyone criticizing Neesom into one group called liberals and then criticized their hypocrisy. Maybe that wasn't your intention but instead consider criticizing the behavior, instead of using the behavior to criticize a group.

[–] [deleted] 5 years ago

Well, I'm sorry if that's how it came across, but my whole point wasn't to lump all libs together. It was to make a distinction between traditional libs, and probably the vast majority of actual libs, and an unfortunately vocal minority of self-identifying libs who define themselves by sanctimoniously picking on and calling out anyone who doesn't meet their standards.

[–] McQualude (4231) 5 years ago

Because not telling you changes anything.

[–] Otter (24464) 5 years ago

Anyone who doesnt understand that feelings like that are common and lead to real-life assaults and even murders is... PRIVILEGED!!@

Because yes, I'm an old Leftie, but the kids who go around screaming about boycotts dont have a clue about life outside of suburbs and college campuses.

[–] [deleted] 5 years ago

A lot of these Millennial kids grew up in very socioeconomically privileged households that have facilitated their progressive viewpoints.

Speaking as another old leftie, I see that mostly as a good thing, as we hopefully move towards a more progressive and tolerant society.

However, the problem with some of these upper-middle-class and sheltered kids is that they don't understand and have much sympathy for anyone who wasn't raised under such privileged circumstances and didn't grow up with such righteous values.

If I ever have kids of my own, I'll raise them to have those progressive liberal values, whilst also understanding that not everyone has grown up as privileged as them, particularly members of older generations, and to have some compassion and empathy for those people who were raised under tougher and more violent circumstances.

[–] Martoto (4085) 5 years ago

Outrage at internet outrage. The omitted fourth category in that list. Last but by no means least.

[–] [deleted] 5 years ago

Too true.

[–] Rorikon (16364) 5 years ago

The outrage is just the small minority far left folk that you must have a perfect resume in life. I bet them themselves are bigots, hypocrites, and possibly semi-racists themselves but just don't know it. In 25 years, the shit they're preaching will not be acceptable then as it is now.