Eddie Scarry writes for the New York Post about a tedious trait of today’s trendy Hollywood offerings.
The 24 million people who watched this year’s Academy Awards got to see what Hollywood has become: an industry that cares less about producing quality entertainment, and more about reinforcing a culture that puts a premium on grievance, oppression and victimhood.
No one is more committed to fortifying the standing of victims and their unearned privileges than liberal celebrities. What are each of the nationally televised awards ceremonies if not tributes to social justice, celebrations of “diversity” and recognitions of various forms of hardship that women, ethnic minorities and non-heterosexuals are assumed to endure?
Joaquin Phoenix, Best Actor recipient at last Sunday’s Oscars, made sure to use his acceptance speech as an opportunity to highlight “gender inequality,” acknowledge “queer” and “indigenous” people, and, of course, condemn “racism” — none of which had anything to do with his movie “Joker” or the award he was presented with. But that’s beside the point — he knew he would at least get an affirming round of applause from his peers for signaling that he cared about marginalized people.
It would be a harmless gesture if it weren’t for the fact that Hollywood has fetishized oppression and victimhood to justify an endless stream of bad content and mediocre talent.
