a man of action
the sworn enemy
of guilder
he of
liberal ambition
powered by
conservative intellect
There are a couple layers to this post: one, The Princess Bride is an all-time favourite of mine, and how could it not be? It is, in my opinion, a nearly perfect film full of wonderful dialogue and caricatures. Two, Vizzini is a scheming buffoon and generally aligns closely with how I view conservative politicians and pundits. They are villains. Yet, you kind of have to stand back and appreciate their arrogance. However, they are also dangerous, "men of action," if you will. They get things done, whereas the centre-left side of the spectrum can be and often is, disorganized and fractious.
I wish that conservative politicians and their policies could be overcome with as much ease and panache as Wesley has. Alas, it is not to be. This does not mean that we should give up our dreams of a humane and egalitarian future, rather, be reminded of Inigo, whose gave all to his quest.
My friends, that is it for today. A simple and humorous take on the villains of The Princess Bride and the conservative right.
Joshua Wiebe