Lefsetz: Does Art Imitate Life in Norwegian Thriller ‘Occupied”

When the revolution comes, which side will you be on?

Even more interesting, which side WERE you on?

This is the story of billionaires, this is the story of impeachment.

Now I believe that if a Democrat wins the Presidency, all hell will break loose – the Trumpers will not accept it. And in a world where the Russians have hacked Burisma, to get info on Hunter Biden to use against a possible Biden candidacy – when the results come in it’s gonna be open season…

Were the voting machines hacked? Can you trust the vote? The news?

You certainly can’t trust the news anymore – blame the internet – blame the Republicans.

While the intelligentsia keeps lamenting the decimation of newspapers, that’s no longer the story anymore…the story isn’t reportage, but believability. Who do you choose to believe?

And it’s not only the ignorant right, but the educated left.

Yup, I got e-mail saying I should not get the flu vaccine because it’s got aluminum in it. What next, no treatment for appendicitis? Are we all turning into Jehovah’s Witnesses?

So, if it’s in the NYT or the WaPo, it can’t be true. Yup, that’s what the right believes. And sometimes, up is down.

And the left can’t stop railing against Fox News, as if anybody on the right is listening to them complain.

And if you’ve got a name, and you stand up to the Administration, you’re inundated with blowback from the usual suspects, the same damn people, over and over.

This is what bothers me about the mainstream news sources, they live in a bubble, out of touch with the rank and file. They’re behind a wall just like the CEOs. Oh, they’ll tap someone on the shoulder for their opinion, to get a story, but they don’t penetrate the scene.

Actually, the scene penetrates you, if your name is big enough. And too many reporters’ names are not. Quick! Name the WSJ and WaPo White House reporters! You can’t!

And we’re living in a “2001” society.

Where the machines have taken over.

We keep reading about AI, but that’s not the issue. The issue is the aftereffects of the power of the platforms.

Facebook has lost control, whilst trying to maintain control. Yup, Facebook employs subterfuge to hoover up your data, but is unable and unwilling to supervise behavior on its sites, saying it can’t when the truth is it doesn’t want to and won’t admit that it’s truly lost control of the content.

It’d be like building roads and being unable to contain speeding, accidents. Or flying airplanes without air traffic controllers. And who is gonna tell the truth here and who is gonna believe it and..?

So if you sidled up to the billionaires, if you did it for the perks, believing you should not be left out, you’re gonna be in trouble. There’s a list, and you’re gonna be tainted.

The tide has already turned, the mass is against the ultra-rich. The only way the billionaires sustain is if they arm up and shoot us.

As for the impeachment circus…

History will not be kind to Republican Senators who vote to exonerate Trump.

They’re playing team politics, they’re afraid of Trump and their constituencies both.

They believe that by doing the right thing they’ll end their careers, and it’s all about the personal in today’s world.

As for the charges… Oh, come on.

Trump trades aid for info. Kinda like Iran/Contra. If he’s not guilty, then I should be able to shoot people on the street, or at least rob a bank.

So today’s world is run by television – and I’m not talking cable news.

The truth is very few people watch Fox or MSNBC or CNN, never mind the antiquated network news. They’re busy watching the rest of the programming. They’re addicted to story, and that’s where the lessons are.

Like “Succession.” That’s where the average person learns how the rich behave, not in endless reporting in the paper.

And there are no lessons in music. That’s pure commerce. Or mindless hedonism.

As for books…

The publishing business got exactly what it wanted, which is to keep its reach and influence marginal. What have I always told you, distribution is king?

Well, Amazon had every Kindle book under ten bucks, growing the marketplace. The publishers got the right to set prices and raised them to the point where a physical book is often cheaper than a digital one, who’s gonna take that deal?

Yup, it’s all about reaching the masses.

And if you want to do this, you’re best off making a television show.

I take my TV watching seriously, very seriously, because I don’t have enough time.

That’s what the film business doesn’t understand.

Viewing is done by appointment, which is set by me, not them.

That’s what’s great about the revolution in music distribution…I can listen anywhere, anytime, as long as I’ve got juice. And the ignorant still believe it’s about the connection, cell service, demonstrating that they haven’t kept up with technology, they don’t know you can synch tracks to the handset.

And those in power have not kept up with technology.

Trump may tweet, but he’s got no idea how his phone works. He keeps telling us he’s gonna bring back manufacturing. What’s next, caning in schools?

Now on to Netflix’s Norwegian series Occupied…

So Jesper Berg wants to move beyond oil and gas. And Russia and the EU say no way!

So Russian invades Norway to secure natural resource energy production.

Jesper keeps satiating them, believing they’re gonna leave, that their stay is only temporary.

Bente is elated. Now her restaurant can stay open, all the rich Russians need to eat!

But suddenly she’s a pariah.

The news keeps telling everyone life is hunky-dory.

But the resistance? It is flourishing.

And then the question…who on the inside is really on the outside?

Never ignore hearts and minds. That’s what the right wing revolution was all about, that’s why Trump got elected. The white nationalists, those left behind by globalization, they wanted to be acknowledged, they wanted to be recognized, have input, however deluded they might be.

Concomitantly, on the left throngs supported Bernie Sanders. Who right now looks like he’s gonna be the nominee, despite the mainstream informing us again and again that the now fading Biden is the people’s choice and the only electable candidate.

Sanders fans are sick and tired of being screwed and are worried about the future, can you say “climate change”?

That’s what Jesper Berg is trying to do. Save society from itself.

But the Russians don’t want this, never mind the EU. As for the U.S? It’s no longer the world’s peacekeeper, it’s staying out, worried solely about its interests.

So Norway is on its own. Who is gonna save Norway?

Or, should I put it who cares about Norway other than the Norwegians?

Yup, “Occupied” is not far-fetched. It’s just a tiny step beyond today’s reality. We live in a global economy, isolationists are screwed. As for those doing the screwing…they’re not worried about the rule of law, they’re just worried about getting what they want. And the result justifies any means.

Come on, it’s not that different in America.

Reality is whitewashed. The poor are subjected to cameras everywhere, never mind facial recognition. Commit a crime and you’re going to jail. But if you’re rich, if you’re a white collar criminal? You skate! Just ask Trump himself, who has decimated the IRS, never mind filed false tax returns.

Yup, your heroes have clay feet. Believe in yourself, nobody else cares about you.

So when you watch “Occupied” you will not stop thinking about reality, truth, today. What would you do? Would you stand by frozen, would you be an opportunist, or would you fight for your country and way of life?

Funny thing, when the chips are down, you’d be stunned what becomes irrelevant, what you’re willing to sacrifice for the cause.

And judgment day always comes.

Yup. The choices you made will impact your future. And everything’s on hard drive, nothing eludes those seeking it. They know what fundraiser you went to, they know who you had dinner with, they know everything about you and it’s gonna come back to haunt you, unless you’ve led a clean life.

Yup, when it’s all said and done it might come back to morality, the straight and narrow.

For now, watch the Norwegian political thriller OCCUPIED on Netflix and get back to me….

https://vimeo.com/137593196