Pop Nazis

A few months back I posted on the Nazi Olsen twin lookalikes Prussian blue. Well, the Observer music magazine had an interesting piece on the resurgence of mass-produced Nazi music across Europe and the US.

It's an interesting piece. Read it here. bottom line is:

'Hate rock is a growing problem,' ... 'It is the single number one recruiting tool drawing young bigots into the white supremacist movement. It is also the single largest money generator for the movement as well.' Burghart's greatest fear is a white power band breaking into the mainstream and appearing on MTV or getting into the UK music charts.

Meet the New Boss....

... same as the old boss. Except this one's been 5 act redemptive structured and character plot-pointed beyond recognition.

That's right David Cameron, with his legion of media-schooled advisors, has written himself a character for us. And for any of you who - like me - have been carpet-bombed with Syd Field and Robert McKee then you'll be sniffing 'redemptive story arc' all over how he's being sold. Remember in this age, being low key, honest and riding a mountain bike is as much of a schtick as... Having a schtick.

Now, read on:

In the entertainment industry you present a story as a logline: a simple, one-sentence pitch. This is followed by plot beats that show the progress of your narrative. That’s how the modern storytelling industry works – so why do I think of these things when I read about David Cameron’s coronation as new Tory leader?

Because Cameron and his advisors deliver crisp loglines: “A different kind of Tory”, a man who’ll “redefine politics”, “a modern and compassionate Conservative”. They back them up with well-constructed beats: youthful indiscretions since tamed, formative political experiences with Chancellor Lamont on history’s stage, mastery of the corporate world, a redemptive struggle to raise a disabled child. Cameron’s the politician who rides a mountain bike, the young man who delivers the epiphanic speech on cue. And just like a good modern screenplay or TV series, every beat, every set-piece is beautifully structured and managed to deliver a clear, coherent, uplifting result: a story.

While Cameron’s position on many major policy issues are still quite undefined, we’ve been given a good picture of what defines him. In the language of modern entertainment this is ‘Character Arc’. It’s formed by a technology of storytelling that’s all about taking that messy thing called life and reducing it to a clear 3-Act (or 5 or 7-act depending on which system you follow) narrative with jeopardy, conflict and resolution.

Now character-based politics is not new – look at Reagan – but politics as carefully structured Hollywood-style narrative is. Bill Clinton’s famous ‘Man from Hope’ film in 1992 framed a redemptive arc from poor Southern child to populist saviour. This inspired documentarist Molly Deneen’s 1997 portrait film of Tony Blair which framed the story of his life. Both of them built a political narrative which we could all share in: the resolution of Clinton and Blair’s drama would be ours too.

These days modern election campaigns are more and more wars of narrative, closely modelled on and inspired by mass entertainment. Whoever constructs the better story, wins. It won George Bush the last election – despite an unpopular war and uncertain economy he simply had a better narrative than John Kerry - and that’s how David Cameron is grooming himself now. And should he come up against Gordon Brown then I’d say: Gordon, beware.

In real terms, Brown outflanks Cameron utterly. But if it’s a war of narratives… The aging, bleak, embittered Scot, overshadowed by his charismatic leader faces a youthful underdog. A young man who overcame personal challenges, unencumbered by Brown’s kind of political baggage, speaking dialogue of optimism.

It’s a feelgood Hollywood drama versus a dark European art film, and if they were both showing in your local multiplex… It would be no contest.