Overly Sarcastic Productions
Published 17 Jul 2020Escape the worries of our modern world by visiting the high middle ages and learning about something esoteric and irrelevant: Plague!
In this video, I attempt to actually teach you something about how the medieval world worked and how it responded to this existential threat, rather than dredging up 3rd grade plague facts for easy views. Oops, did I say that out loud?
SOURCES & Further Reading: The Black Death: The World’s Most Devastating Plague via The Great Courses by Dorsey Armstrong, “From Plague Doctor to PPE” by Bernadette Banner (https://youtu.be/ZniriC-jTHg), “Biological Warfare at the Siege of Caffa” from the CDC (https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/eid/article/8/9…)
This video was edited by Sophia Ricciardi AKA “Indigo”. https://www.sophiakricci.com/
Our content is intended for teenage audiences and up.
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July 20, 2020
History Hijinks: Plague
July 16, 2020
The Witchfinder General Defends the Great State of Massachusetts
Atun-Shei Films
Published 14 Jul 2020The greate Common-Wealth of Massachusetts is oft unjustly slandered. The Ignorant shall saye that the inhabitants of this fair colonie drive Carriages like mad-men; that they are too much enamored with Crimson Stockings and Those Who Love Their Countrie; and that they are as sullen and cruel as a New-England winter. The Witchfinder General dis-proves this Slander, and denounces it for the Profession of Heresy that it is.
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Original Music by Dillon DeRosa ► http://dillonderosa.com/
#Puritan #Witch #Boston
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From the comments:
Atun-Shei Films
1 day ago
The awesome baroque song at the end of this video is the brand-new Witchfinder General theme composed by the insanely talented Dillon DeRosa, who’s currently hard at work putting together a new theme for Checkmate Lincolnites and a bunch of other incidental music for this channel. His music was also one of the best parts of my movie ALIEN, BABY! and he’s done a bunch of other film scores as well. Check out his website, and never forget that thou art a wretched sinner, utterly unworthy of God’s love: http://dillonderosa.com/
July 14, 2020
Then they came for the nursery rhymes
James Lileks illustrates just how easy it is to construct a case to cancel a children’s song:
At some point the mob will run out of things to cancel. All the low-hanging fruit1 will have been plucked to make smoothies for the commune. Wrongthink professors, authors, movies, newspaper columnists — easy enough. After that? Well, if you’re really going to root out systematic systemism, everything has to go. This means someone will eventually be tasked with canceling children’s songs, or recasting them for the new era. Pity the person who has to find the problematic problems in “Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star.”
It’s not that hard. Take the first line: The very idea that stars are supposed to twinkle locks them into a societally prescribed mode of behavior. Expecting a star to twinkle is like telling a strange woman on the subway to smile. Strong, troublemaking stars explode! The very idea that we want “little” stars to engage in performative “twinkling” negates the life experience of massive gas giants like Betelgeuse. In fact “twinkling” itself strips the star’s identity and expresses it through the eyes of the beholder, who mistakes the effect of the atmosphere on star observation for the star’s true nature.
Okay, now we’re getting somewhere. Whew! Turns out there’s a lot to unpack.
How I wonder what you are.
Well, you wouldn’t if there weren’t racism in STEM that kept people out, but no, that’s not right. STEM is bad because it uses the Western empirical model to determine “facts.” Better: The speaker’s questions about the star arise from the suppression of the rich history of Arab astrological knowledge. So it’s a lesson in the ways Islamophobia prevents a greater understanding of the world. Next!
Up above the world so high, like a diamond in the sky . . .
Hold on, hold on … okay, got it. The star’s remoteness is a metaphor for the entrenched power system and encourages a sense of powerlessness. The choice of a “diamond” is intentional, reminding the child of the commodification of natural resources and the brutal economies of the industries that extract them …
1. Just this morning, I saw a call to cancel the expression “low-hanging fruit” because it might remind people of lynching.
July 10, 2020
QotD: Marcus Aurelius for the incel demographic
We all know that barren cat ladies of both sexes and all 57+ genders are the poz’s storm troopers. As I’ve written here probably ad nauseam, you can’t beat Trigglypuff, because — and only because — she has more free time than you do. You have a life, a job, a family, hobbies, interests. She doesn’t. Hell, you have to sleep sometime. She doesn’t, because the Trigglypuffs of the world are by definition jacked up on powerful prescription psychotropics. You just can’t beat that.
You just can’t beat it. But […] Our Thing has lots of potential Trigglypuffs. They’re called “incels,” I’m informed, but whatever the nomenclature, there are a lot of young single dudes out there who while away their pointless hours with video games and porn. Those are our potential storm troopers (it’s a metaphor, FBI goons). Why haven’t we weaponized them? (again: metaphor).
It’s probably as simple as giving them a role model. It goes without saying that your “incel” (or whatever) was raised by women. Even if there was a biological male living in the house during his childhood, it’s a thousand to one he was just that: a cohabiting male. Certainly not a father. And even if by some miracle he was, the poor guy can only do so much. You’ve got to let your sons out of the house sometime … where they’ll immediately be snapped up by the sour, shrieking cat ladies that control our educational system, our media, our professions, our culture. Both the son and his father have to be very, very hard-headed, and not a little lucky, to escape a poz infection …
… and that’s the best-case scenario. For the worst, look around — you’ll find incel and his soy-enfeebled twerp of a “male” parent cowering under the bed, scrubbing their hands and faces with Lysol, while Mommy scolds and caterwauls on Facebook.
There are role models out there, y’all. Stoicism in general, and Marcus Aurelius in particular, have seen a real upswing in popularity, especially on “Game” sites. This doesn’t represent a return to a Classical education; it’s that Marcus seems to be — Marcus is — a worthwhile role model for a fatherless boy. Strip out the “credits” at the start of book one and a few of the denser, more philosophical passages, and you could subtitle Meditations “how to drop your nuts on the carpet and act like a fucking man for once.” Loosely translated, of course.
Severian, “Be a Centurion!”, Rotten Chestnuts, 2020-04-07.
July 5, 2020
History Summarized: Colonial India
Overly Sarcastic Productions
Published 4 Jul 2020Start your free trial at http://squarespace.com/overlysarcastic and use code
OVERLYSARCASTIC
to get 10% off your first purchase.Indian History has always been a story of peoples coming and going, but the subcontinent’s modern history takes that up to 11, with the arrival of Central Asian Mughals and boatloads of Europeans. See how India transforms from Medieval to Modern in this final act of our History of India.
SOURCES & Further Reading: The Discovery of India by Jawaharlal Nehru, A History of India by Michael H. Fisher (a lecture series by The Great Courses).
This video was edited by Sophia Ricciardi AKA “Indigo”. https://www.sophiakricci.com/
Our content is intended for teenage audiences and up.Special thanks to Varda Alighieri for coaching me through my (hopefully serviceable) pronunciations!
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July 4, 2020
Fixing Gettysburg: The Third Day
Atun-Shei Films
Published 3 Jul 2020In this three-part series, I review a classic Ron Maxwell film about a little known historical event that no one talks about called the Battle of Gettysburg. I also present an abbreviated and oversimplified history of the battle, while simultaneously criticizing the movie for presenting an abbreviated and oversimplified history of the battle.
In the third episode, I discuss the third day of fighting on July 3, 1863 – including the morning scrap on Culp’s Hill, East Cavalry Field, and Pickett’s Charge.
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#Gettysburg #CivilWar #VideoEssay
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Merch ► https://atun-sheifilms.bandcamp.com~REFERENCES~
[1] Frederick Tilberg, Scott Hartwig, John Heiser: Gettysburg National Military Park Handbook (2013). Historic Map and Print Company, Page 49
[2] James Longstreet: From Manassas to Appomattox, Da Capo Edition (1992). Da Capo Press, Page 392
[3] “Haskell’s Account of the Battle of Gettysburg”. Bartleby: Great Books Online https://www.bartleby.com/43/3504.html
[4] “East Cavalry Battlefield – Ranger John Nicholas” (2014). GettysburgNPS https://youtu.be/AfwBOOFFlXQ
QotD: Interpreting what men say
Here is what male speech means.
1. “Exactly what I said” — 75% of the time.
2. “Apparently I have not said the right thing yet, because your panties are still on” — 15%.
3. “My God, you’re still talking. You make me wish I had a tranquilizer gun. Doesn’t it ever stop? Jesus, I hope you didn’t say anything important, because all I hear is a buzzing sound. Did I say ‘okay’ or ‘mm-hmm’ or just grunt last time? I better mix it up, or you’ll realize I’m watching the game” — 10%
That covers it.
Steve H., “Traitor in Your Midst: She Must be Dealt With”, Hog On Ice, 2005-02-17.
July 3, 2020
Fixing Gettysburg: The Second Day
Atun-Shei Films
Published 2 Jul 2020In this three-part series, I review a classic Ron Maxwell film about a little known historical event that no one talks about called the Battle of Gettysburg. I also present an abbreviated and oversimplified history of the battle, while simultaneously criticizing the movie for presenting an abbreviated and oversimplified history of the battle.
In the second episode, I discuss the first day of fighting on July 2, 1863 – including Dan Sickles’ shenanigans on the left, the 20th Maine on Little Round Top, the 1st Minnesota, and the night battle on Culp’s Hill.
Support Atun-Shei Films on Patreon ► https://www.patreon.com/atunsheifilms
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#Gettysburg #CivilWar #VideoEssay
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Merch ► https://atun-sheifilms.bandcamp.com~REFERENCES~
[1] Stephen W. Sears: “General Longstreet and the Lost Cause” (2005). American Heritage Magazine https://www.americanheritage.com/gene…
[2] W.C. Storrick: The Battle of Gettysburg (1931). J Horace McFarland Company, Page 26
[3] Frederick Tilberg, Scott Hartwig, John Heiser: Gettysburg National Military Park Handbook (2013). Historic Map and Print Company, Page 31-32
[4] Storrick, Page 27
[5] William B. Styple: Generals in Bronze (2005). Belle Grove Publishing Company, Page 222
[6] “The 1st Minnesota Infantry at Gettysburg” (2014). Iron Brigader https://ironbrigader.com/2014/01/03/1…
[7] Storrick, Page 29-30
[8] Tilberg, Hartwig, Heiser, Page 45
July 2, 2020
Fixing Gettysburg: The First Day
Atun-Shei Films
Published 1 Jul 2020In this three-part series, I review a classic Ron Maxwell film about a little known historical event that no one talks about called the Battle of Gettysburg. I also present an abbreviated and oversimplified history of the battle, while simultaneously criticizing the movie for presenting an abbreviated and oversimplified history of the battle.
In this first episode, I discuss the first day of fighting on July 1, 1863 – including Buford’s cavalry, the Iron Brigade, the Railroad Cut, and John Burns.
Support Atun-Shei Films on Patreon ► https://www.patreon.com/atunsheifilms
Leave a Tip via Paypal ► https://www.paypal.me/atunsheifilms (Between now and October, all donations made here will go toward the production of The Sudbury Devil, our historical feature film)
#Gettysburg #CivilWar #VideoEssay
Watch our film ALIEN, BABY! free with Prime ► http://a.co/d/3QjqOWv
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Twitter ► https://twitter.com/atun_shei
Instagram ► https://www.instagram.com/atunsheifilms
Merch ► https://atun-sheifilms.bandcamp.com~REFERENCES~
[1] “General John Buford’s Report of his Cavalry’s Action at Gettysburg” (2015). Iron Brigader https://ironbrigader.com/2015/06/22/g…
[2] W.C. Storrick: The Battle of Gettysburg (1931). J Horace McFarland Company, Page 11
[3] “The First Day at Gettysburg: Then and Now.” American Battlefield Trust https://www.battlefields.org/learn/ar…
[4] “Lt. Colonel Rufus Dawes Describes the Fighting of the 6th Wisconsin Infantry at Gettysburg” (2013). Iron Brigader https://ironbrigader.com/2013/06/13/l…
[5] “Civilian John Burns at the Battle of Gettysburg (2018)”. C-Span https://www.c-span.org/video/?447809-…
[5 1/2] Allen C. Redwood: “The Confederate in the Field”. Civil War Home https://www.civilwarhome.com/confeder…
[6] Codie Eash: “The Wounded Wisconsinite Who Witnessed Pickett’s Charge” (2018). National Museum of Civil War Medicine https://www.civilwarmed.org/reed/?fbc…
[7] Cooper Wingert: “The Confederate ‘Slave Hunt’ and the Gettysburg Campaign” (2020). Emerging Civil War https://emergingcivilwar.com/2020/05/…
QotD: Army recruits
There have been better attempts at marching, and they have been made by penguins. Sergeant Jackrum brought up the rear in the cart, shouting instructions, but the recruits moved as if they’d never before had to get from place to place. The sergeant yelled the swagger out of their steps, stopped the cart and for a few of them held an impromptu lesson in the concepts of “right” and “left” and, by degrees, they left the mountains.
Terry Pratchett, Monstrous Regiment, 2003.
June 24, 2020
QotD: Youthful opinions
It is very natural for young men to be vehement, acrimonious and severe. For as they seldom comprehend at once all the consequences of a position, or perceive the difficulties by which cooler and more experienced reasoners are restrained from confidence, they form their conclusions with great precipitance. Seeing nothing that can darken or embarrass the question, they expect to find their own opinion universally prevalent, and are inclined to impute uncertainty and hesitation to want of honesty, rather than of knowledge.
Samuel Johnson, The Rambler No. 121, 1751-05-14.
June 23, 2020
Legends Summarized: The Journey To The West (Part VII)
Overly Sarcastic Productions
Published 27 Dec 2019Journey to the West Kai, episode 4: Trouble in Taoist Town!
Thrills! Excitement! Pigsy takes a bath! Sandy fights an alligator! Monkey helps Tripitaka cheat on a high-stakes game show! And as always, everyone forgets about the horse!
Our content is intended for teenage audiences and up.
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June 20, 2020
History-Makers: Confucius
Overly Sarcastic Productions
Published 19 Jun 2020Welcome to the challenge run of History-Makers, where I attempt to give insightful historical context to someone whose backstory is almost entirely blank.
SOURCES & Further Reading: Confucius: A Very Short Introduction by Gardner, China: A History by Keay, The Analects of Confucius, The Mencius.
This video was edited by Sophia Ricciardi AKA “Indigo”. https://www.sophiakricci.com/
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June 16, 2020
Legends Summarized: The Journey To The West (Part VI)
Overly Sarcastic Productions
Published 14 Dec 2018JOURNEY TO THE WEST KAI, EPISODE 3: FAMILY FEUD!
Action! Excitement! Faces from the past! Kuan Yin discovers an exciting new acupuncture technique! Pigsy is unexpectedly skilled at CPR!
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QotD: A thumbnail history of the English language
Languages are anything but static. Some change very slowly, like French — which owes much of its ponderousness to a government department specifically tasked with rooting out heretic words that creep in from the outside. Other languages undergo periods of very rapid change — the English of Chaucer (late 1300s) would be very confusing to Shakespeare (late 1500s and early 1600s). Two hundred years seems like a long period of time, but in the history of an entire country, it’s a drop in the bucket.
English doesn’t just borrow words; it lifts whole phrases and grammatical ideas from other languages without so much as a by-your-leave. With the coming of the Saxons to Britain, Germanic languages crashed headlong into Brythonic and became Old English. Then the Vikings went for a multi-century beer run starting in the late 700s and left behind a bunch of Norse words, because who doesn’t invent a new language every time they go out carousing? In 1066, William the Bastard decided he didn’t like his name, and brought Norman French with him when he went to the town clerk’s office to have his name legally changed to William the Conqueror.
For the next two hundred years, the English upper classes spoke French and the lower classes spoke a zillion dialects of Middle English (travel was difficult for poor people, so regional variations survived). All legal business was done in French, which was often translated on the spot into Latin for the official records. A person couldn’t even submit a legal plea in English until 1362. But with the start of the Hundred Years’ War in 1337, Edward III decided that speaking French was très passé, and began encouraging English as a spoken and written language, with a little French thrown in, just to keep things interesting. And ever since, English has been debating how sophisticated it wants to be, while making rude gestures across the Channel at France and grumbling when the French sneer northwards.
Blake Smith, “A Brief History of English and Why it Matters”, Mad Genius Club, 2018-03-07.