Spidey/Goblin: American Values

[Abishai100]

This is an American-values vignette inspired by the film Greedy.


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SPIDER-MAN: You can't terrorize New York's subways!
GRAY GOBLIN: Why not? What's so special about traffic?
SPIDER-MAN: People want to get to work or go to the park!
GRAY GOBLIN: Why don't they just stay home and watch television?
SPIDER-MAN: People appreciate the ability to get around outdoors!
GRAY GOBLIN: I think people are too much like busy-bodies.
SPIDER-MAN: There's nothing wrong with Wall Street promoting peace.
GRAY GOBLIN: Commerce/capitalism is not 'peaceful.'

Spider-Man and Gray Goblin obviously disagreed about the value of capitalism and modern traffic. Spider-Man believed traffic was a sign of the great drama of life and existence, while Gray Goblin believed that the mass mobilization of people purely for commerce was somehow all vain. Spider-Man conceded that consumerism hysteria could lead to gluttony and avarice and even sloth, but he did not want nihilism to prevail over modernism optimism. So, the two decided to debate with the ghost of George Orwell.

SPIDER-MAN: Americans like Monopoly (Parker Brothers).
GRAY GOBLIN: Americans also like Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?.
GEORGE ORWELL: Americans are fascinated by mercantilism.

SPIDER-MAN: Americans make the best toys.
GRAY GOBLIN: Americans make the best weapons.
GEORGE ORWELL: Americans make the best skyscrapers.

SPIDER-MAN: What's wrong with Wall Street?
GRAY GOBLIN: There's no way to curb avarice in capitalism!
GEORGE ORWELL: Maybe Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? is harmless propaganda.

SPIDER-MAN: Can democracy be hypocrisy?
GRAY GOBLIN: It can when pluralism is compromised by racism.
GEORGE ORWELL: Maybe ethnic business districts (e.g., Chinatown) promote peace.

SPIDER-MAN: I feel uncomfortable about anti-capitalism rhetoric.
GRAY GOBLIN: We must afford free-speech rights to critics of America!
GEORGE ORWELL: I appreciate how Internet-users use 'identity-masking avatars.'

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{Spider-Man & Gray Goblin}