What Game of Thrones Can Teach Us About Trump's America

By Michael Moore, Michael Moore's Facebook Page

25 May 19

ey everyone. You may have noticed I’ve done minimal posting the last couple of months. If you’ve thought, “he must be up to something,” you’d be right. Those of you who’ve followed me for years know that if you haven’t heard from me in a while it’s not because the Feds have taken me away (ha!), or that I’ve just said “fuckit I’m moving to Monaco.” I tend to go quiet when I’m working on a new project(s). Better (safer) that way. Best they don’t see me coming, if you get my drift. I don’t need to tell you that we are up against a mighty, mighty opponent. And more than one. Trump for sure, and of course an economic system that benefits the few at the expense of the many. But also ourselves, our own mentality that doesn’t understand how Trump will win again if we leave 2020 up to the same people that brought us 2016. I promise you what I’m “up to” is being designed to, in concert with what others are doing, to prevent that from happening again. But more on that in another post.

I’m writing today about something less earth-shattering but nonetheless symptomatic of the times in which we live. Tonight is the final episode of Game of Thrones (don’t worry there are no real spoilers here). For those of you who have not watched it for these eight seasons, I understand. I watched the first episode — two beheadings, three rapes and a 10-yr old boy being tossed out a tower window — and that was enough punishment for me. I didn’t come back to it for two years when I heard that the gratuitous bait for its male-intended audience had been reduced and that the story lines had become smarter (though no less intense). It turned out to be one of the most brilliant series ever on television.

But you may have heard a lot of people at work or school or online this week upset over the turn the series’ second-to-last episode took last Sunday night. Things did not go the way most Americans had hoped. And I get it. We are living in a dark, dark time. The cold chill of Trump’s winter envelopes us all now, and we are full of despair. Too many were convinced (or hoped) that at least this fantasy we were watching on TV would relieve us. Give us the ending we desperately need. Remind us that most people are good and that heroes exist. That the boy will get the girl (or the girl will get the girl). That we will all live in peace and prosperity.

But Game of Thrones last week refused to participate in our fantasy, refused to give us a shot of feel-good and instead reminded us that this is not only a dark time, the people we are clinging to to save us from the madness are not necessarily going to do that. Which puts it back on us.

And that’s what made last week’s episode so brilliant. At some point, amidst all the carnage, it must have dawned on some viewers that these monarchs were elected by no one and were, in the end, serving their own interests. That’s what those in power do. Give them a powerful military or a weapon that rains fire from the sky and they will use it to gain more power or to seek their revenge. To hell with the peon masses who now run for their lives. The images, which were straight out of Hiroshima and Dresden, were a reminder that the only time in history that nuclear weapons were unleashed on humanity (on civilians and children!) was done by the “good guys” — us! — the Best Nation on Earth! The Breaker of Chains!

Take last week’s episode for what it was - art imitating life, a reflection of our miserable, inexcusable condition where we seem to hold no power, our lives at the mercy of wealth and white rulers with all their unearned privilege. And when the monarch turns out to not be the monarch what will The People do? Have we had it with the figurative and literal incest in the Leader’s chambers? Will we rise up? Are we still sitting around waiting for the next pretty white boy who’s going to “save” us?

Let’s see what happens tonight.

Then let’s see what we all do tomorrow.