Leaving Society: Surely, You Must Be Joking Dr. Fleming?, Episode 6
In this episode of Surely, You Must Be Joking Dr. Fleming?, we take a further look at the destruction of symbols in society - not just of statues of the Southern Confederacy, but even of religious and secular figures. Far from a counter-protest or adopting the tactics of our enemies, Dr. Fleming encourages a much more radical notion: opting-out.
Original Air Date: September 22, 2017
Show Run Time: 53 minutes
Show Guest(s): Dr. Thomas Fleming
Show Host(s): Stephen Heiner
Surely, You Must Be Joking Dr. Fleming?℗ is a Production of the Fleming Foundation. Copyright 2017. All Rights are Reserved.
I have a dear friend who has leftist sympathies. This was never an issue between us until the last election when he began to back Sanders and began to proclaim his convictions about Marxism. Somehow, I thought tensions would subside after the election, but they have only grown worse. I tried to agree and find common ground where I could, but as we are both members of the same church, I have also contradicted him on Marxism regularly and reminded him that his ideology is contradictory to his faith. I fear his ideology is taking the upper hand these days, as I see him less in church and very infrequently personally. When we are together now, he condemns “the bourgeois” and blames “white men” for all manner of wickedness. Thanks to recent protests, he has now started calling for the destruction of Confederate statues and memorials – an issue that he knows is quite close to my heart. This fellow was a groomsman in my wedding and a dear companion for many years, and he has never talked this way until the last year. I am very anxious not to drive him away from me, and so I avoid engaging him on these controversies, but that has meant we are not talking much at all. I imagine he will leave his faith now that he has found an ideology. I would be happy for advice.
My friend is, of course, white, male, and bourgeois, as well as the son of missionaries.
Dr. Fleming: Thank you for this for this podcast.
Bagby: Listen to the podcast again.
It has gotten to the point that you can’t be friends with such people any more. Let them live in their delusions, they have made their choice. Be wary of them. They are not your friends.
Every day I feel a little bit more like Charlton Heston in a certain science-fiction film: “It’s a *madhouse!*”
Marvelous podcast, Mr. Heiner and Dr. Fleming. Also enjoyed hearing Dr. Fleming’s thoughts about fascism in the other podcasts. I am catching up with Fleming Foundation material I have missed over the past few weeks.
Mr Coleman – that’s very much a favorite film of mine – did you know the screenplay was done by Rod Serling and Michael Wilson (of the Bond franchise)?
Mr. Heiner, the current issue of TV Guide has a piece about Rod Serling’s influence on TV and movies.
Mr. Heiner: Apologies for the tardy response.
Yes, Rod Serling and Michael Wilson provided some genuinely wise and terse lines of dialogue for their protagonists with the screenplay. Your taste in film must be exquisite, Mr. Heiner, for that is a favorite science-fiction film of mine as well. A good rule of thumb is if Charlton Heston starred in a “sci-fi” movie from roughly the mid-1960s through the mid-1970s, it is at least worth a look.
The ending remains one of the best-executed twists of the genre.