If you’re the average American used to living from paycheck to paycheck, and the stress of being able to provide for your family feels difficult right now, check your privilege for a second.
You know who is really having a difficult time during this crisis? Well, ultra-wealthy progressives in Hollywood are. Times are really tough for them inside their massive mansions and acres of property, and they want us all to know that they’re exactly like us.
Last week, a video showing several movie stars trading off lines from the John Lennon song “Imagine” went viral. Putting it politely, it wasn’t exactly as well-received as the celebrities appearing in the song were hoping.
First of all, let’s pretend that the song in question isn’t an overt communist anthem that condemns a belief in God, free market capitalism, and seemingly every other tradition that made the West the envy of the civilized world. The big story here is what you see in the background behind weeping celebrities pretending to have a difficult time. These homes look really, really nice — not exactly the most effective way for appearing relatable.
This is one of those rare moments where Americans of every political persuasion took issue with the same thing. If you’re on the left, glamorous displays of luxury during a financial crisis are morally offensive. If you’re on the right, seeing all of the people who trash your way of life on a routine basis is never a welcome sight.
Here’s a serious question: what exactly did these movie stars mean to accomplish with this? All they’ve done is make themselves appear just as wildly out of touch as we all knew that they were.
Here’s Carl Benjamin to break down what may go down as one of the most hated viral videos of the decade.