A post-scarcity "Downfall" parody remix of the bunker scene
Paul D. Fernhout
post-scarcity version of the "Downfall" bunker scene people have been
remixing, with new subtitles about open manufacturing or peer production or
abundance, but I couldn't quite see how to do it yet. But then, writing that
reply, inspiration came.
On the general theme:
"Hitler Remixes Are Big — on YouTube"
http://www.wired.com/underwire/2008/05/adolf-hitler-is/
Although it looks like all those specific remixes linked there are being
taken down over copyright claims? :-(
On how to make one:
"Hitler tries a DMCA takedown" by Brad Templeton
http://ideas.4brad.com/hitler-tries-dmca-takedown
So, here is one idea (not that it fits the Bunker clip exactly).
It builds on post-scarcity themes, like the ones Marshall Brain talks about
in Manna or Robotic Nation, or were talked about in the Triple Revolution
memorandum, maybe mixed a little with themes from the Yellow Submarine and
defeating Blue Meanies. :-)
Example clip still up there: "Blu-ray has won!"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=frZTf3mX97c
Dialog of alternatively a military officer and Hitler:
"It looks like there are now local digital fabrication facilities here,
here, and here."
"But we still have the rockets we need to take them out?"
"The rockets have all been used to launch seed automated machine shops for
self-replicating space habitats for more living space in space."
"What about the nuclear bombs?"
"All turned into battery-style nuclear power plants for island cities in the
oceans."
"What about the tanks?"
"The diesel engines have been remade to run biodiesel and are powering the
internet hubs supplying technical education to the rest of the world."
"I can't believe this. What about the weaponized plagues?"
"The gene engineers turned them into antidotes for most major diseases like
malaria, tuberculosis, cancer, and river blindness."
"Well, send in the Daleks."
"The Daleks have been re-outfitted to terraform Mars. There all gone with
the rockets."
"Well, use the 3D printers to print out some more grenades."
"We tried that, but they only are printing toys, food, clothes, shelters,
solar panels, and more 3D printers, for some reason."
"But what about the Samsung automated machine guns?"
"They were all reprogrammed into automated bird watching platforms. The guns
were taken out and melted down into parts for agricultural robots."
"I just can't believe this. We've developed the most amazing technology the
world has ever known in order to create artificial scarcity so we could rule
the world through managing scarcity. Where is the scarcity?"
"Gone, Mein Fuhrer, all gone. All the technologies we developed for weapons
to enforce scarcity have all been used to make abundance."
"How can we rule without scarcity? Where did it all go so wrong? ...
Everyone with an engineering degree leave the room ... now!"
[Cue long tirade on the general incompetence of engineers. :-) Then cue long
tirade on how could engineers seriously wanted to help the German workers to
not have to work so hard when the whole Nazi party platform was based on
providing full employment using fiat dollars. Then cue long tirade on how
could engineers have taken the socialism part seriously and shared the
wealth of nature and technology with everyone globally.]
"So how are the common people paying for all this?"
"Much is free, and there is a basic income given to everyone for the rest.
There is so much to go around with the robots and 3D printers and solar
panels and so on, that most of the old work no longer needs to be done."
"You mean people get money without working at jobs? But nobody would work?"
"Everyone does what they love. And they are producing so much just as gifts."
"Oh, so you mean people are producing so much for free that the economic
system has failed?"
"Yes, the old pyramid scheme one, anyway. There is a new post-scarcity
economy, where between automation and a a gift economy the
income-through-jobs link is almost completely broken. Everyone also gets
income as a right of citizenship as a share of all our resources for the few
things that still need to be rationed. Even you."
"Really? How much is this basic income?"
"Two thousand a month."
"Two thousand a month? Just for being me?"
"Yes."
"Well, with a basic income like that, maybe I can finally have the time and
resources to get back to my painting..."
From comments at Amazon about this book:
"Adolf Hitler: The Unknown Artist" by Billy F. Price
http://www.amazon.com/Adolf-Hitler-Billy-F-Price/dp/0961289406
"Hitler was known to be a "frustrated artist." ... When Hitler had applied
to the art school in Vienna, he was turned down. They did recommend that he
become an architect since he enjoyed painting buildings. Unfortunately, he
had dropped out of school when his father had died and was not qualified for
entry into architect's school. So, he went into politics instead. Imagine
how different the history of the twentieth century would have been had they
accepted him into the art school."
A basic income might have averted WWII. What might it help with now?
So, there are solutions. It is just really hard to get them implemented and
deployed. :-)
People should feel free if they want to run with this idea and make an
actual remix video using any of this text or variations on it (if, as Brad
Templeton claims, it is legal under fair use and/or parody in your country).
I don't know much about YouTube or remixing videos with subtitles, so I
don't plan on doing that myself anytime soon. Also, the text would take some
serious reworking to fit with the flow of the clip, since most of the middle
of the clip I just have in brackets. So, it would not work as is. It was
funny to take it this far though. :-)
--Paul Fernhout
http://www.pdfernhout.net/