The political myth created by "will"

Madisyn 2022-03-22 09:02:57

From the film itself, it is really a very good documentary. From the composition of each picture, to the switching of scenes, the change of time, to the coordination of music, the creative skills can be said to be very delicate.

The film begins with a series of subtitles introducing the background: "September 5, 1934, 20 years after the outbreak of the World War, 16 years after the start of Germany's suffering; 19 months after the start of the new Germany, Adolf Hitler came back Fort New York." Pay attention to the relationship between these times, and you will understand why Hitler had the confidence to say: "The Nazi Party is the only political force in Germany! It is the backbone of Germany! The German people must consciously obey. them!"

At the end of World War I, Germany, as a defeated country, signed an unequal treaty, not only required to pay huge indemnities, but also ceded land and reduced the army, which was followed by a serious domestic economic crisis, and people's lives could not be guaranteed at all. It was under such circumstances that Hitler appeared, and a series of vigorous and resolute domestic and foreign policies made Germany re-emerge at an alarming speed in a short period of time. It can be said that Hitler and the Nazi Party made the falling Germany and the German people stand up, This real "political myth" is the backdrop for this documentary .

The main film begins with the people welcoming Hitler's return.

From Hitler getting off the plane, getting into the car, until the end of the tour, the high-pitched music never stops, and the grand scene is enough to make people's blood boil. If you think it is too exaggerated, look at those who waved to Hitler excitedly, those faces People with smiles filled with longing and hope, from top to bottom, from old to young, are all enthusiastic. Also, for the German people who had just experienced the defeat of the First World War, everything the Nazi Party did seems to keep them away from the quagmire of the past, and the Nazis gave them hope of living and fantasy of a better future - this is all No one dared to imagine it happened. Therefore, the reason for the success of this film is also here - to meet the needs of the audience .

No one does not love this kind of utopia. When the Nazis consciously or unintentionally led the audience to face history, the strong sense of belonging and identity made the German people fall into a frenzy for "growth" and "prosperity". The sublime in the aesthetic mechanism mentioned in The Sublime has similarities: people admire heroes, honor, dignity, and greatness. There are trade-offs in this aesthetic sequence, and then it is roughly equivalent to the choice of value. This aesthetic form and Value orientation determines people's attitude towards this film.

The projection of this fantasy into reality becomes a certain desire, and every speech of the German leader becomes another way to strengthen the guidance of consciousness. This kind of propaganda is different from repetition like indoctrination and brainwashing, but a process of actively receiving information . Just as Stephenson mentioned in the book "The Game Theory of Mass Communication", "communication is the end in itself" . What people see in the film are the heroic German soldiers, the farmers who offer gifts, and the people who are full of confidence. These images bring joy and excitement to the audience, and people indulge in their fantasies about the future. This is the result of active choice, and what hides is hidden hegemony and control.

So you say this documentary is real? Of course it's true. But is the fantasy created by this documentary real? Did the Nazi Party achieve its goals? History will answer for us.

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Extended Reading

The Triumph of the Will quotes

  • Adolf Hitler: The German people are happy in the knowledge that a constantly changing vision has been replaced by a steadfast pole!

  • Adolf Hitler: There is always a part of society that sets themselves apart and more is expected from them than from the millions of national comrades. For them, it is not enough to simply pledge 'I believe', but rather the affirmation 'I fight'!

    [Thunderous applause]